(1/2019) Flat Run Bridge will not be complete by the end of the year, as anticipated; project completion has once again been pushed back until April 2020.

According to Elizabeth Harris, State Highway Administration (SHA) District Community Liaison, the project to replace the MD 140 (E. Main Street) Bridge over Flat Run in Emmitsburg is about 90 percent complete.

In an email Harris wrote, "The project was expected to be complete by the end of this year, but recent inclement weather has pushed the completion date to April 2020 when temperatures are conducive for final paving."

SHA began the project to replace the MD 140 (E. Main Street) Bridge over Flat Run in the fall of 2016, after its start time was delayed a whole year. Back in 2014, the bridge was slated for replacement beginning in 2015, and ending in the summer of 2016. At the beginning of the project, Milani Construction, Inc., the contractors for this project, projected the completion of the bridge to be summer of 2018.

Inclement weather has played a large role in the extension of this project, but several additional concerns have arisen throughout the construction process. Earlier on contractors came across drainage issues, which required a lengthy re-design phase, and a water line re-location issue required negotiations with the town, contractor and state. The initial project start date was delayed due in part to a delay in the preparation and signing of the documents and paperwork needed to proceed forward with the project. Additionally, concerns with the foundation of the existing bridge arose.

Recently, the base layer of pavement was applied on MD 140 and on December 21, the traffic pattern on MD 140 was shifted, moving travel lanes about five feet north. The temporary shift will allow the contractor to begin the next phase of the project and focus on the south side. The next phase includes the placement of new sidewalk along with curb and gutter. The traffic shift will remain in place until spring when temperatures will be warm enough to complete final paving. This requires a minimum of 40 degrees to complete.

John Concannon, the District Engineer for the MD Department of Transportation, SHA District 7 office, and other representatives from SHA, including Ross Clingen, Area Engineer for construction, attended the October 7 Emmitsburg town meeting to brief town council and residents in attendance on the status of the Flat Run Bridge project. At that time, SHA was pushing the contractor to have the project completed by the end of this year. "We cannot guarantee that it will be completed, but we are pushing the contractor to have it done," stated Clingen.

"We have gotten such horrible feedback from this," stated Commissioner Tim O’Donnell at the October 7 town meeting. "It has been a burden on the community that I feel was not necessary. The timeline for this has been a disaster. We want better, we deserve better." Representatives followed by sharing their disappointment "with how things have gone." "We are unsatisfied with the progress of this project too," remarked Clingen.

Consistently delayed work on this project has caused frustration for residents of the community, who note lack of seen work by the contractors. Work, although slow, does seem to be getting done. MDOT SHA apologizes for the inconvenience caused by the construction and delays. "We thank the Town of Emmitsburg and its citizens for their patience and understanding."