It will involve sealing the roadway & extending the acceleration lanes.
Knoxville, Md. (KM) Beginning on Wednesday, August 31st, the Maryland State Highway Administration will be making improvements on Route 340 in Knoxville between the Potomac River bridge and the Frederick County line.
The work will take place from 8:00 PM until 5:00 AM each day. SHA says work will be suspended during the Labor Day holiday weekend from September 2nd through September 5th. It will resume on Tuesday, September 6th at 8:00 PM.
Officials say a protective sealant will be applied to all lanes in both directions over several nights. SHA says the contractor, Slurry Pavers, Inc. of Richmond, Va., will be using a treatment called “microsurfacing.” For roads that do not require asphalt overlays, this process will seal cracks, lock out moisture and improve traction to help prevent hydro-planing, according to state officials. They say it will delay more expensive resurfacing.
SHA says crews will modify the lane configuration on eastbound Rt. 340 within the corridor. The acceleration lanes at Rt. 340 and Keep Tryst Road and Valley Road will be lengthened through re-striping. The agency says the longer lanes reduce the potential for traffic collisions as the vehicles merge on to eastbound Route 340.
When the project is completed, which is expected by mid-September, weather permitting, there will only be one lane on eastbound Route 340 between Route 67 (Rohrersville Road) and the Potomac River bridge.
The project costs $300,000, SHA says.
Motorists are urged to plan extra travel time if they drive through this area. SHA says it will use barrels and arrow signs to direct traffic through the work area.