OCEAN CITY, MD — The boardwalk will be buzzing. The line for Thrasher's will be long, and the game operators will be trying to get you to win a prize.
It is Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer, which means Ocean City is going to be busy!
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) wants to make sure your trip to OC is a safe one. They've teamed up with OC Mayor, Richard Meehan and OC Police CHief Ross Buzzuro to remind OC residents and visitors to walk smart, drive smart, and bike smart this summer.
“The State Highway Administration is proud to partner with Ocean City to keep visitors and residents safe during peak vacation season and throughout the year,” State Highway Administrator Will Pines said. “We’ve made substantial safety improvements in Ocean City over the years and it’s vital we continue to look out for one another – whether we’re in cars, on motorcycles, on bicycles or on foot.”
Here are just some of the improvements made to OC's infrastructure:
- Highly visible crosswalks between 17th and 67th street on Coastal Highway
- 2.7 miles of median wave fencing on Coastal Highway between Center Drive and 62nd Street
- Added LED street lighting
Each summer, the weekend population in Ocean City swells from 6,900 residents to more than 300,000 people. Town officials want those visiting to have a memorable time – which starts with having a safe visit.
“As we head into the busy summer season, we ask that you please put safety first. The goal of the Walk Smart program is to keep EVERY SINGLE PERSON safe a feat that could only be accomplished through our great partnership with our state partners and the many community members and businesses throughout our town,” said Chief Ross Buzzuro of the Ocean City Police Department.
The campaign features the iconic “Cheswick the Crab” mascot with a focus on the “four Es” – engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency medical services to save lives and prevent injuries on Coastal Highway and other heavily used roadways.
