St. Mary’s County will have to do almost $200,000 in improvements to the entrance to the new farmer’s market south of Lexington Park on Route 235. An attempt to get the State Highway Administration (SHA) to wave the requirements apparently has failed.
In a letter to the county dated November 30 and released last week, Acting SHA Administrator Darrell Mobley wrote: “Based on your letter, SHA reevaluated the required road improvements in the approved access permit, and determined that the requirements in the permit have already been reduced to the absolute minimum.”
According to Deputy Director of Public Works and Transportation John Groeger, the improvements include a 350-foor deceleration lane and a 360-foot acceleration lane estimated to cost about $192,000. The improvements have to be completed in the next fiscal year.
The county had requested that the local legislative delegation introduce a bond bill to pay for the road improvements and also for a kitchen and bathroom at the Home Grown Farmers Market that opened earlier this year. The legislators balked at the idea of using bond money for SHA required improvements, but Del. Anthony O’Donnell (R: 29C) said he would attempt get SHA to waive the requirement. Del John Bohanan (D: 29B) said he had already tried and failed to get that to happen.
At the legislative public hearing, Donna Sasscer, the county’s agriculture and seafood manager, said the market was in a rural area and the county wanted to maintain a rural ambiance instead of constructing an urban road entrance. She said the market was successful in its first year.
In the letter to the county, Mobley further wrote:”except for winter weather operations, St. Mary’s County will be responsible for and indemnify SHA for any claims arising out of relating to the operation and maintenance of the temporary entrance along the northbound MD 235 frontage of the property until such time as the improvements called for in MD Access Permit #09-AP-SM-034-19 are completed.”
