ST. MICHAELS, Md. - Entering St. Michaels on Maryland Route 33 has at times looked more like a scene from the Western Shore, rather than in a small Eastern Shore town.
Traffic backups have created walls of brake lights and caused visitors and neighbors to at times take 15 minutes or more to get down Talbot Street, which runs concurrently with MD 33 through town.
Since fall of 2021, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) has been working on a $2 million project to improve sidewalks along Talbot Street.
That has caused MDOT to reduce the road to one lane at times, causing backups, and frustrating drivers.
"If they're working, there's a backup," said St. Michaels neighbor Darlene Carter. "If I have to go out to go the doctor, I have to sit out here sometimes for at least fifteen, twenty minutes before I can even get across the road. So that means I'm late for a doctor's appointment, or going shopping, or picking somebody up."
The Paytons, visiting St. Michaels from Montgomery County, saw some traffic but didn't let it bring down their weekend away.
"This is the first time that we've been here where they've actually had construction, and so we were stopped for maybe five, ten minutes waiting for it to pass, but we just took it in stride," said Leah Payton.
Among the improvements to the sidewalks are new ADA compliant intersections, which some neighbors are excited to see.
"I'm a physical therapist, so they're following the rules, I'm glad about that. It's a great idea," said Sue and Mike Cecere, of St. Michaels.
Some staffing issues at a contractor has pushed the completion of the sidewalk project to the end of 2023.
The Town of St. Michaels said MDOT has worked well with the town to minimize delays during the busy visitor season and during special events.
After the sidewalk project is complete, MDOT plans to resurface Talbot Street. No date for that project has been set, but it will likely be in 2024.