Charles Street lane closures, restrictions to begin later this month

The first phase of the Charles Street reconstruction project will begin later this month, restricting northbound traffic northbound from 29th Street to University Parkway.

Starting in late April and continuing through the summer months, northbound traffic on Charles Street will face "Road Closed" and "Local Traffic Only" signs at 29th Street north through University Parkway. During the Phase 1 detour, there will be two-way cross traffic between 33rd Street and Art Museum Drive, but otherwise northbound drivers will find a single drive lane along the east side of Charles Street with angled, back-in parking. Construction will take place in the original travel lanes, median, and southbound lanes.

Pedestrians, pedestrian crossings, and driveway access along the west side of Charles between the Beach on the Homewood campus and University Parkway will also be affected:

• The west sidewalk, adjacent to the JHU campus, will be closed to pedestrians from 34th Street north to University Parkway and pedestrian crossings will be limited to University Parkway and 34th Street;
• The access road behind the AMRs will be closed at Charles Street, with no vehicle traffic allowed in or out at the tennis courts
• In effect, the large rectangle bounded by the JHU campus on the west side, and the local traffic lane on the east side of Charles Street will become a construction area between 34th Street and University Parkway with no crossing allowed through that work area

The route for the northbound Homewood-Peabody-JHMI Shuttle will also be modified. The shuttle will turn right onto 28th Street then turn left onto N. Calvert Street to continue northbound. The stop at N. Charles/29th will be relocated to N. Calvert/29th, and the stop at N. Charles/33rd will be relocated to N. Calvert/33rd. An additional drop-off-only stop will be added at E. University Parkway/St. Paul St. The Interfaith Center stop and all southbound stops will be unaffected.

Updates about the construction project, related changes to pedestrian and vehicle traffic patterns, and parking restrictions can be found at http://charlesstreet.mdprojects.com/index.php/traffic-pattern-phases. Questions can be submitted at http://www.fm.jhu.edu/charlesstreetconstruction. The project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2014.