Maryland
Next phase of Washington County I-81 widening being split in two. What to know on project
Maryland’s Interstate 81 widening project to be split into more phases
Maryland State Highway Administrator William Pines talks Oct. 9, 2025, about the need to split phase two of widening I-81 in Washington County.
The next phase of widening Interstate 81 in Washington County, phase two, will be split into two phases to help keep the project on track, said Administrator William Pines with the Maryland State Highway Administration.
Phase 2A construction is anticipated to start in 2027, Pines said. That will involve widening I-81 to six lanes from Md. 63/Md. 68 (Lappans Road) to Interstate 70. Construction for Phase 2B, from I-70 to north of Halfway Boulevard, is expected to start in 2028. Work on both will overlap.
Pines said the decision this past summer to split phase two into two parts is due to stormwater management issues because talks with CSX haven’t gone well regarding getting right-of-way for stormwater ponds at the north end of Phase 2.
Rather than delay the entire project, state highway officials decided to break Phase 2 into two parts to keep the overall schedule on track and allow for more time to negotiate with CSX, he said.
Project officials are now looking at alternatives such as constructing underground storage tanks along the corridor to handle the additional volume of stormwater from widening I-81, Pines said. There also might be other places stormwater ponds could be built.
Widening I-81 not only creates more impervious space for stormwater runoff, but that runoff occurs faster with that volume, Pines said.
Pines provided an update on the I-81 widening project during an Oct. 9 meeting Maryland Department of Transportation officials had with local officials regarding state projects and transportation issues in Washington County. The meeting was held at the Washington County Public Safety Training Center south of Hagerstown.
The meeting was part of the transportation department’s fall tour to local jurisdictions to discuss the department’s draft $21.5 billion, six-year capital budget.
The department’s final FY 2026-2031 Consolidated Transportation Program, the capital budget, will come out in January.
State lawmakers will consider the plan as part of the state budget process, including formally approving fiscal year 2026-2027, and likely discussing longer term projects.
Pines said adding underground stormwater structures will add to the Phase 2 I-81 project cost.
The anticipated total estimated cost for Phase two has already gone up from $99 million, as of this past spring, to $107.8 million due to additional design expenses and a revised construction estimate, according to the state’s draft capital budget.
What’s included in Phase 2 widening of I-81 in Western Maryland?
Phase 2 of the widening project adds one lane in each direction to create three northbound and three southbound lanes.
The project also includes creating two noise barriers, similar to the walls seen along Interstate 95.
One of the noise barriers is proposed along northbound I-81 near Tammany Manor, according to a project diagram on the state’s project website for Phase 2. Tammany Manor is south of the I-81/I-70 interchange.
The other proposed noise barrier is along southbound I-81 near Lakeside Village in Halfway.
The plan for Phase 2 also includes new overhead traffic signs, including dynamic messaging signs, which can provide real-time information. The stretch of I-81 in Washington County currently has one dynamic messaging sign in the area of Showalter Road.
Most of widening Phase 2’s almost 4 miles will occur by using the current median area, according to the project website.
The project also includes replacing bridge structures over the CSX railroad tracks north of Halfway Boulevard.
What about widening the rest of I-81?
Local officials at the Oct. 9 meeting also asked about Phases 3 and 4, which would be needed to complete the widening of I-81 to the Pennsylvania state line.
While the draft capital plan has a project page for completing the last 7.2 miles of I-81 to the Pennsylvania state line, there is no future funding listed for those parts of the project through fiscal year 2031.
Washington County Commissioners Vice President Jeff Cline and State Sen. Paul Corderman, R-Washington/Frederick, talked about the need to improve I-81 for safety and for the local economy.
Corderman referred to crash data he received from the Washington County Division of Emergency Services regarding the total number of accidents to which fire and law enforcement officials had responded. The data included all accidents, including those with injury and/or property damage.
The rate of crashes along the county’s 12 miles of I-81 is on pace to reach 452 this year with 339 as of data shared on Oct. 8. There were 458 crashes in 2024 and 390 in 2023.
