September 20, 2019
Media Contact:
Scott L. Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
The funds include a $400,000 Statewide Transit Innovation Grant (STIG) for bus improvements and a $98,000 grant for bicycle and pedestrian safety
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball has announced that Howard County has been selected for $498,000 in grant funds for transportation innovation from the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). The funding will support improvements to bus, bike, and pedestrian transportation in Howard County.
“We applaud the Maryland Department of Transportation for providing innovation grant funding. We prioritize easing our traffic congestion, reducing travel time, and recognizing our shared responsibility to provide better transit service across Howard County and the region,” said Ball. “These funds will directly support our Complete Streets vision, improving bus stops, bike paths, and prioritizing multimodal transportation options throughout our county. To continue this work, I look forward to our meeting with the 11 members of the Central Maryland Regional Transit Plan Commission on Friday September 20th, to share my hopes and concerns about the state of our regional transit system.”
“The Statewide Transit Innovation Grants have offered a much-needed infusion of funding that will help Howard County improve our transit system in the short term,” said Office of Transportation Administrator Bruce Gartner. “This grant, combined with previous awards that will allow us to implement mobile ticketing next year, are perfect examples of a positive State and County partnership on transit. Given that FY 2020 is the last year of STIG grant funding in the current MDOT MTA Capital Program, we urge MDOT and the MTA to continue or increase funding for both innovation grants and transit commuter corridor improvements in the near future.”
Statewide Transit Innovation Grant (STIG)
Howard County received a $400,000 Statewide Transit Innovation Grant (STIG) from the Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA), with the goal of supporting local efforts to improve transit reliability, improving access and connections to activity centers, and improving transit mobility options. The program seeks to fund cost-effective public transportation projects that reduce delays for people and improve connectivity between regional and economic population centers.
The grant funds will be utilized to:
- Make bus stops improvements, including the development of maintenance agreements for stops that are shared between the MDOT MTA and the Regional Transportation Agency (RTA) bus system
- Consolidate RTA and MTA bus stops in Howard County
- Install an interactive message board at the Mall in Columbia for RTA of Central Maryland
- Install new sidewalk connections and bus pads
- Install or repair existing bus shelters within Howard County and the City of Laurel
Dobbin Road Pathway Grant
MDOT has also awarded Howard County $98,000 through the Maryland Bikeways Program to begin design of Phase II of the Dobbin Road Pathway project, which will improve safety and access for walking and bicycling in the Dobbin Road corridor.
The ultimate goal of the Dobbin Road Pathway project is to provide a continuous shared-use pathway along Dobbin Road between Oakland Mills Road and Snowden River Parkway, connecting to existing pathways at both ends. Phase II is proposed to consist of pathway along Dobbin Road between McGaw Road and Route 175 (Rouse Parkway), as well as two new signalized pedestrian and bicycle crossings of Dobbin Road at existing intersections.
The Dobbin Road Pathway Phasing Map shows the extent of each segment of the project.