The morning commute onto Aberdeen Proving Ground will get a little trickier in coming months as the State Highway Administration plans to cut a new, temporary left-hand turn into the intersection of Route 715 and Route 40 while construction proceeds on the interchange.
The new signal may provide another headache to workers in the area who have already seen local roads clogged with thousands of new arrivals who were part of the Army’s Base Realignment and Closure effort, completed in mid-September.
Improvements to the Route 715 have just begun, with completion of the $18 million project expected in mid-summer 2013, according to the SHA, but plans for improvements along Route 22 have not moved forward.
The SHA update comes two weeks before the state’s Department of Transportation is scheduled to present to the Aberdeen city council and local residents their plans to create a mixed-use transit, commercial, and residential facility centered around the Aberdeen railroad station. The area has recently been designated as a “Transit Oriented Development” area, marking it as a key location for expansion and development.
Route 715/Route 40
Work began recently on the first phase of the Route 715/Route 40 project, a widening and repaving effort stretching along Route 715 from the APG main gate to the Amtrak/MARC railroad bridge. The second, more complex phase remains on the drawing board pending approval of a final detailed design, according to SHA Community Liaison Fran Ward.
One of the key features of the overall plan for the interchange is an expanded, two-lane ramp off of Route 40 onto southbound Route 715. To accomplish the work, Ward said the SHA plans to create a temporary left-hand turn lane, which will cut through the existing median barrier and across the westbound lanes of Route 40 onto the existing ramp from those lanes onto southbound Route 715.
“In order to relocate and widen [the existing Route 715 southbound ramp], which will require a great deal of earthwork, SHA will temporarily close the ramp and install a temporary full signal on westbound US 40 adjacent to [the Route 715 northbound intersection with Route 40, a median break, and a left turn lane and left-turn signal for eastbound US 40, and provide a temporary spur for left-turn access from eastbound US 40…to MD 715 southbound and APG,” Ward said.
Ward said an open house to display to the public the final designs and detail a construction schedule would be held early next year.
A diagram of the planned final design for the interchange provided by Ward, and her full explanation, follow:
SHA presented concepts to the public at a open house/public meeting in January 2008 in Aberdeen
Alternate 1 was selected – you asked about an “end state” – this diagram depicts all future design attributes, such as the numbers of lanes and ramp configurations and the widening of the bridge over US 40. SHA is not widening the bridge over AMTRAK/MARC but will re-mark it to provide an additional lane.
SHA’s project team includes Aberdeen Proving Ground, the City of Aberdeen and Harford County.
Governor O’Malley announced the project funding at an event along US 40 in December 2009
Lt. Governor Brown hosted the groundbreaking ceremony along MD 715 in October 2010
The total design-build contract is $18 million.
Construction is underway for Phase 1 (APG Gate to AMTRAK/MARC bridge) by American Infrastructure of Fallston – Phase 1 was partially designed by SHA to facilitate an advanced start date
Final Design is underway for Phase 2 (AMTRAK/MARC bridge to US 40 interchange) – Conceptual design completed by SHA, “Design-Build” team of American Infrastructure and JMT Engineering of Sparks, MD to finalize design work (benefits include reduced overall project schedule) and obtain needed approvals and permitting.
SHA and the design-build team are planning on hosting another open house meeting to acquaint the public with the final design of the selected alternate and projected construction schedule for Phase 2 in winter 2012 (date TBA)
The projected overall completion date is mid-summer 2013.
But the expansion and evolution of the county’s transportation infrastructure remains mostly on the drawing board, drawing criticism from state Sen. Nancy Jacobs. Work has begun on a widening of Route 715 near the APG gate, but has progressed little further than approximately 200 yards of an unstriped, unusable extra lane and a sign promising the expansion’s completion in spring 2013.
In response to Jacobs’ complaints, the SHA announced plans to widen the intersection of Route 7 and Route 40, but work has not commenced.
Transit Opportunities?
As plans progress to lighten the load on local roads, the state Department of Transportation on Oct. 13 will present details to the Aberdeen city council and to local residents on how they would turn the Aberdeen rail station into a mixed-use hub.
The designation as a “Transit Oriented Development” focus area is intended to bring greater state support to the creation of a joint transit, commercial, and residential complex around the stop, similar to that at Symphony Center in Northern Baltimore and under development at the Owings Mills Metro Station, Savage MARC Station, and Odenton MARC station. Labeled by local leaders as a place for residents to “live, work, and play,” the projects still in development have spent years on the drawing board, and required investments of hundreds of millions of dollars.
The project would also require changes to current MARC service at the station. Currently, only one northbound morning train from the Baltimore area stops at Aberdeen, arriving at 7:42 a.m. In the afternoon, only two southbound trains stop at that station: a pricey Amtrak ride departing at 5:19 p.m. and a later MARC train at 6:33 p.m.
A MDOT presentation to the public is scheduled for 4:15 p.m., followed by an “open house” from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and a presentation to the city council at 6 p.m. All are invited to attend.
Of course, this couldn’t have bee done in the years approaching additional 1000’s added to post.
A lot of money has been spent in recent years for ideas and drawings but it seems to never bloom. I will believe it when I see it.
The “improvement” of that train station has been about to happen for the last 15 years. Face it good people as long as that plug ugly bridge is there, there will never be anything worthwhile coming out of this study nor the next five or six studies to come.