The rate of accidents on the county’s 38 miles of I-70 was on pace to reach 884 this year, with 663 as of the Oct. 8 data report. There were 760 crashes in 2024 and 690 in 2023.
Cline said delays on I-81 or I-70 can cost economic losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars for the community.
Corderman and Cline referred to recent crashes on both interstates.
On Thursday, Sept. 25, a Falling Waters, West Virginia, woman was pronounced dead after a three-vehicle crash on I-81 near Williamsport that involved two tractor-trailers and a passenger car.
That stretch of northbound I-81 was closed for more than 12 hours while authorities conducted a crash investigation, according to Maryland State Police. The preliminary investigation indicates a FedEx tractor-trailer hit the car as the car was slowing down for traffic, state police have said.
State police responded around 11:25 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 7, to the single-vehicle crash of a tractor-trailer hauling lettuce on eastbound I-70 near Saint Paul Road. No one was transported for injuries, according to state police.
That stretch of I-70 didn’t fully reopen until around 5 p.m. the next day, Oct. 8, according to state police.
When crashes close one of the interstates it leads to congestion not only to local roads in the immediate area, but to the broader area, officials have said.
Sen. McKay cautions about distracted driving
Speaking generally, Sen. Mike McKay, R-Washington/Allegany/Garrett, held up a cellphone during the meeting and said, “I think this is going to be the death of our community.”
Drivers are paying more attention to their phones than to the road, McKay said.
He urged community members to “show a little grace and respect to the other drivers that are on the road. Pay attention. Pay attention to what you’re doing,” McKay said.
He said he’s just as guilty as the next person.
Pines said officials need to work together on the education front when it comes to driver behavior.
With interstate projects, state highway has been including work zone and speed safety cameras to encourage drivers to slow down, he said.
“Unfortunately, we still have a lot of people that area speeding at very excessive rates. Those types of things lead to crashes and unfortunately, really this is about driver behavior a lot of the time,” Pines said.
Pines raised the issue when discussing the lane closures along I-70 near Saint Paul Road, noting that design adjustments were being made. Work recently began to replace two I-70 bridges there.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Maryland Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 4, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from May 4 drawing
30-36-42-60-63, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 4 drawing
Midday: 7-5-5
Evening: 8-2-3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 4 drawing
Midday: 6-9-4-5
Evening: 7-3-2-0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from May 4 drawing
Midday: 7-9-2-8-5
Evening: 3-0-5-0-3
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from May 4 drawing
9 a.m.: 13
1 p.m.: 14
6 p.m.: 14
11 p.m.: 03
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Bonus Match 5 numbers from May 4 drawing
10-16-23-32-37, Bonus: 04
Check Bonus Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning MultiMatch numbers from May 4 drawing
17-24-26-27-29-32
Check MultiMatch payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from May 4 drawing
20-32-35-51-60, Powerball: 07
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Keno
Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Maryland Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes above $600, winners can claim by mail or in person from the Maryland Lottery office, an Expanded Cashing Authority Program location or cashiers’ windows at Maryland casinos. Prizes over $5,000 must be claimed in person.
Claiming by Mail
Sign your winning ticket and complete a claim form. Include a photocopy of a valid government-issued ID and a copy of a document that shows proof of your Social Security number or Federal Tax ID number. Mail these to:
Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center
1800 Washington Boulevard
Suite 330
Baltimore, MD 21230
For prizes over $600, bring your signed ticket, a government-issued photo ID, and proof of your Social Security or Federal Tax ID number to Maryland Lottery headquarters, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, MD. Claims are by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This location handles all prize amounts, including prizes over $5,000.
Winning Tickets Worth $25,000 or Less
Maryland Lottery headquarters and select Maryland casinos can redeem winning tickets valued up to $25,000. Note that casinos cannot cash prizes over $600 for non-resident and resident aliens (tax ID beginning with “9”). You must be at least 21 years of age to enter a Maryland casino. Locations include:
- Horseshoe Casino: 1525 Russell Street, Baltimore, MD
- MGM National Harbor: 101 MGM National Avenue, Oxon Hill, MD
- Live! Casino: 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD
- Ocean Downs Casino: 10218 Racetrack Road, Berlin, MD
- Hollywood Casino: 1201 Chesapeake Overlook Parkway, Perryville, MD
- Rocky Gap Casino: 16701 Lakeview Road NE, Flintstone, MD
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Maryland Lottery.
