BALTIMORE — A new partnership with a "smart growth" nonprofit will let the state do "quick-build" projects to improve traffic safety at three dangerous stretches of roadway.
One is along Main Street in downtown Bel Air, where it intersects with Gordon Street. Another is in Howard County's Laurel area, on Route 1 between North Laurel and Davis Avenue.
Maryland Department of Transportation is teaming up with Smart Growth America on the projects, which are set to be done in the next few months and are for demonstration only. That means they're also set to be dismantled by the end of the year - unless local leaders decide it makes sense to keep them up.
MDOT is providing $20,000-$25,000 to do the projects. The actual improvements will be decided at workshops, where participants will have access to resources from Smart Growth America's Complete Streets Leadership Academy.
Smart Growth America is focused on climate change and resilience, advancing racial equity, and creating healthy communities. Former Maryland governor Parris Glendening was key in getting governments to implement the nonprofit's agenda.
Regarding the Main Street/Gordon Street intersection, MDOT Assistant Secretary for Planning & Project Development, Joe McAndrew, said:
It's a challenging intersection... It worked well for horses and buggies, and now trying to move many cars through it, it's tough... It sits at the end of downtown and acts as a barrier and it's unsafe.
McAndrew said the quick-build option with Smart Growth America's resources is a cheaper and much faster way to improve road conditions, especially when the state isn't able to do the full, permanent build-out to fix unsafe areas.
