Effective Tuesday, September 3, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) will close the southern access from US 15 (Catoctin Mountain Highway) to the service road that parallels southbound US 15 near Willow Road in Frederick.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Valerie Burnette Edgar, 410-545-0303
SHA TO ADDRESS SAFETY CONCERN ON US 15 IN FREDERICK BY CLOSING SOUTHERN ACCESS TO SERVICE ROAD
Northbound Traffic on US 15 Should U-Turn at Biggs Ford Road to Access Willow Road
(August 27, 2013) – Effective Tuesday, September 3, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) will close the southern access from US 15 (Catoctin Mountain Highway) to the service road that parallels southbound US 15 near Willow Road in Frederick. The closure is being done as a safety precaution.
This is the road that provides access to Beckley’s Motel, Beckley’s Country Store and other businesses. Motorists can continue to access this road from southbound US 15 at the Willow Road intersection. Northbound traffic should continue north past Willow Road and U-turn at Biggs Ford Road.
The southern access to this service road was slated to be closed as part of constructing a new interchange at US 15 and Monocacy Boulevard, scheduled to begin next year. However, SHA engineers are closing the access point earlier than planned due to recent geometric changes that prohibit left turns from northbound US 15 onto Willow Road. SHA and the City of Frederick required the Homewood at Willow Ponds developer to implement this left-turn restriction due to increasing traffic and the limited sight distance for northbound left-turning traffic. The safest way for northbound traffic to access Willow Road or the adjacent service road is to U-turn at Biggs Ford Road; however, some drivers are instead making a U-turn at Willow Road onto southbound US 15 and quickly merging right to turn onto the service road. This approximately 1,500-foot distance is too short to allow a safe merge during heavy traffic.
“We regret any inconvenience this change may create and appreciate your understanding of the need to put safety first in this location,” SHA District Engineer Dave Coyne said.
Anyone with questions may contact SHA’s District 7 Office at 301-624-8100, or toll-free at 800-635-5119.
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