WASHINGTON — Monstrous rainfall has not only washed out huge swaths of the D.C. region, but it has also collapsed a chunk of a major Maryland highway. Md. 198 East and West were shut down Monday morning when rain and flooding caused part of it to collapse. It happened just east of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway near Bald Eagle Road. An entire piece of asphalt was washed away from severe flooding. The Patuxent River is now cutting through an entire piece of the roadway. “The east approach of our bridge has washed away completely,” said Charlie Gischlar of the Maryland State Highway Administration. According to Gischlar, the first order of business is to clear away debris without doing more damage. “What’s happening is that debris buildup is creating a little bit of a dam, and it’s putting the water off to the side,” he said. Crews said it could take weeks to repair the roadway.
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From Northern Virginia to Prince George’s and Montgomery counties in Maryland, road closures remain in effect. According to The National Weather Service, the threat of flooding isn’t over year for low-lying areas. Over the past month, the D.C. area has seen more than 10 inches of rain. That is more than twice the usual amount. WTOP’s Melissa Howell contributed to this report.
