For residents and commuters who use Stafford Road, the planned closure means arranging a detour for much of the project period. Emergency responders and school transportation using the road will also need to account for the closure. The available county announcement does not identify which individual emergency routes or school bus routes will be affected.

What the county announced

Harford County included the Stafford Road project in its July 9, 2026, press-release archive. The notice identifies the work location as Stafford Road at Craigs Corner Road in Darlington and says the bridge over Deer Creek will be rehabilitated.

The county’s wording gives an expected start rather than a guaranteed one: the closure will begin “on or about” Sept. 6. That means the date may change. The notice describes the expected duration as approximately nine months, but the approved information does not include a project cost, contractor or detour map.

The county maintains a road-closure map for current and planned closures. Residents should check that county resource for the latest information as the anticipated start date approaches.

Earlier Darlington bridge closure

The Stafford Road announcement follows a separate county notice about a section of Love Road in Darlington. That closure began May 18, 2026, and was expected to last approximately four weeks.

The Love Road work involved replacing a timber bridge deck and performing routine bridge maintenance. The notice said emergency vehicles and school buses would not be permitted through that closure area.

The two notices concern separate locations and should not be treated as the same bridge project. The earlier Love Road closure does, however, show the type of access restriction the county has specified for bridge work in Darlington. For Stafford Road, the county has announced the planned closure and rehabilitation work, but the available materials do not provide a detailed detour plan or identify specific affected routes.

Until the county issues updated information, the known next step is the expected Stafford Road closure on or about Sept. 6, followed by an approximately nine-month rehabilitation period.