CAROLINE COUNTY, Md. — Caroline County Commissioners are laying out their transportation priorities to state officials, with a major focus on completing improvements to Route 404.
In a letter sent to the Maryland Department of Transportation, commissioners outlined a list of road projects they want included in the state’s six-year Consolidated Transportation Program. Among them are resurfacing and maintenance projects on Route 313 and Route 16, along with continued roadway upkeep across the county.
But commissioners say their top request is finishing the final segment of Route 404 from Harmony Road to Route 16 East, which they describe as a critical regional priority.
James Willoughby of Denton says he has seen changes on the roadway over the years.
“I've seen 404 over the years go from good to worse,” Willoughby said.
He says the road’s design can also affect emergency response times in the area.
“Sometimes they can't respond fast enough out there,” Willoughby said. “If they dualize it more, they probably would have a faster response time."
Others say traffic conditions along Route 404 have become more noticeable over time.
“There’s been so many wrecks on 404,” John Wood of Denton said. “There's just so much traffic. You're asking for trouble when you're taking – go out here on 404.”
Travis Breeding, president of the Caroline County Commission, says the roadway remains a priority in ongoing conversations with state transportation officials.
“Every year, State Highway Administration asks us for a list of priority projects that we would like to see completed inside of Caroline County,” Breeding said.
He says commissioners continue to advocate for improvements to Route 404, especially during peak travel times.
“During the summer months, we see an increase in volume due to beach traffic and vacationers heading to the ocean,” Breeding told WBOC. “So it puts a lot of stress on our first responders.”
For some drivers, like Joseph Carson of Ridgely, traffic is present but manageable.
“I've noticed some congestion, but it's not enough to stop you from doing what you got to do,” Carson said.
Commissioners say they will also continue pushing for resurfacing, shoulder repairs, and intersection safety improvements on other state roads throughout the county as part of their request to state officials.
