by Geoff Fox
If you’re heading north on 522 headed to Hancock, you might experience some delays starting Monday, October 31, as The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) will begin a project making improvements to the intersection of U.S. 522 and High Street in Hancock.
MDOT SHA said the project includes modifications to the existing concrete island to create shoulders, which will improve the turning radius for larger vehicles and trucks.
Crews will work Mondays through Fridays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. with a projected finish by the end of November, weather permitting. The closures will not be all day closures.
Temporary and intermittent ramp closures will be required during the project. When the High Street ramp to northbound 522 is closed, motorists from Hancock will be detoured to Main Street to eastbound I-70 to Exit 5 and then onto west-bound I-70.
When the northbound U.S. 522 ramp to High Street is closed, motorists heading to Hancock will be directed to east-bound I-70 to Exit 3 and on to Main Street.
Throughout the project, U.S. 522 north will remain open, allowing traffic to I-68, I-70 westbound into Pennsylvania, and eastbound I-70. There will be some shoulder closure along U.S. 522 north, though. U.S. 522 south will not be affected.
MDOT SHA contractor C. William Hetzer Inc. will use signs, barrels and flagging operation to guide motorists safely through the work zone. Motorists are encouraged to allow extra commuting time during construction.
Maryland’s Move Over Law requires motorists to make a lane change or slow down when approaching any stopped, standing, or parked vehicle displaying hazard lights, road flares, or other caution signals. The expanded law is in place to protect emergency responders and motorists who encounter a roadside emergency.
