Arbutus residents and drivers are being warned about a construction project that will affect one of the region's major arteries, potentially backing up traffic for months.
The Leeds Avenue ramp to northbound Interstate-695 will permanently close on Tuesday morning, as crews begin a project that will reconfigure US 1 and replace the bridge over Benson Avenue, US 1 and Amtrak and the bridge over Leeds Avenue, according to a release from the State Highway Administration.
With the closure of the Leeds Avenue ramp, drivers coming from Arbutus will be directed to a detour route along US 1, northbound I-195 and northbound I-95 that will lead them onto I-695, according to the release.
The SHA has also told drivers to be aware of day and night single- and double-lane closures on US 1 and I-695, in addition to lane shifts.
The project includes a median barrier replacement between the I-895 bridge and the I-95 northbound lane bridge, the replacement of the two I-695 bridges, the relocation of the Inner Loop ramp from US 1 over Leeds Avenue and the addition of approximately two miles of bicycle lanes along US 1.
It is expected to be completed by spring 2017, with some portions opening to drivers as early as this fall.