The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) recently secured funding to make pedestrian safety improvements at four intersections along nine miles of US 1 (Washington Boulevard) in Howard County.

The intersections were identified through a corridor safety study led by Howard County and highlighted in the county’s US 1 Safety Evaluation on Bicyclists and Pedestrian Safety report released in 2019. The study considered factors such as crash history and pedestrian volumes, while also taking input from the public and local officials. The project is expected to complete the design phase this year with construction scheduled to start in spring 2022.

“US 1 is a very heavily traveled corridor, and this project reflects MDOT’s commitment to provide a safe, efficient and interconnected network for every mode of travel: cars, buses, rail, bicycles, pedestrians and others,” MDOT Secretary Greg Slater said. “Working with our partners in local government and the community – along with safety advocates and other stakeholders – we will continue to create and support mobility solutions for this highly-populated area.”

Howard County is providing consultant design funding for the project, with MDOT SHA covering the costs of internal review and design approval. The $3.5 million for construction is federally funded. Work will stretch along nine miles of US 1 from North Laurel to Elkridge and include improvements at several key intersections:

  • Brewers Court – installation of a new pedestrian-activated signal, a protected space in the median and new continental crosswalks;
  • Guilford Road – construction of a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists along southbound US 1 between Guilford Road and the sidewalk approximately 1,100 feet to the north, new continental crosswalks and upgraded pedestrian crossing signals;
  • Rowanberry Drive – construction of a new sidewalk along northbound US 1 between South Hanover Road and Old Washington Road, new continental crosswalks and upgraded pedestrian crossing signals; and
  • Doctor Patel Drive – installation of a new pedestrian-activated signal, a protected space in the median and new continental crosswalks.

“Once completed, this project will improve access, connectivity to area commerce and local transit, and help people get where they want to go safely,” said MDOT SHA Administrator Tim Smith. “By filling in the missing links in this area’s sidewalk network, MDOT SHA is supporting economic development and our long-term transportation vision.”

“Sidewalks are critical pieces of infrastructure,” MDOT SHA District 7 Engineer Teri Soos said. “We thank Howard County for its support in helping MDOT SHA provide people a safer place to walk along US 1.”

MDOT SHA works hard to maintain safe traffic mobility in work zones for our crews as well as our customers. Drivers need to stay alert, focus on driving and, look for reduced speed limits, as well as other driving pattern changes. Please drive like you work here and slow down in construction zones.

For a list of all major MDOT SHA projects, go to roads.maryland.gov.  For a look at real-time traffic conditions, go to md511.maryland.gov.