Complete Streets Design Manual Updates

Design Manual

The Design Manual is a technical document that guides the design of Howard County streets. The updated volumes are included here and incorporate best practices and Complete Streets concepts: 

• Volume III - as adopted by CR17-2022 
• Volume IV - as adopted by CR17-2022 

The Howard County Complete Streets Implementation Team convened in response to Council Resolution 120-2019 completed its work on the Complete Streets Design Manual on December 1, 2021.  The Design Manual resulting from that work was adopted by Howard County Council (CR17-2022) on February 7, 2022 and is posted above. 

What is “Complete Streets”?

Two years ago, Howard County Council adopted a Complete Streets policy to ensure that Howard County roads are designed to accommodate “residents of all ages and abilities who travel by foot, bicycle, public transportation or automobile.” It is a nationwide movement to balance the needs of different modes and prioritize safety over speed. For details, visit: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/complete-streets.

Complete Streets Training Module Videos

• Module 1: Training Overview (7 Minutes)
• Module 2: Chapter 1 - Capital Projects (32 Minutes)
• Module 3: Chapter 1 - Development Projects (28 Minutes)
• Module 4: Chapter 2 Part 1 - General Information and Typical Sections (26 Minutes)
• Module 5: Chapter 2 Part 2 - Geometric Design and Intersection Design (19 Minutes)
• Module 6: Chapter 2 Part 3 - Driveways, Parking, Lighting, and Design Details (6 Minutes)
• Module 7: Chapter 3 - Design of Bridges, Retaining Walls. and Small Structures (5 Minutes)
• Module 8: Chapters 4 & 5 -  Adequate Transportation Facilities Test Evaluation Requirements and Multimodal Traffic Studies (29 Minutes)
• Module 9: Updates to Design Manual Volume IV (6 Minutes)

Comparison of Complete Streets Design Manual vs Previous Design Manual

Matrices comparing the existing Design Manual and the proposed Design Manual are included here. 

• This matrix compares the contents of the 2017 version of the Design Manual, Volume III, Roads and Bridges, with the current version of Volume III, Complete Streets and Bridges. This matrix is intended to assist users of the 2017 version of the Manual to understand where old Manual guidance is located in the new Manual. Sections from the 2017 version of the Manual that were deleted, and sections of the current Manual that were substantially revised are highlighted.
• This matrix compares the contents of the current Howard County Design Manual, Volume III, Complete Streets and Bridges, with the 2017 version of Volume III, Roads and Bridges. This matrix is intended to assist those reviewing the current Manual to understand how the Manual has been updated to implement the Complete Streets policy. Sections from the current Manual that are substantially revised or new are highlighted.

Design Manual Drafts (October 2021)

• Workshops. Details on the two different workshops held that reviewed the updates follow. Both workshops were recorded and are posted below. 
  • Evaluation. If you attended either workshop, your feedback would be appreciated. A brief survey is available here.
  • Flyer. The outreach flyer used to inform the public is available here.
• Feedback via online survey. Feedback received on the draft Design Manual during the comment period which ended on October 28, 2021 via the online survey posted at this site is available here for review. All the comments received were considered for the submitted Design Manual 

      Workshop 1:  Introduction to the County Complete Streets Design Manual

• This workshop was intended for the general public to understand about how Howard County Complete Streets policy translates into the design of future roads for cars, transit, bicycles, pedestrians, and others. It was held virtually on October 14, 2021 and included time for question and answers. 
  • The recording of the workshop can be accessed here.
  • The standalone presentation can be found here. 
  • A write-up of the question and answers from Workshop #1 can be found here.

      Workshop 2: Technical Overview to the County Complete Streets Design Manual

• This workshop was intended for technical professionals and others who use the Design Manual on a regular basis (however, the general public was welcome to attend).  The workshop was held virtually on October 21, 2021 and included time for question and answers. Recommended materials to review prior to the workshop included: the materials from Workshop #1, the proposed Design Manual (located above), the comparison matrices (found above), and a list of acronyms from the Design Manual (as reference).   
• The recording of the workshop can be accessed here.
• The presentation used for the workshop can be found here. 
• A write-up of the question and answers from Workshop #2 is available here. 

Where can I find the previous Design Manual from 2017?  

The 2017 versions of the Design Manual, Volume III and Design Manual Volume IV are available here as reference. 

Sign Up and Questions

To sign up to receive notices about upcoming public meetings and events related to County transportation projects, including all Complete Streets and Design Manual update initiatives, please click here. 

Further questions can be directed to: transportation@howardcountymd.gov.