State Gives Woodland Acres 235 Access
Traffic along Maryland Route 235 at its intersection with MD 4 continues winning state highway safety projects, based upon the annual report Maryland Department of Transportation delivered last month to St. Mary’s County government.
MDOT State Highway Administration completed in May 2019 a $1.8 million project extending a road from the Woodland Acres community with direct access to MD 235 in California, just south of the 235/4 intersections. Safety improvements also were completed along MD 4 at Oak Drive where the Woodland Acres community accesses MD 4.
MDOT SHA plans to widen MD 4 between Wildewood Parkway and Old St. Andrew’s Church Road in the future. The project includes construction of a dedicated left-turn lane onto Old St. Andrew’s Church Road from southbound MD 4, and onto Wildewood Parkway from northbound MD 4. Design is underway and the project is scheduled to be advertised for construction in spring 2021.
Upcoming SHA projects are farther from Lexington Park. The largest a $27 million improvement project on MD 5 leading to Point Lookout State Park. Crews will reconstruct MD 5 to include an 11-foot lane with an 8-foot shoulder in both directions between Camp Brown Road and the park entrance. Construction is slated to be completed in fall 2021.
Also ongoing is SHA work on a $13 million intersection safety improvement project along MD 5 at Abell and Moakley streets in Leonardtown. Construction is expected to begin this fall, with a completion date scheduled for fall 2021.
System preservation work underway includes patching MD 6 from MD 5 to Parlett Morgan Road, which began in September. MDOT SHA also is studying potential pedestrian safety enhancements and traffic calming along MD 471, Indian Bridge Road near MD 5 in Great Mills at Cecil’s Country Store.
St. Mary’s County will receive $1,925,617 through Highway User Revenues this year, an increase of $111,670 over last year’s allocation. In addition, St. Mary’s County will receive $38,652 in highway safety grant funding.
MDOT SHA is partnering on four projects totaling $5.3 million in federal grants and one project totaling $625,000 in state grant funds, including the MD 5 Pedestrian and Bicycle Trail, and Three Notch Trail Phase 7. In addition, $35,000 was awarded for the Southern Regional State Forest rail trail service and maintenance project.
MDOT MTA is making an investment in St. Mary’s County transit through the operation of four commuter bus routes and providing $1.6 million in operating and capital grants to support the local transit system. Local transit funding includes routing software, ongoing preventive maintenance, and the Rideshare program. Additionally, $58,000 will be provided to nonprofits that serve the transportation needs of local seniors and people with disabilities.
For more about Lexington Park, visit the St. Mary’s Community Development Corp. website and Lexington Park’s Leader member page.
St. Mary’s County Community Development Corp., 46940 South Shangri-La Drive, Suite 7; Lexington Park, MD 20653; 301-863-7700
