What's Happening in Gaithersburg, MD…

Maryland officials broke ground in July on a new bridge project in Gaithersburg that they hope will reduce the current levels of traffic congestion on Interstate 270.

Governor Larry Hogan did the honors, along with other city and local officials. The governor also stated that the state had not thought they could get the project funded, but that since they did, they would make sure that the project went through.

Watkins Road will be connected over I-270 by the four lane bridge, which city planners estimate will cost $97m to build. The project has been in planning and funding stages since 2013, and estimates put completion at 2020. Planners believe that the new bridge will ease congestion at the points where Route 124 meets the highway, and also where Routes 355 and 124 intersect.

During roadwork projects, many cities invest in poster printing and other kinds of printing services to make sure that detours are clearly marked and travelers are warned of delays.

Montgomery county executives told the local press that they believed residents would see benefits to the new bridge. Many locals use these routes, and their commutes are likely to be dramatically improved. That said, officials did acknowledge that roadwork projects like this often come with challenges in the interim years, and this is something that will need to be monitored closely.