Howard County Office of Transportation

05/21/2026

Join Us for the Flash Bus Rapid Transit Traffic Calming Study Public Meeting

Based on feedback received during the public comment periods for the upcoming Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) extension, the County has initiated a study to analyze traffic and safety along Maple Lawn Boulevard in Fulton. As the new transit service is expected to generate more pedestrian traffic near the proposed stations north of East Market Place, a traffic calming evaluation of Maple Lawn Boulevard is being conducted to prioritize roadway safety near the proposed transit stations and along the proposed bus route. In addition, the study will also evaluate intersection alternatives at East Market Place to improve safety for all roadway users. Once the study is finalized, the project will implement strategies available in the County’s Design Manual and updated Howard County Neighborhood Traffic Calming Policy to combat excessive vehicular speeds along the roadway.

At the completion of the study, we will be hosting an open house-style public meeting on Tuesday, June 9th from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Grace Community Church in Fulton to present concept plans and preliminary analysis results from the study. These plans and results will be available for public viewing as there will no formal presentation; however, staff members will be on hand to explain the proposed work, answer any questions, and gather public comments. Materials will be posted online following the meeting: https://bit.ly/4fxSk5o

05/03/2026

May is Bike Month which means Bike to Work Central Maryland's Bike to Work Week is just around the corner, running from May 11th through the 17th. This year, we have partnered with Downtown Columbia and the Maple Lawn Commercial Association to host TWO Bike to Work Week events to celebrate cycling as a healthy, green, and FUN commute mode.

Kicking off the week is our *NEW* Bike to Work Day pit stop in Maple Lawn on Monday, May 11th from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. in the parking lot in front of Patapsco Bicycles. Registered participants who attend this pit stop are eligible to win a TURBO TERO 3.0 XL electric bike courtesy of the Maple Lawn Commercial Association and Patapsco Bicycles.

On Friday, May 15th from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. participants can join the pit stop at Color Burst Park in Downtown Columbia. Both events will feature shirts, swag, snacks, prizes, and more.

Can’t make it that Monday or Friday but still want to participate? The following bike shops are participating as well: Patapsco Bicycles in Elkridge and Maple Lawn, Trek Bicycle in Columbia and Ellicott City, and The Cycle Mill just across the bridge in Oella. Pick up hours may vary by location.

To register for this year’s Bike to Work Day events, visit the Bike to Work Week registration webpage, select “Howard County,” and then use the bike map and calendar page to determine which day and location work best for you!

Learn more, find an event, and register here: https://biketoworkmd.com/

04/19/2026

In celebration of Earth Day, Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland - RTA is hosting a fare-free day this Wednesday, April 22nd. On the 22nd, all RTA passengers may ride for free.

To learn more about RTA’s routes and schedules, check out its “Routes & Schedules” website: https://www.transitrta.com/routes/

04/16/2026

As the County prepares to resurface Harpers Farm Road in 2026, we are evaluating changes within and around the roadway to improve safety and accommodations for all road users and will be hosting a public meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM at the Bain 50+ Center (5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia, MD 21044). The meeting will be held in an open house format, with staff and project consultants present to answer questions about the project. There will be no formal presentation; feel free to arrive any time during the meeting. More information and a public feedback survey will be open for responses on the project webpage through May 8: https://bikehoward.com/projects/resurfacing-projects/

03/20/2026

Join us, Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland - RTA, and Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services next week on March 26 from 1–3:30p.m. at North Laurel 50+ Center for the second Transportation Information Forum: Transit 101.

This free, interactive open house about local transportation options is an opportunity to meet our transit partners, explore helpful resources, tour the buses, and connect with local transportation experts.

Register today: bit.ly/HoCo-Transit101 or call 410-313-0380.

03/18/2026

**RESCHEDULED**

In preparation for Montgomery County, MD DOT Ride On's Flash Bus Rapid Transit Service extension to Howard County later this year, a public meeting will be held Wednesday, March 25th from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in the Maxine White Warfield Room at Howard County Library System's Central Branch (10375 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia) to discuss the project’s updated design.

While there will be no formal presentation, the design plans will be available for public viewing, and staff members will be on hand to explain the updates, answer any questions, and gather public comments. More information on the service extension can be found on the project page. A link to the meeting materials and a feedback survey will also be posted to the page.

Project page: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/transportation/public-transportation/Flash

03/16/2026

Due to the impending weather, today's public meeting regarding the extension of Montgomery County, MD DOT Ride On's Flash BRT is being postponed. Once a new date has been confirmed it will be posted to the project's website: howardcountymd.gov/transportation/public-transportation/Flash

03/09/2026

In preparation for Montgomery County's Flash Bus Rapid Transit Service extension to Howard County later this year, a public meeting will be held Monday, March 16th, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Maxine White Warfield Room at Howard County Library System's Central Branch (10375 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia) to discuss the project’s updated design.

While there will be no formal presentation, the design plans will be available for public viewing, and staff members will be on hand to explain the updates, answer any questions, and gather public comments. More information on the service extension can be found on the project page. Meeting materials will also be posted to the page after the meeting.

Project page: howardcountymd.gov/transportation/public-transportation/Flash

02/17/2026

Update (2/23) - tonight’s workshop has been canceled due to the weather-related closure of the Elkridge library.

ICYMI We're updating BikeHoward, our bicycle master plan which provides guidance for improvements for transportation and recreational bicycling, both on-street and off-street, this year and will be holding four public workshops to gather public feedback to guide the County forward in our bicycle infrastructure development and programming for the next 10 years. The four workshops run from February 23rd to March 10th to discuss BikeHoward, answer questions, and gather your comments. Staff and project consultants will be on hand for each, and the workshops will not include a formal presentation.

The workshops will take place:
• Monday, February 23rd from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Howard County Library System Elkridge branch
• Tuesday, March 3rd from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Howard County Library System Miller branch as part of our Transportation Open House
• Thursday, March 5th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Howard County Recreation and Parks North Laurel Community Center
• Tuesday, March 10th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Howard County Library System Central branch

Those unable to attend the public workshops will be able to view the meeting materials on our BikeHoward website beginning February 23rd. On this same page, you will also find a public survey to share your feedback with us beginning February 23rd through March 31st.

We anticipate the BikeHoward update process will take place through this summer with a targeted adoption of the updated plan by the Howard County Council by the end of summer.

More information: bikehoward.com/ere

Send a message to learn more

02/11/2026

Rescheduled Transportation Open House -- New Location

Join us Tuesday, March 3rd for our rescheduled third annual Transportation Open House. Now set to take place from 4:30 to 7:30PM at the Miller Branch of the Howard County Library System in Ellicott City, this expanded event incorporates our Active Transportation and Transportation Priorities Open Houses and includes additional topic areas of transportation safety, transit, regional planning, and roadway maintenance and operations. This open house event will also provide attendees with the opportunity to comment on the County's overall transportation priorities, approaches to solving common transportation challenges, and specific projects.

Additionally, representatives from DPW’s Transportation & Special Projects Division will be on hand with information on the following Bike/Ped projects:
• Dobbin Road Pathway
• Frederick Road Shared Use Path
• Harpers Farm Road Bike Lanes
• Old Annapolis Road Shared Use Path (Centennial Lane to Columbia Road)
• Patuxent Branch Trail Improvements
• South Entrance Trail

More info: howardcountymd.gov/transportation-open-house