Route 662 Near Site of New University of Maryland Shore Regional Medical Center Reopened to Traffic
Cutting the ribbon to officially reopen Maryland Route 662 are, from left: Ken Kozel, President, UM SRH; Stephanie Lachell, Project Manager, UMMS; Megan Cook, Mayor, Town of Easton; Chuck Callahan, Council President, Talbot County; Ken Fender, District Engineer, District Two, SHA; John Horner, President and CEO, Easton Utilities; and Lu Ann Brady, Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, UM SRH.
University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System, and key partners celebrated the reopening of Maryland Route 662 between Airport Road and Hiners Lane with a ribbon cutting ceremony today.
This section of Route 662 had been closed and traffic detoured to Route 50 since last September to facilitate construction work related to the new University of Maryland Shore Regional Medical Center, now being built on Longwoods Road. Route 662 is now open to traffic, with base pavement, temporary striping and temporary signage in place to ensure safe travel. Final paving, striping and signage are delayed until later in the hospital construction process, when potential wear and tear caused by construction vehicles will no longer be a concern.
“We are delighted to reopen Route 662 on schedule, before the summer traffic is in full swing,” said Ken Kozel, President, UM SRH. “We had projected a May reopening, and thanks to the diligence of our partners Whiting Turner/Mahogany and David A. Bramble, Inc., it was accomplished despite more than 60 days lost due to bad weather.”
The development and completion of the core and shell drawings over the last several months for the new regional medical center facilitated the approval and issuance of the building permit for this phase of construction to start on schedule. “The achievement of this milestone is a monumental feat that should be celebrated as it took hard work and close collaboration among the UM SRH Project Team, the Town of Easton, Talbot County and Easton Utilities”, said Lu Ann Brady, Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of UM SRH. “Weather permitting, digging and pouring foundations will begin this week and vertical construction will follow. Over the next 12 months our community will be able to watch the six-story outer shell of the facility go up.”
The final fit-out drawings (plans for the inside of the building including all equipment, infrastructure such as electrical, plumbing and IT, walls, flooring and furnishings) were completed and delivered to the town for approval this week. These plans will also allow for approximately 30 additional bids to be published and awarded for the remaining materials needed for the building. It is anticipated that by mid-June, bids covering 99 percent of the rest of the project will be in hand.
“The goal to build a state-of-the-art regional facility for our mid-shore community has been a long time coming – and will continue to require our unwavering dedication,” said Kozel. “Stopping along the way to celebrate our successes is essential and I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of our entire UM SRH team and community partners.”
This section of Route 662 had been closed and traffic detoured to Route 50 since last September to facilitate construction work related to the new University of Maryland Shore Regional Medical Center, now being built on Longwoods Road. Route 662 is now open to traffic, with base pavement, temporary striping and temporary signage in place to ensure safe travel. Final paving, striping and signage are delayed until later in the hospital construction process, when potential wear and tear caused by construction vehicles will no longer be a concern.
“We are delighted to reopen Route 662 on schedule, before the summer traffic is in full swing,” said Ken Kozel, President, UM SRH. “We had projected a May reopening, and thanks to the diligence of our partners Whiting Turner/Mahogany and David A. Bramble, Inc., it was accomplished despite more than 60 days lost due to bad weather.”
The development and completion of the core and shell drawings over the last several months for the new regional medical center facilitated the approval and issuance of the building permit for this phase of construction to start on schedule. “The achievement of this milestone is a monumental feat that should be celebrated as it took hard work and close collaboration among the UM SRH Project Team, the Town of Easton, Talbot County and Easton Utilities”, said Lu Ann Brady, Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of UM SRH. “Weather permitting, digging and pouring foundations will begin this week and vertical construction will follow. Over the next 12 months our community will be able to watch the six-story outer shell of the facility go up.”
The final fit-out drawings (plans for the inside of the building including all equipment, infrastructure such as electrical, plumbing and IT, walls, flooring and furnishings) were completed and delivered to the town for approval this week. These plans will also allow for approximately 30 additional bids to be published and awarded for the remaining materials needed for the building. It is anticipated that by mid-June, bids covering 99 percent of the rest of the project will be in hand.
“The goal to build a state-of-the-art regional facility for our mid-shore community has been a long time coming – and will continue to require our unwavering dedication,” said Kozel. “Stopping along the way to celebrate our successes is essential and I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of our entire UM SRH team and community partners.”