Motorists Detoured to US 340 Until Road Repaired, Closed for Up to Eight Weeks
(May 16, 2018) – The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is alerting motorists that MD 180 (Jefferson Pike) is closed between MD 79 (Petersville Road) and MD 17 (Burkittsville Road) in Frederick County due to a washout. The closure is expected to be in effect for up to eight weeks for crews to repair the bridge, rebuild and stabilize the extensively damaged roadside slopes and resurface and stripe MD 180 in the affected area at the Little Catoctin Creek crossing.
US 340 directly parallels MD 180 and is the MDOT SHA established detour route. Approximately 3,500 vehicles travel on this section of MD 180 each day.
MDOT SHA is also repairing roadside slopes that were damaged during the heavy rain and are using a flagging operation to alternate traffic on MD 180 just west of Mt. Zion Road. This further east than the total closure
Significant overnight rains caused Little Catoctin Creek to swell and the force of the water inundated and compromised the road. The heaviest precipitation affected areas of Frederick County near Jefferson, Knoxville and Brunswick.