Construction started in June 2019 on the $126.8 million project, which was awarded to Wagman Heavy Civil Inc. of York, Pa.
A Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) project involving MD 32 at Linden Church Road in Howard County is heading toward a summer 2022 completion date.
Construction started in June 2019 on the $126.8 million project, which was awarded to Wagman Heavy Civil Inc. of York, Pa.
The 6.6-mi. project involves widening a section of MD 32 (Patuxent Freeway) from a two-lane road to a four-lane highway.
The contract calls for the installation of two 12-ft. lanes in each direction, along with 4-ft. inside and 10-ft. outside shoulders in each direction and a 34-ft. open section median. In addition, a new two-lane access road will be constructed west of MD 32 from Vistaview Drive to MD 144 and the Triadelphia Road Bridge over MD 32 was reconstructed, completed in September 2020.
Additional work includes proposed storm water ponds and swales to remove pollutants from storm water runoff, new drainage culverts and box culverts, landscaping and reforestation, new signage, lighting and signals and a variety of drainage, precast box culverts and bridges with caisson foundations and pile foundations.
"There are several streams and waterways within the project limits, so environmental regulations must be considered at every step," said Shantee Felix, assistant media relations manager of MDOT SHA. "Two new bridges are being constructed over the Middle Patuxent River and Terrapin Branch waterways. The project limits include many communities [some homeowner associations], businesses, an MDOT SHA maintenance shop and a school. With all those entities, there are many voices to listen to and take into account, especially when closing a roadway or doing overnight work."
Felix said that this is Phase II of the MD 32 Widening project. Phase I was completed just prior to this project and many of the same people, including contractors and their staffs, who worked on Phase I also are working on Phase II.
"This phase is using the ‘Design-Build' process," Felix said. "The Design-Build process is a project delivery method where the design and construction are performed by a Design-Build team [a contractor and an engineer] that must meet design requirements set forth by MDOT SHA and other regulatory agencies. The Design-Build process can shorten the overall duration of a project, reduce costs and foster innovation in design and construction. So, design is fluid and being completed the same time as construction, instead of months or years in advance."
She added that this project is needed to reduce congestion and increase safety along MD 32.
"This is a heavily traveled roadway that sees between 24,000 and 40,000 vehicles on average every day depending on the section," Felix said. "It is also a popular commuter route."
Major subcontractors for the project include CJ Miller for asphalt paving, Machado for concrete, Guardrails Etc. for guardrail, Traffic Systems Inc. for electrical, Ortiz Trucking for hauling, RLO for site clearing, Ed's Plant World for landscaping, site services, erosion and sediment and seeding and Zone Striping for pavement markings.
Felix reported that a total of 75 to 100 people are working on the project, including design, construction and management.
The project includes 50,000 linear ft. of W-Beam guardrail, 500,000 cu. yds. of earthmoving excavation and grading, more than 5,000 cu. yds. of cast in place concrete, and approximately 100,000 tons of hot mix asphalt paving.
Major equipment includes a Terex HC110 crane, a Link-Belt LS-218H II crawler crane, a Kobelco CK1100G hydraulic crawler crane, an American 9299 lattice-boom crawler crane, a Terex RT335 rough-terrain crane, a Grove RT760E rough-terrain crane, a Grove RT 880E rough-terrain crane, a Sterling/Terex 7501/4792 boom truck crane, a Caterpillar TH63 telehandler, several JLG telescopic boom lifts, a Komatsu PC88MR-10 compact excavator, a Case CX 210 excavator, a Caterpillar 315DL hydraulic excavator, a Caterpillar 320CL hydraulic excavator, a Komatsu PS238-USLC-11 tail-swing excavator, a John Deere 350GLC mid-size excavator, a Komatsu PC360LC-10 crawler excavator, a Komatsu PC360LC-11 hydraulic excavator, a John Deere 470G large excavator, a John Deere 220D mobile excavator, a John Deere 230GW wheeled excavator, a Caterpillar 416C IT backhoe, a Komatsu D65EX-12 crawler dozer, a John Deere 450K-LGP crawler tractor and several Cat crawler tractors.
Other equipment includes a group plant, drilling rigs, a Soilmec SR-75 piling rig, several air compressors and welder generators, light towers, a Bidwell 2450 paver, message signs, hydraulic breakers, a Bobcat/Melroe 72-in. sweeper, a Rome TACW16 tractor and a Finn T 75 T hydroseeder. CEG
Brenda Ruggiero
Brenda Ruggiero has written for CEG for over 20 years. She lives near the town of Accident in far western Maryland. Her favorite assignments so far involved interviews with Survivor’s Boston Rob and hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut. Both were involved in construction at one time.
Brenda holds a BA in Mass Communication with a writing focus from Frostburg State University and minors in Public Relations and Political Science. She works full time as a staff writer for a weekly newspaper, the Garrett County Republican. She enjoys feature writing the most, which gives her the opportunity to talk to people and share their stories.
Brenda and her middle school sweetheart, Reuben, have been married for over 34 years and have three grown children and four cats.
Read more from Brenda Ruggiero here.
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