The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration will host public informational workshops this fall to provide updates and receive feedback on initiatives to improve pedestrian access and safety along five key corridors as part of the agency’s ambitious Pedestrian Safety Action Plan.
The corridors targeted for improvements are in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
Baltimore County’s workshop is scheduled for Oct. 1 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Stembridge Community Center is Essex.
Through the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, SHA reviewed existing conditions across the state, identified areas of need and prioritized corridors for pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements.
The plan was published in May 2023, and the first five corridors were announced late last year.
Workshops to discuss safety projects will be held for the following corridors:
MD 650 (New Hampshire Avenue), between MD 193 (University Boulevard) and Powder Mill Road in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties — Monday, September 9, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Cresthaven Elementary School, 1234 Cresthaven Drive, Silver Spring.US 1 (Washington Boulevard), between the Prince George’s County Line and Gorman Road in Howard County — Tuesday, September 24, 5-7 p.m., Phillips School of Maryland, 8920 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel.MD 2 (Ritchie Highway), between MD 648 (Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard) and MD 177 (Mountain Road) in Anne Arundel County — Thursday, September 26, 5-7 p.m., Old Mill Senior High School, 600 Patriot Lane, Millersville.MD 150 (Eastern Avenue), between MD 700 (Martin Boulevard) and MD 702 (Southeast Freeway) in Baltimore County — Tuesday, October 1, 5-7 p.m., Stembridge Community Center, 99 Stemmers Run Road, Essex.MD 410 (East-West Highway), between MD 212 (Riggs Road) and MD 500 (Queens Chapel Road) in Prince George’s County — Wednesday, October 9, 5-7 p.m., DeMatha Catholic High School, 4313 Madison St., Hyattsville.
“The Pedestrian Safety Action Plan is critical in our strategy to provide safe, accessible and equitable transportation options for all customers, no matter how they travel,” State Highway Administrator Will Pines said.
“We are excited to host these informational workshops to share our thoughts with residents and get feedback on ways we can improve safety and accessibility throughout our communities.”
Working with community residents, officials and other stakeholders, SHA is developing strategies to enhance safety for all roadway users along these corridors by increasing safety and mobility for pedestrians and bicyclists.
The agency is making recommendations using its Context Driven Guide — a toolkit that considers the “context” of an area to determine what countermeasures are most appropriate.
Depending on community needs, land-use and other factors, solutions may include speed limit reductions, protected bike lanes, high-visibility crosswalks, signal timing adjustments or a host of other strategies.
During the informational workshops there will be no formal presentation.
SHA staff will be available to discuss project-specific details, and those attending may arrive at any time to view the displays, ask questions and provide feedback, MDOT officials said in a statement.
Materials will also be posted on the SHA’s Project Portal website.
A Spanish-language interpreter will be available at each of the meetings to assist with communication and respond to questions. Others seeking an interpreter for hearing or speech difficulties or assistance with the English language may email SHATitleVI@mdot.maryland.gov in advance of the event.
Please indicate the desired language in the subject line. Maryland Relay Service can assist teletype users at 7-1-1.
Questions about the informational workshops or general inquiries may be directed to SHA Senior Safety Officer Joseph Moges at jmoges@mdot.maryland.gov, or community relations manager Holly Pearl at Hpearl@mdot.maryland.gov.
A critical role in creating ‘Complete Streets’
The Pedestrian Safety Action Plan is a key component of the implementation of MDOT’s new Complete Streets Policy, which prioritizes safe, reliable, equitable and sustainable travel across all modes to make roads safer and connect Marylanders to jobs, education and economic opportunity.
Projects under the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan also support Maryland’s “Vision Zero” goal which seeks to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries on state roadways by 2030.
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