Catonsville Road Destroyed in Massive Flooding in 2018 to Reopen
Thistle Road to Reopen After Being Closed for More Than a Year
Baltimore County will reopen Thistle Road (located between Frederick Road and the Patapsco River) on Wednesday, August 21. The route, which has been partially closed for more than a year, was severely damaged by floods in May of 2018. Those same floods caused significant damage in Ellicott City and in southwestern Baltimore County. During the storm, nearly a half-mile of Thistle Road’s embankment was intermittently washed away or damaged.
The reopening this month marks the completion of major repairs, say Baltimore County engineers. Planning began almost immediately after the 2018 storm and construction commenced in March of this year with slope stabilization. Perforated, hollow tubes were inserted into the soil and filled with injections of grout. The inserts were then followed by the construction of concrete retaining walls which were backfilled with stone.
Once the road’s foundation was stabilized, the County’s contractors brought in Jersey walls to arrest erosion on the slope above the road. Once the roadway was rendered safe, Thistle Road was paved and guard rails and fencing were installed. Repairs to Thistle Road cost just under $2 million, according to engineers, who note that 75 percent of the cost will be borne by The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
While the restored road is the most dramatic repair on Thistle Road, it’s not the only post-storm improvement in the area. Immediately after the May 2018 floods, the Baltimore County Department of Public Works repaired a small bridge just north of the stabilization project completed this month. Additionally, engineers will soon repair a culvert on Thistle Road about a half-mile south of Frederick Road. The County is currently rebuilding the River Road Bridge, south of Thistle, which was completely destroyed by flood waters. Reconstruction of the 40-foot long bridge began in July and is expected to be finished before the end of the year.