John Matthews
WMAL.com
DENTON, MD — (WMAL) The cold spring is having a big impact on highway crews – especially those who work overnights. Spring maintenance has been slowed by the cold temperatures – particularly in projects where re-paving work is taking place.
“In order for us to do quality paving, you need 50 degrees or better consistently, and at night it’s been down in the 30’s and low 40’s,” says Maryland State Highways spokesman Charlie Gischlar. “Even during the day, we’re not coming up to temperature until Noon or One o’clock.”
Gischlar says one major project that has been impacted has been the re-paving of Maryland Route 404, a popular road for beach goers. The 11-mile stretch between U.S. Route 50 and the town of Denton has been set for re-paving for some time, but the hours that work can proceed has been very limited.
The state wants to have the work completed on Rt. 404 before beach season starts in earnest Memorial Day weekend. Gischlar says they should be able to meet that goal, but the going has been tough.
Another project that could be impacted is a resurfacing project on I-370 in Montgomery County, which is due for re-paving this coming week.
Temperatures finally began to moderate over the weekend, and Gischlar is hoping the cold weather pattern that has gripped the region for weeks now will finally be broken, so that work can proceed.
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