Baltimore residents and those traveling through the city should brace for some late-night disruptions this weekend. The Baltimore City Department of Transportation has announced a complete closure of the Jones Falls Expressway (JFX/I-83) scheduled to take place overnight on Sunday. As reported by WMAR-2 News, the shutdown will begin at 7:00 p.m., affecting all lanes between the North Avenue and Cold Spring Lane exits, with the roadway set to reopen by 5:00 a.m. next Monday morning.
The Department of Public Works contractors plan to conduct a geophysical survey beneath the expressway to assess the conditions of rock, soil, and to remove overhanging trees along the expressway's northbound side. Detours will be in place with northbound I-83 traffic rerouted at the North Avenue Exit, and southbound traffic diverted off at the Cold Spring Lane Exit. Entrance ramps from Falls Road, 29th Street, Cold Spring Lane, and North Avenue will also be closed during this time.
This weekend's shutdown isn't an isolated incident of inconvenience but a precursor to a larger endeavor. According to WBAL-TV 11 News, the closure is in preparation for future tunnel construction under the highway. They actually have a steel rod that goes into the ground with a striker post and a sledgehammer, and you create this vibration, basically, and ... then you have seismographs, or geophones, that measure the velocities of the waves," Tim Wolfe, chief of DPW's Office of Engineering and Construction, stated.
During the closure, traffic is expected to be significantly impacted, so drivers are advised to plan and expect delays.
