TOWSON, Md. — Baltimore County has launched a comprehensive infrastructure project to replace water lines underneath York Road in Towson, marking the beginning of a two-year construction effort that officials say is long overdue.
The project focuses on a roughly half-mile section from Newell Avenue at Towson University to the roundabout, where crews will undertake extensive infrastructure improvements including water main replacement, roadway reconstruction, and accessibility upgrades.
WATCH: Baltimore County begins major York Road infrastructure overhaul in Towson
"York Road is really the front door to the Towson community and it has been in dire straits for a long time we have had over 1.5 billion dollars worth of development here in the last 10 years and a lot of our infrastructure has not been updated so were very excited," Nancy Hafford said.
Hafford serves as executive director of the Towson Chamber of Commerce.
The construction team will dig up sections of the road to replace the aging water main before rebuilding the roadway in phases. The comprehensive improvements also include upgrades to lighting and traffic signals, plus ADA-compliant sidewalks, ramps and business entrances.
"It's crucial that we maintain the infrastructure it is aging. You see that evident by water main breaks that are happening this time of year," Hafford said.
Despite the project's complexity, officials designed the work schedule to minimize disruption to local businesses and traffic flow in the busy commercial district.
"It's going to be night work, Sundays through Thursdays, between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. That way we're trying to get out of as many people's way as possible. That is a part of the central business district there in Towson so we don't want to do day work there, we don't want to put people in unnecessary construction related traffic jams," Charlie Gischlar said.
Gischlar is deputy director of communications for the Maryland State Highway Administration.
Visitors to Towson businesses should expect some inconveniences, particularly regarding parking availability during construction hours.
"The one thing that will be an inconvenience is parking on York road won't be available on the evenings but there is lots of parking spots on the east side of York road behind the restaurants and on the west side we have lots of parking garages so there is plenty of place for people to park," Gischlar said.
Construction began Sunday and officials expect completion by fall 2027.
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