Maryland announced a $113.8 million plan to fix one of the state's worst traffic bottlenecks on Interstate 97, but the more than 100,000 drivers who face daily gridlock won't see relief until at least 2028.
The project is a collaborative partnership between the State Highway Administration and Anne Arundel County to enhance safety while reducing congestion.
Currently, 94,000 to 113,400 vehicles travel this seven-mile stretch of I-97 from MD 32 to US 50/US 301 every day. Those peak numbers are expected to increase to more than 135,000 by 2045.
Additionally, traffic worsens every summer weekend as families head to the beach.
I-97 north of this segment is six lanes total, and then it tapers down to four-lanes, making it one of the state’s worst daily bottlenecks.
The project includes:
- Adding a travel lane in each direction on I-97 from US 50/US 301 to MD 32/MD 3
- Improving the I-97 northbound bridge over MD 450 (Defense Highway) as well as the northbound and southbound I-97 bridges over Crownsville Road
- Installing new stormwater management facilities.
The State Highway Administration will use a Design-Build process for the I-97 project, entering into a single contract with a team made up of a designer and contractor. That contract will likely be agreed upon in 2027, with major construction beginning in 2028.
The project moved forward based on state funding, with Anne Arundel County contributing $1.2 million for planning and $9.4 million for construction.