When are the Maryland Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 11 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 Midday: 12:27 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 12:28 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.
- Pick 3, 4 and 5 Evening: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- Cash4Life: 9 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash Pop: 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. daily.
- Bonus Match 5: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- MultiMatch: 7:56 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
- Powerball Double Play: 11 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Maryland editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Maryland
WAMU Week Ahead: D.C.’s mayoral race in Ward 3, a crowded field for Maryland’s fifth district and the Mystics’ season begins
Long runs! Deep bombs! Great catches! Boonsboro-North football video
Check out video highlights from the Washington County high school football game between Boonsboro and North Hagerstown on Oct. 24.
Who is the greatest football player from Maryland?
Let the debate begin.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.
First up, we’re honoring the stars of the gridiron. Here are our selections for the football players who defined the state of Maryland. While accomplishments at the college and professional level undoubtedly influenced which standouts cracked the top-10 list, we are primarily looking to highlight those who starred at the high school level and dominated local headlines.
Now it’s your turn to pick the best of the best.
Be sure to vote in the poll below until it closes on Friday, May 15 at noon.
Print readers can find the poll at heraldmailmedia.com.
If you feel we’ve left somebody out, feel free to write in a candidate.
Tavon Austin, Dunbar
Austin led the Poets of Baltimore to three straight Class 1A state championships from 2006-08 and finished his high school career as Maryland’s all-time leader in career offensive yards (9,258), rushing yards (7,962), touchdowns (123) and points (790). He was a two-time Maryland Offensive Player of the Year and all-state first-team honoree. He played for West Virginia in college, totaling 288 receptions for 3,413 yards with 29 TD catches and rushing for 1,033 yards and six TDs. He was drafted eighth overall by the St. Louis Rams and played for six NFL teams over 10 seasons, finishing his NFL career with 244 receptions for 2,239 yards, 1,361 yards rushing, 1,934 return yards and 29 total TDs.
NaVorro Bowman, Suitland
Bowman starred as a linebacker and running back at Suitland in his junior year in 2004. He had 165 tackles, nine sacks and three fumble recoveries on defense and rushed for 1,200 yards and 22 TDs on offense. He was the Maryland Defensive Player of the Year and an all-state first-team honoree. He missed most of his senior season with an injury. He played college ball at Penn State, made the All-Big Ten team in 2008 and 2009 and was a second-team All-American in 2009. He was drafted in the third round by San Francisco in 2010 and played in 89 games with the 49ers and 10 with the Oakland Raiders over seven seasons, finishing his NFL career with 798 tackles, 14 sacks, seven forced fumbles, six recoveries and five interceptions. He made the All-Pro first team four times and was the 2013 Butkus Award winner.
Raymond Chester, Frederick Douglass
Chester was a standout offensive and defensive tackle at Frederick Douglass in Baltimore in the mid-1960s. He played college ball at Morgan State in Baltimore, and across his junior and senior seasons as a tight end, he made 85 receptions, 12 for TDs. He also was a feared defensive end and earned All-American honors in 1968 and 1969. He was drafted 24th overall by Oakland in 1970 and played 11 NFL seasons with the Raiders and Baltimore Colts from 1970-81, finishing with 364 receptions for 5,013 yards and 48 TDs. He made four Pro Bowls, was a first-team All-Pro in 1979, made the second team in 1970 and was part of the Raiders’ Super Bowl XV championship.
Mike Curtis, Richard Montgomery
Curtis, nicknamed “Mad Dog” and “the Animal,” played fullback for Richard Montgomery in Rockville and was named to the Washington Post All-Metro team in 1960. He played fullback and middle linebacker at Duke and made the All-ACC first team twice. He was drafted 14th overall by Baltimore in 1965 and played 14 NFL seasons — the first 11 with the Colts, one with the Seattle Seahawks and the final two with Washington. The versatile defender finished his NFL career with 25 interceptions, 22.5 sacks and nine fumble recoveries. He was a two-time All-Pro first-team honoree and a four-time Pro Bowl selection, and helped the Colts win Super Bowl V.
