WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. -- It could be several more years before we see any construction taking place to widen Route 90. In the immediate future, the MD State Highway Administration will conduct an environmental study.
The study, which should begin this spring, will be an analysis of the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA.
"That will help us look more in depth at any potential impacts to the environment, look at more concepts in detail there and help us plan designs out a little more," said Barry Kiedrowski.
Kiedrowski is the Chief of the Project Management Division in the Office of Planning and Preliminary Engineering for SHA. He said until the study is done, SHA won't have a firm idea of which concept for Route 90 they will move forward with.
Kiedrowski also said this project overall will take time, and probably a lot of it, because SHA is taking traffic projections 20 years out into account. SHA wants to make sure any work done will stand up to the test of time.
"That's really a key to make sure we're setting the right type of concepts and alternatives to be evaluated and ultimately come up with a preferred design at the end of the process," said Kiedrowski.
As SHA gathers information from the environmental study and from neighbors in Worcester County, Kiedrowski said they will be able to form a better timeline of when certain projects will happen.
"We will be looking to see what do we need to take a further look at, is it the short-term improvements or the long-term improvements first," said Kiedrowski.
A short-term project could be an adjustment to an intersection or a possible addition of an Eastbound lane. Long-term projects would cover a full overhaul of Route 90 and the implementation of one of the expansion concepts.
Folks in Ocean City, like David Ravel, said while traffic is an issue right now, waiting for the right remedy will pay off down the road.
"I believe they should just go ahead and do the long-term solution," said Ravel. "We have to improve it, and it may be inconvenient for a little while, but in the long run it's going to be the best everybody."
To give a further example of how long this process will be, SHA only has money for the exploratory process. SHA received $15 million for the NEPA study and preliminary design efforts, but are awaiting funds for the next steps of this expansion project.