The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) says that it will take a few more years to ease the heavy traffic along the Baltimore Beltway.

Once the 38-mile , a Part-Time Shoulder Use (PTSU) lane during peak travel times is expected to reduce traffic congestion.

"We're working very hard with our contracting partner to get this done quickly," said Will Pines, Maryland's State Highway Administrator. "So that the benefit of that additional travel lane during peak periods will be available to help everybody save time."

Tech-driven traffic relief

Construction is currently focused on the stretch between I-70 and I-83. Eventually, the project will extend from Lillian Holt Drive, just south of the I-95/I-695 interchange, and cover nearly the entire Beltway. 

Officials say the goal is to give drivers an extra travel lane during morning and evening rush hours.

"During peak periods, morning and afternoon rush hour in particular, there's an extra lane to move congestion faster," said Sean Campion, the deputy director of SHA.

A major feature of the project is a new Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)—a high-tech solution designed to detect obstructions such as crashes, stalled vehicles, or debris. The system will send real-time alerts to SHA's operations center, allowing staff to redirect cameras and make informed decisions about managing traffic flow and lane availability.

"We'll be able to tell if there was a disabled vehicle, an accident or debris in the roadway either before we open the PTSU lane or while we're running the PTSU lane, 24/7," Campion said.

What's the project timeline?

The project was delayed in part by a deadly crash in March 2023 that killed six highway workers. Despite the setback, officials remain optimistic about the long-term benefits.

The section of I-695 between I-70 and I-83 is expected to be completed by late summer 2027. The remaining 19 miles of the Beltway are slated for completion in 2028.

New Key Bridge set to be finished in 2028

The timeline of the construction project is expected to coincide with the construction and completion of the new Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Baltimore's iconic bridge collapsed on March 26, 2024, killing six construction workers who were filling potholes when the cargo ship Dali lost power and crashed.

The bridge's reconstruction is expected to be complete in 2028. The rebuild is expected to cost about $2 billion.

The entire price of the Key Bridge construction will be covered with federal funding. Congress passed a federal spending package on Dec. 20 that included the full bridge rebuilding cost in the $100 billion disaster relief portion.