Stefon Diggs, Good Counsel
Diggs was the runner-up for Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year honors as a junior at Good Counsel in 2010 after producing 810 yards receiving with 23 TDs. He had 770 yards receiving, 277 rushing yards and 11 total TDs as a senior. He played college ball at Maryland and made an immediate impact, racking up 1,896 all-purpose yards as a true freshman in 2012. Over three seasons and 28 games, Diggs made 150 catches for 2,227 yards with 14 TDs. Diggs was taken by Minnesota in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft and has played for the Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and New England Patriots over the last 11 seasons, making 942 catches for 11,504 yards with 74 TDs. He was a first-team All-Pro in 2020, when he led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards, and is a four-time Pro-Bowler.
Darnell Dockett, Paint Branch
Dockett earned Maryland Player of the Year honors as a senior at Paint Branch in 1998, making 171 tackles and 15 sacks, and was an All-American selection by USA TODAY and Parade. He set a Paint Branch career record with 47 sacks. He starred as a four-year starter at Florida State, making 247 tackles including 65 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks. He was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2003. Dockett was drafted in the third round by Arizona in 2004 and played 11 seasons with the Cardinals, earning three Pro Bowl nods while compiling 472 tackles, 40.5 sacks, 14 fumble recoveries, nine forced fumbles and four interceptions.
Chuck Foreman, Frederick
Foreman first gained recognition as a playmaker in the late 1960s at Frederick High, where he had a four-touchdown game against Bel Air. He played college ball at Miami, and as a running back he rushed for 951 yards as a junior in 1971, earning All-American first-team honors by Sporting News. He played both running back and receiver as a senior, totaling 1,041 yards. He was drafted 12th overall by Minnesota in 1973 and played seven seasons with the Vikings and one with the New England Patriots. He was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1973 and the NFC Offensive Player of the Year in 1976, a two-time All-Pro first-teamer and a five-time Pro Bowler who finished his NFL career with 5,950 rushing yards, 350 receptions for 3,156 yards and 76 total TDs.
Antonio Freeman, Baltimore Poly
Freeman was the Baltimore Sun Offensive Player of the Year in 1989, when he led Poly to an undefeated season and Class 1A state championship. He starred in college at Virginia Tech, catching 121 passes for 2,207 yards with 22 touchdowns over four seasons. He was drafted by Green Bay in the third round in 1995 and played nine NFL seasons — eight with the Packers and one with the Philadelphia Eagles. He finished his NFL career with 477 catches for 7,251 yards and 61 total TDs. He made the All-Pro first team and Pro Bowl in 1998 when he led the league in receiving yards, and helped Green Bay win Super Bowl XXXI.
Cameron Wake, DeMatha
Wake was the Washington Post Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at DeMatha in Hyattsville in 1999. He played in college at Penn State, and over his sophomore and junior seasons he totaled 122 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and five blocked kicks. Wake started his pro career in Canada before signing with Miami in 2009. He played for the Dolphins for 10 seasons, earning All-Pro first-team honors in 2012, second-team honors three times and five Pro Bowl selections. Over 11 NFL seasons, he compiled 364 tackles, 100.5 sacks and 22 forced fumbles.
Brian Westbrook, DeMatha
Westbrook earned Washington Catholic Athletic Conference first-team honors as a junior and senior at DeMatha, and was twice an all-state honorable mention. He played in college at Villanova and set an NCAA all-divisions record for career all-purpose yards (9,512) that still stands. In 1998, he became the first college player at any level to record 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. He was drafted in the third round by Philadelphia in 2002 and played eight seasons with the Eagles and a final year with the San Francisco 49ers. He rushed for 6,335 yards and 41 TDs while making 442 receptions for 3,941 yards and 30 TDs in his NFL career, earning 2007 All-Pro first-team honors and two Pro Bowl nods.
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