Baltimore Beltway construction project aims to ease traffic congestion by 2028
The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) says that it will take a few more years to ease the heavy traffic along the Baltimore Beltway.
Once the 38-mile construction project is finished on Interstate 695, a Part-Time Shoulder Use (PTSU) lane during peak travel times is expected to reduce traffic congestion.
"We're working very hard with our contracting partner to get this done quickly," said Will Pines, Maryland's State Highway Administrator. "So that the benefit of that additional travel lane during peak periods will be available to help everybody save time."
Tech-driven traffic relief
Construction is currently focused on the stretch between I-70 and I-83. Eventually, the project will extend from Lillian Holt Drive, just south of the I-95/I-695 interchange, and cover nearly the entire Beltway.
Officials say the goal is to give drivers an extra travel lane during morning and evening rush hours.
"During peak periods, morning and afternoon rush hour in particular, there's an extra lane to move congestion faster," said Sean Campion, the deputy director of SHA.
A major feature of the project is a new Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)—a high-tech solution designed to detect obstructions such as crashes, stalled vehicles, or debris. The system will send real-time alerts to SHA's operations center, allowing staff to redirect cameras and make informed decisions about managing traffic flow and lane availability.
"We'll be able to tell if there was a disabled vehicle, an accident or debris in the roadway either before we open the PTSU lane or while we're running the PTSU lane, 24/7," Campion said.
Timeline and delays
The project was delayed in part by a deadly crash in March 2023 that killed six highway workers. Despite the setback, officials remain optimistic about the long-term benefits.
The section of I-695 between I-70 and I-83 is expected to be completed by late summer 2027. The remaining 19 miles of the Beltway are slated for completion in 2028.
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