HAGERSTOWN, MD (December 19, 2023) – On behalf of the National Park Service, the Washington County Division of Public Works announces that Harpers Ferry Road is now open. Read the original release below.
Harpers Ferry Road Reopend
Masonry work on Level 33 dry-laid stone wall to continue through January
WILLIAMSPORT, Md.— Harpers Ferry Road between Hoffmaster Road and the school bus turnaround on Sandy Hook Road will reopen Tuesday, December 19. There will be a short work zone (approximately 200 feet) during the final phase of construction where traffic will alternate right of way. This traffic pattern will continue until all remaining construction work is complete this winter.
Work remaining to be complete on site includes completing the stone façade of the wall, canal restoration, and permanent guardrail installation. It is anticipated that some intermittent daily impacts to traffic will be required with flaggers pausing vehicular traffic once masonry work is complete to install the permanent guardrails and remove the temporary concrete barriers that were installed to facilitate the current roadway reopening. At the end of the project, the guardrails along Harpers Ferry Road will be replaced and both lanes of the road will be reopened to the public.
The road was closed due to the Level 33 dry-laid stone showing significant signs of instability and stone loss, causing distress and unsafe conditions on the supported public roadway. Repair of the wall included disassembling the existing stone wall, creating a concrete backfill, and re-assembling the historic masonry. This work stabilized the area to meet current engineering standards and ensure safety to the local community that utilizes the road. The Level 33 wall is located at Mile Marker 61.5 of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, between locks 33 and 34.
-NPS-
Preserving America’s early transportation history, the C&O Canal began as a dream of passage to Western wealth. Operating for nearly 100 years the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potomac River as coal, lumber, and agricultural products floated down the waterway to market. Today it endures as a pathway for discovering historical, natural, and recreational treasures. Learn more at www.nps.gov/choh
For additional information, please contact Washington County’s Public Relations & Marketing Department at [email protected].
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