Attention, motorists. Detour ahead.

“The first couple of weeks will be hectic, but people will adjust,” said Matthew Candland, Sykesville’s town manager, referring to the temporary closure of a stretch of Springfield Avenue south of third Avenue for the next phase of construction of the new Route 32 and Springfield Avenue intersection.

Beginning Wednesday, motorists traveling south on Springfield must make a right on third, then another right on Central Avenue, before continuing on Springfield Avenue to the south. Those driving north must take the same route in reverse.

This temporary traffic pattern is scheduled to last about 60 days. The project to redesign the intersection began in late 2005 and is set to finish before the original June 2007 completion date, Candland said.

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As a result, about $500,000 originally budgeted for the reconstruction can go toward a Cooper Drive pedestrian and bike underpass below Route 32, which Candland said was called for in the town’s 1998 master plan.

Emergency vehicles will be able to use the underpass, but its main function will be for residents to have an easily accessible route to the Warfield Complex and surrounding park land “because nobody is going to walk or bike on the busy new Route 32/Springfield Avenue intersection,” he said.

Because of the detour for the intersection construction, “Central will see a dramatic increase in traffic,” Candland said.

Central has speed humps to encourage drivers to obey the 25 mph speed limit, but Police Chief John Williams said his department will begin patrolling the area in marked and unmarked vehicles, conducting radar operations, speed and stop sign enforcement.

“We want motorists to keep in mind that children use Central to walk to school,” he said.

Reasons for the new intersection

» Centralized new northern gateway into Sykesville and growing Warfield Complex

» Increased safety with the new intersection not having a curve

» Better traffic flow with increased number of wider lanes and one less stoplight

cmeister@baltimoreexaminer.com