The Roads Division maintains and repairs 41 bridges located throughout Charles County. These bridges are inspected on a 2-year cycle through the State Highway Administration (SHA) and are listed below.

CULVERT PIPES 

The initial installation of a driveway culvert pipe is the responsibility of the property owner/developer after a permit is issued by the Department of Planning & Growth Management. Once installed and final inspection approval has been obtained, the County will maintain (repair or replace) the culvert pipes within the right-of-way.

Roadway Culvert Replacement

Driveway Culvert Replacement

DRAINAGE

The Roads Division will clear drainage ditches within the County’s right-of-way upon request. The resident is responsible for keeping the ditches adjacent to their property clean of leaves and any debris. 

To report a concern about a culvert or drainage, please click here.

The Roads Division will remove deceased animals, including deer, that are located on a County road and within our right-of-way.

To report a deceased animal on a County road, please click here. 

• Areas on rural routes are mowed 4 times per mowing season

Development District Routes:

• Areas on development district routes are mowed 16 times per year

Right-of-Ways: 

• County boom axe tractors mow continuously throughout the year

The Roads Division repairs potholes and addresses asphalt concerns upon request as well as through routine maintenance within the County’s right-of-way.

• Potholes are considered asphalt failures when present in the wheel path of a vehicle
• Potholes can be reported by calling 1-800-595-7623 or by submitting an online request here
• All reported potholes are filled within 48 hours

The County's Watershed Protection and Restoration Program implements local stormwater management plans and practices, and stream and wetland restoration activities.  

To support the program, the Roads Division staff, contract inspectors, and maintenance contractors annually:

• Inspect 5,000 stormwater basins/inlets
• Repair stormwater basins
• Vacuum clean stormwater basins/pipes
• Remove approximately 115 tons of trash and debris from stormwater basins
• Sweep over 400 miles of roadway
• Remove, on average, 300 tons of trash and debris with mechanical sweeper
• Re-line deteriorating stormwater pipe to extend life expectancy (see photos below)
• Apply stormwater management (SWM) basin makers on storm drain inlets in neighborhoods (basin markers state "No Dumping" and/or "Only Rain in the Drain")
• Clean and repair 300 - 350 County owned stormwater management ponds

Before Re-lining

After Re-lining

Why We Prune:
The Roads Division prunes trees to prevent damage to school buses, trucks, and emergency vehicles, and to prevent motorists and pedestrians from other dangerous situations. In stormy weather, overgrown tree limbs can blow into power lines and cause power outages, hinder snow emergency operations, and block entire Charles County roadways.

How We Prune:
The Roads Division uses a pruning method called “directional” or “lateral” as recommended by the National Arborist Association and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Under the management of our Licensed Department of Natural Resources Forest Service Certified Roadside Tree Care Expert and the DNR Forest Service, only the branches that have the potential to create road hazards are pruned. This method trains the branches to grow away from roadways and preserves as much of the tree as possible.

To report a roadside tree concern, please click here.

Raised Pavement Marker (RPM)

• The Roads Division installs and maintains RPM's on the center line to enhance roadway visibility

Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB)

• The Roads Division maintains the user actuated LED lighting that supplements warning signs at unsignalized intersections or mid-block crosswalks. Pedestrians can activate the RRFB manually by a push button.  RRFB's are used as warning device, so pedestrians should still use caution when crossing the roadway.

The Roads Division repairs approximately 1,500 sections of sidewalk and replaces 850 sections annually.  County-wide inspections are performed annually, and repairs are prioritized based on public safety risks. The condition rating guidelines are in the following prioritization:

• Priority 1 - Missing concrete panel or lifted panels 2” or higher
• Priority 2 - Concrete panels lifted ½” to 2” high
• Priority 3 - Concrete panels with heavy cracking or delamination  

Sidewalk tripping hazards caused by tree roots

Repairs made by replacing a sidewalk panel and by using the shaving method

To report a sidewalk concern, please click here. 

The Roads Division constructs, installs, and repairs signs for County owned roads.

• County roads are named roads such as St. Charles Pkwy and Billingsley Road
• Private roads are designated with a diamond in the corner of the road sign and usually end in Place
• State roads are numbered roads such as Rt. 488 and Rt. 5; these often have a name associated with them (i.e. La Plata Road and Leonardtown Road)
• New street names are designated through the Department of Planning & Growth Management. They can be contacted by calling 301-645-0618.

Click here to determine who owns and maintains a specific road located in Charles County.

SIGN EXAMPLES:

County Owned Road Sign

Private Road Sign

State Owned Road Sign


To report a sign issue, please click here.

County road ordinance does not allow streetlights in the County's right-of-way. Streetlights may be installed and maintained by private property owners and homeowners associations outside of the County’s right-of-way.  Any concerns should be addressed to the appropriate property owner or homeowners association.

The Roads Division uses several techniques for the surface treatment of roads.   

Surface Treatment Program At-a-Glance

Asphalt Overlay:

Asphalt surfaces are expected to last between 15 to 20 years, which will vary with the type and amount of daily traffic. All County roads are reviewed annually for condition and added to the asphalt program if warranted.

Asphalt pavement is produced by heating liquid asphalt and mixing it with aggregate, with the mix then spread and compacted to form a durable road structure and riding surface.

Why Use Asphalt Overlay?

Once DPW Roads Division inspectors have determined the road has reached the end of its lifespan, and no other surface treatment will work, asphalt overlay will be used for that roadway.

Asphalt overlay provides additional structure to the overall pavement section of the road and significantly extends the service life of a road.

Slurry Seal:

The slurry seal process is used extensively in Maryland and has been used in Charles County for decades.

Slurry seal is used when roads are experiencing minor longitudinal cracking and have the beginning stages of surface wear. Slurry seal will extend the life of the existing asphalt for many years.

Why Use Slurry Seal?

Slurry seal is a durable, all weather, dust free, non-bleeding surface, that is traffic ready within a few hours after application, black in color and texture, fills cracks and voids, and covers patches in a single application. This is an extremely cost-effective solution for preserving oxidized and worn pavements. Slurry seal has no curb build up and is extremely skid resistant with no loose chips.

Modified Seal:

The modified seal process is used extensively in Maryland and Virginia and has been used in Charles County for decades. 

The application uses #8 stone and a latex asphalt emulsion. A sand filler/binder designed to help reduce some loosening of stones from the surface is also included in the mix.

Why Use Modified Seal? 

Performance is not sacrificed, and some added strength may be realized. This maintenance effort will cover an average of 1 to 2 miles of roadways per day. It is estimated this treatment extends the service life of a roadway between 5 and 8 years depending on the volume of traffic. “Loose Gravel” signage is placed along the roadway to advise motorists. Motorists may also experience the “raveling” or “whip-off” of stones for up to 2 weeks following the surface treatment. Therefore, motorists are requested to exercise caution and reduce their traveling speed during this time.

Crack Seal:

Crack seal is used to fill cracks in road surfaces and is an essential component of an effective pavement maintenance program. 

Why Use Crack Seal?  

Crack seal prevents water penetration which can damage the sub-base; leading to road failure. By stopping the water from entering the road surface course the deterioration rate of the pavement is significantly slowed.

Roadway Markings:

The County maintains the following roadway markings on an as needed basis:

• Line Striping
• Stop Bars
• Crosswalks
• Directional Arrows
• Railroad Crossings

Line Striping

Stop Bar

Crosswalk

Directional Arrows / Letters

Railroad Crossing