OCEAN PINES, Md.- Starting Monday, the Maryland State Highway Administration began reconstruction on the slope and embankment along MD Route 589 and Gum Point Road in Ocean Pines.
The closure was originally projected to last up to eight weeks. However, SHA explains from what they saw Monday as they uncovered some of the work zone, they think the project will only take three to four weeks.
On Monday, crews began clearing out debris and brush on the side of the road in order to get to the embankment.
"Weather never stops, so it eroded the embankment here going down to Turville Creek, we have to stabilize that because we can't let it go any further. That creates a risk in undercutting the roadway," State Highway Administration spokesperson, Bob Rager said.
After a temporary fix several years ago, SHA is back for a permanent solution.
But closing down even for a couple of weeks is impacting businesses like Ali's Diner.
"Today until 9:30 a.m. I haven't had any customers. We open at 7 a.m. and we usually at least 20-25 tables," owner, Ali Karadeniz said.
He's worried that road closure signs will lead people to believe his restaurant is closed.
"They [SHA] said that the road is closed, I mean they shouldn't put that [road closure signs] over there. It's closed after the passed the restaurant. If it stays like this, I don't know what to do, I'm going to have to shut down I guess," Karadeniz explained.
Some drivers made U-turns, while some stuck to sides roads.
"I kept seeing cars go in front of me, I thought 'oh well, maybe the got one lane open,' I didn't know how it was working," Marjorie Hagood said.
The detour caught Aubrey Bradley off guard.
"This morning, I'm driving down the road and it's closed I'm like oh, that's not good. I work right at the end of 589 and Conte Road, it's all backed up, it's just been havoc, chaos," Bradley said.
But others are OK with it all.
"It doesn't worry me, I'll just follow the detour and I'll eventually end up on 50," Maria Lundberg said.
According to SHA roughly 20,000 cars per day travel on the stretch of 589 that is being closed off due to construction.
SHA is also discouraging drivers from taking side roads because they want to keep them clear for emergency responders. They ask drivers to stick to the designated detour routes.
