Maryland seeks grant to widen I-81

The Hagerstown Herald-Mail ^ | March 6, 2019 | Mike Lewis

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Maryland is again seeking federal funds for the second phase of widening Interstate 81 in Washington County.

Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration announced Monday that it submitted two Infrastructure for Rebuilding America, or INFRA, grant applications. One project would widen part of I-81. The other would renovate the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore, so it could carry double-stacked rail traffic.

The application is accompanied a 50-page attachment of letters of support from state officials, as well as business, civic and political leaders in the Tri-State region. A letter signed by Hogan says the grant funding “will position the I-81 Corridor as a national asset for freight movement for the next several decades.”

The I-81 project is the second part of a four-phase effort to widen Maryland’s 12.1-mile stretch of the interstate. The first phase, expected to be completed next year, runs from U.S. 11 in West Virginia to Md. 63/Md. 68 in Maryland.

The second phase would widen the interstate to three lanes in each direction for about 3.5 miles, from the end of Phase 1 to Halfway Boulevard. Along with that work, the project includes extending Halfway Boulevard for about a half-mile west to Md. 63.

The application, the third attempt at a grant for phase 2, puts the total cost at $106 million. The cost breakdown would be:

• I-81, phase 2: $55 million would come from the INFRA grant, $42.6 million from the Maryland Department of Transportation and $1 million from Washington County.

• Halfway Boulevard Extension: $3.8 million would come in federal funds through the Appalachian Regional Commission, $2.172 million from Washington County and $1.35 million from the private sector.

[Salamander]

Holy hell.

The Stone Wall Of Death is probably gone, too, then.

[Viking2002]

You must have traveled those old byways more recently than I have, because I'm befuzzled as to where the rock wall was. Old National Highway has one way in, and one way out. The other took you through The Narrows. In that area, you had the train trestle that's still in use by the scenic railroad (that little trip to Frostburg and back isn't cheap, but it's a fun haul when you have an old steam locomotive pulling you), the rock cut and Lover's Leap, and Motor City. It also used to have JJ's Pizza, who made the best friggin' Stromboli you ever wrapped your jaws around. If you want to have a little thrill, try Wellersburg Mountain in December or January. It could be 45 and sunny in Cumberland, then you hit that mountain heading up towards Somerset, and the weather changes on you in a flash. It'll drop to 30 degrees and snow squalls that quick. That mountain has it's own sub-climate. The last time I was there, they were still constructing the Flight 93 memorial. I remember that day. I called my mom and asked her what the hell was going on up there. She said she didn't have time to talk because they issued an All Hands to anyone who worked at the hospital, and was in the process of changing into her medical garb. They had cleared the whole area and set up MediVac landing pads areas and triage stations everywhere.

There were no patients to treat, as we now know. It kinda digs especially deep, given what happened, how close it came to hitting home, and the Pentagon hit was like seeing an old part of my life take a whack. I worked at the Puzzle Palace for three years and was only another three years removed from it when the other plane hit. Looking back, it seems surreal.

[Salamander]

The wall was back when I was kid and we went on joy rides up to CLand.

Long before 68 was even a thought.

Worst thing I’d ever done, since then, was work for the Census in 1980.

We took the back roads in the dead of W.MD winter, no matter the weather, either in my Gremlin or my boss’s Buick, to test potential employees.

Neither of those cars are known for their 4wd abilities.

So. Much. Fun.

Of course, now, trying to find that wall is gonna be my Summer Quest.

I can just feel it.

/hates unresolved issues

:D