Traffic congestion, plans on top of plans that never have results, BRAC, BRAC, BRAC, it’s a broken record and I am afraid that the time to seriously consider moving is upon my family and me. 40 years of Aberdeen living has had ups and downs but in the past Aberdeen has come through for it’s citizens even with some political stumbles. Unfortunately, big changes came to our little town via the federal government along with Annapolis butting in and the end result is long timers getting the screws turned with no option but to pack up and move. Couple that with Maryland’s tax and spend strategy and the fact that Maryland offers no breaks for retirees because those that choose not to work or work illegally get the breaks in the current political climate. It’s rather sad.
It’s a shame everyone has to break out the check books to spend millions of dollars after everyone is already “here.” They like to blame BRAC for all the traffic, but the truth is; it was already “bad enough” before all these people came here to work.
Years and years ago there was constant surveying and thoughts of this and that, widen this, do that, but nothing ever happens until people come. Just the way it is I suppose.
I guess the ones who disliked my post are the ones who can’t figure out how to use a gas pump.
ROFLMAO
So you pump your own gas and still pay more per gallon than at the full service pumps in NJ. Without the labor cost involved, gas should be significantly cheaper here in MD, but it isn’t. I wonder why?
I moved from NJ. Honestly, I prefer to pump myself. I can get in and out a lot quicker doing it myself.
Just looked up avg per gallon prices. NJ: 3.319, MD: 3.359. 4 cent difference. Difference in taxes is MD is 9 cents more than NJ. Ignoring taxes, gas in NJ is 5 cents more. That could be your added labor costs for full-serve. Too bad you cannot get self-serve in NJ, you might save some more!
Anyway, no mysteries here. No need to wonder why there is a difference.
It is much faster to pump your own gas.
That is, unless people insist on parking their cars in front of the gas pumps and going into the store to buy 64oz sodas and freshly made dijon chicken wraps for everyone in their 8 passenger cross over vehicle.
Most of the time I go to a gas station with 10 pumps 8-10 of them have a car next to them, and only about 2 or 3 people actually pumping gas.
HOW ABOUT YOU THINK ABOUT SOMEONE OTHER THAN YOURSELF AND DRIVE YOUR CAR 40 FEET TO A PARKING SPOT AT THE STORE AND THEN GO INSIDE FOR 15 MINUTES.
Rant over.
What does price/money have to do with my ignorant comment regarding people who are clueless about pumping gas? LOL
How is this any different than when developers swoop in and buy up the failed farm at a grand per acre, cut down and grind up every living thing in site, raise a few hundred cookie cutter homes, give the local politicians their kickback and walk away with their pockets stuffed with money leaving the locals to pay to upgrade the overcrowded roads, schools, and inadequate public services?
Believe me, many of the BRAC relocators from NJ, including us, would have been very happy to stay in NJ. In fact, many people haven’t moved, but are commuting and teleworking from their homes.
Blame your senators and congresspersons who made this all happen, but have now walked away when it comes to paying for the infrastucture improvements.
@Brack Family-It seems that you don’t really like the move…I personally think that the “savings” from consolidation of bases won’t really materialize into anything of value for the tax payer, but APG will continue to be a driver of good paying jobs for the county and the economic activity it generates to the county at large. I don’t have anyone to blame for the move, but if you don’t like the comute or moving to Harford County is beneath you, you can always quit your high paying-do nothing productive-mooch of the taxpayer until you can retire and stay in the Garden State where corruption, loud mouth Yankees think the world ends in the NY/NJ area. Just think though, the people of NY think that NJ is the armpit of the NYC area.
You didn’t respond to the heart of my original comment. The MD state and federal legislators patted themselves on the back about the BRAC “win.” But in typical politician fashion, when it comes time to make good on their infrastructure improvements promises, it’s all talk, no action. Steny, Dutch and the rest of that crew should be ashmed of themselves.
And by the way, MD politics has been corrupt for a long time now – Spiro Agnew from long ago, all the way through to Jack Johnson in modern times. No different than NJ in that respect.
@FRANKLY SPEAKING: you started out well, even though I have no understanding of the infrastructures and high paying APG jobs that exist or drive Harford County’s economy. APG is just a small part of Harford County. Once you approach the center and northern parts of the county, it is primarily farm country, east to west. Do they not also drive the county’s economy in some way? I have no connections to BRAC or APG, but at least I was able to follow the point that BRAC FAMILY was trying to make. Once you began your tirade, you sounded exactly like the people you say exist in the NY/NJ area. Either you are also from that area and are one of the loudmouth Yankees you berate or you’re just another idiot that thinks they know everything there is to know about us New Yorkers or Garden State folks because you read it in your AAA travel guide.
@ BRACFAMILY: You hit the nail on the head.
I’m sick of BRAC this and BRAC that spewing out of every politician’s mouth like it’s the second coming. Well, BRAC has arrived and the infrastructure suffers and the politicians are silent. Wait until the winter storms hit, wait until there is a milk, bread, toilet paper call out, or better yet wait until there is an accident on 22 and one on 40 at the same time and the town roads get the diverted traffic.
Shame on Maryland for not demanding a spot at the big people’s table when it came down to dollars and cents and expedited construction. Shame on Harford County for not demanding a spot at Mr. Marty’s table when it came down to using federal dollars that were eventually given to Maryland. Shame on the municipalities, the big 3 get the brunt (Aberdeen gets whacked), and have been pretty much silent during the process.