CAMBRIDGE, MD - Ongoing construction along Route 50 in Cambridge has become more than just a minor inconvenience for local drivers, as resurfacing work has shifted from nighttime to daytime hours, causing significant traffic backups.
Commuters are facing long delays and bumper-to-bumper traffic along the heavily traveled route, frustrating many drivers.
"I talked to a worker about 15 minutes ago, and he said some people got upset and gave him finger signs," said Cambridge resident Eugene Muhammad.
The Maryland State Highway Administration is resurfacing both eastbound and westbound lanes of Route 50, stretching from the Frederick C. Malkus Bridge to Bucktown Road. The project, which began three weeks ago, was originally scheduled for nighttime operations. However, as of Monday, crews switched to single-lane traffic during the day beginning at 7 a.m.
Muhammad noted the impact on his commute, saying, "I actually ran into the traffic on my way home today, but I took a different route. A friend from Easton said it took her two hours to get home, which is usually a 20-minute ride."
Rick Lyons, a resident of Church Creek, shared similar frustrations: "Someone on Facebook said it took them two and a half hours to get from Easton to Cambridge."
According to state highway officials, the cold weather is to blame for the schedule change.
"When we do paving operations and put down new blacktop, it's all temperature-sensitive," explained Mark Crampton, district engineer for the Maryland State Highway Administration's Salisbury office. "Unfortunately, with this cold spell we're in, we don't have many options."
While warmer weather may be on the horizon, some drivers are not willing to take any risks. "I didn’t want to get stuck in the traffic again, so I cut through Preston to get back to Cambridge," said Rex Marshall, another local resident.
The Maryland State Highway Administration estimates the resurfacing project will be completed before the end of November.
