Existing Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge
California, MD — Some businesses along Route 235 in California will have their entrances removed under a plan proposed by the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA). The reason: the proposal for improving the Routes 4/235 intersection as part of the Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge replacement project.
The plan calls for Route 4 to remain at grade and Route 235 being elevated over it. That is a change from an earlier proposal which would have kept Route 235 at grade and tunnel Route 4 under it. The new plan will result in some businesses losing their Route 235 access. Instead, the proposal is to create a service road behind the businesses for access.
The proposal was presented to the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County June 16 by Brandon Scott of the SHA Office of Planning and Preliminary Engineering. He said the new intersection plan was selected because it was felt it would provide better traffic operation, particularly during evening rush hour.
Scott said the proposal is to use the county owned railroad right-of-way behind the commercial buildings for the access. Commissioner Mike Hewitt [R – 2nd District] asked Scott if he was aware that the county controlled access over the right-of-way. He said he was not. The proposal was the same one presented April 22 at an informational workshop at Esperanza Middle School.
The bridge project will require the acquisition of 56 acres of right-of-way with 128 properties impacted. Three residential relocations and four business displacements will occur, including the WaWa convenience store at the intersection.
Scott said $15 million is currently included in SHA’s transportation program for the bridge project. Total estimated cost for the four-lane replacement of the existing two-lane bridge is $50 million to $670 million in today’s dollars.
One decision yet to be reached is the height of the new bridge. The current bridge is 140 feet above the Patuxent. A replacement at that height and one half as high are being considered. Scott said the Navy believes the 70 foot height “may be enough.” The bridge that opened in 1977 was built so high originally to accommodate potential Navy ship traffic under it.
The final design is expected to be released later this summer.
Hewitt told Scott he was also concerned about the timing of the three phases: the bridge, access road and the 4/235 intersection. He said the bridge is the bottleneck and needed to be a priority.
“Hopefully you can build this in my lifetime,” quipped Commissioner President randy Guy [R].
Contact Dick Myers at dick.myers@thebaynet.com