CLINTON, Md. — People in Prince George’s County are speaking out about an ongoing project that’s starting to frustrate them and some say it’s even causing damage to their cars.
There are a lot of bumps in the road when you’re driving along Old Branch Avenue in Clinton, Maryland.
“It hit me right there, “ Michael York Senior said.
York said he has damage on his car to prove his bumpy journey.
“I’ve had a blowout tire one time and insurance didn’t pay for it,” York said.
Those roadblocks for York have really started to add up when it comes to repairs to his car.
“I have a nice vehicle that I pay a lot of money for and it’s tearing up my car and that’s a problem,” York said. “Them potholes down there did that.”
He blames the construction and road project that’s left the road uneasy to drive on.
“Potholes from here all the way down to Allentown way which is a long stretch,” woman who lives nearby, Marcia Mitchell said. “It’s really horrible.”
Several people shared similar stories and complaints to WUSA9. People said they’re always trying to duck and dodge the hurdles along Old Branch Avenue.
“It’s bad for suspension for the cars and everything, just fix it,” Mitchell said.
“It’s not drive-able,” a woman who didn’t want to be identified said. “I’ve already replaced two tires on my car after I had to replace all four tires from hitting potholes or steel plates.”
“It seems like it’s gotten worse,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know what they’re doing.”
Now several people are asking the same question.
“It’s frustrating, we pay taxes,” York said. “Why is it taking so long? Right lane blocked but you don’t see nobody doing nothing. You just see the cones out there,” York said.
WSSC Water has confirmed with WUSA9 that they are working on a water main replacement project here on Old Branch Avenue and that’s expected to last until June 2025. According to the website the project is only 39% complete and started in March 2022.
In a statement from WSSC they said:
"WSSC Water is committed to protecting public health and ensuring safe, clean water continues to flow to the homes and businesses of our 1.9 million customers in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. We are in the midst of a large construction project on Old Branch Avenue in the Clinton area, where we are installing three miles of 30-inch diameter water main.
We understand this type of work comes with growing pains for those who live and travel in the area. Recently, crews have been working at night to minimize the traffic impact. We appreciate your patience while we work as quickly as possible to enhance our critical water infrastructure.
Rest assured we are committed to restoring the area, including permanent paving restoration to the roads, as soon as possible. This $30 million project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025.
In an effort to keep our customers informed about the project and address any concerns, a community meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 9 at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held at the Central Baptist Church of Camp Springs, located at 5600 Old Branch Avenue in Temple Hills. We invite our customers to join us, learn more about this critical project, share feedback and ask any questions."
While most commuters are frustrated and want this work to be over with, few understand the process that's behind the work. Robert Pressley says his 20 years of experience with his plumbing company gives him patience when it comes to this ongoing project.
“I know the roads are kind of messed up and everything, but it’s infrastructure it has to happen because the water pipes are old and it needs to be replaced,” Pressley said.
Meanwhile people like York said these obstacles on Old Branch Avenue have forced him to take a detour, until further notice.
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