Commuters along Annapolis Road (Route 450) near the Peace Cross in Blandensburg should be finding their drives a bit smoother this morning thanks to the opening of the new overpass.

No more waiting for freight trains on the CSX tracks.

"One of the greatest benefits, in addition to reducing rail-related traffic congestion, will be the improved response time for area emergency personnel to reach people in need," Neil J. Pedersen, the Maryland state highway administrator, said in a statement.

More than 40,000 vehicles travel along Annapolis Road Bladensburg each day, the highway administration said. But the rate is likely to exceed 63,000 vehicles by 2030.

In the past, many drivers had to stop for the more than 25 trains crossing their path. The trains would halt traffic for an average of 15 minutes each. Traffic backups extended up to a mile in each direction during peak travel times, the highway administration said.

The entire 1.2 mile, $74 million project still has a way to go. Some concrete work, road resurfacing and landscaping should be done by fall 2009.

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By Robert Thomson  |  September 15, 2008; 6:31 AM ET
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