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Dualization of 113 paving to continue through September

(Sept. 7, 2017) Construction crews will be a continuing presence for commuters on Route 113 between Snow Hill and Berlin, as paving work there is expected to continue into the fall.
Maryland State Highway Administration spokesman Bob Rager provided a status update on Phase 3 of the $86 million highway dualization project, which covers a 4.6-mile stretch of road between Massey Branch and Five Mile Branch Road.
Rager said State Highway was in the process of installing several layers of base asphalt for the new northbound U.S. 113 roadway that will run from south of Langmaid Road to south of Basket Switch Road.
Because crews began putting in initial base layers of asphalt in July, Rager said work has progressed steadily.
“It always takes a while to get to this point, but projects like this can really pick up speed once we hit the first paving operation,” he said.
Over the next few weeks, Rager estimated 20,000 tons of new asphalt would be spread. Workers have also spent “a tremendous amount of time” installing drainage infrastructure and moving utilities, he added.
Rager said Mother Nature can be friend or foe when preparing to pave.
“All of these tasks are incredibly weather sensitive, because the fill material can only be compacted within a certain moisture content range,” he said.   
Thankfully, as crews prepare for final grading work and begin placing aggregate and paving, Rager said rainy days become less impactful.
“The compacted roadbed sheds water and dries quickly, and crews can get right back to work,” he said.
Rager said additional grading and cement work would continue at the south end of the project area, through the end of September.
“Motorists can expect a temporary traffic shift this fall,” he said. “We’ll place both directions of traffic on the new northbound lanes, freeing up a large section of the old U.S. 113 road so we can begin reconstructing it.”