​Delivery of Prince George’s County Project, Advancement of Montgomery County Portion Highlight Moore-Miller Administration’s Commitment to Safety 

(October 21, 2026) – The Maryland Department of Transportation, the State Highway Administration and local elected officials today celebrated the completion of pedestrian, bicycle and multi-modal improvements along Maryland’s first Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP) corridor – the busy stretch of MD 650 (New Hampshire Avenue) near homes, apartments, shopping and transit facilities north of University Boulevard in Prince George’s County.

The safety and accessibility features – including new crosswalks and signals, upgraded pedestrian ramps and bus stops, sidewalks and improved transit connections – deliver on the Moore-Miller Administration’s commitment to Maryland’s Complete Streets initiative, as well as the State Highway Administration’s goal to complete its first PSAP project by the close of 2026. 

“This is the first of many celebrations to come for our Pedestrian Safety Action Plan program and these improvements show that the Moore-Miller Administration and the Maryland Department of Transportation are Serious About Safety and protecting all road users,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Katie Thomson. “By putting our resources to work in innovative ways and building practical roadway improvements statewide, we are making our transportation network safer, more convenient and more reliable for Marylanders.”  

MD 650 Project Map

Officials gathered for a ceremony Wednesday along MD 650 in Langley Park marking the completion this month of $5.5 million in improvements in Prince George’s County. The event also marked construction milestones on $12.8 million in improvements along MD 650 in Montgomery County scheduled for completion in the coming months. The Montgomery County project between Northampton Drive and Powder Mill Road will include updated curbs, sidewalks and bus stops, construction of a shared-use path near I-495, pedestrian fencing in select areas to deter mid-block crossings, stormwater upgrades and realignment of four I-495 interchange ramps to improve merging areas.

At the ribbon cutting were, from left to right, Prince George’s County Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Stephen, SHA Administrator Will Pines, Prince George’s County District 3 Council member Eric Olson, MDOT Secretary Katie Thomson and Montgomery County Department of Transportation Director Chris Conklin.

“This initiative marks a significant milestone, highlighting several benefits for all jurisdictions involved,” said Kevin Stephen, Prince George’s County Deputy Chief Administrative Officer. “Safety knows no borders…. This collective, multi-jurisdictional initiative demonstrates that unified action builds safer, more connected communities.”

Montgomery County Department of Transportation Director Chris Conklin called the MD 650 project “a great example of local government and state government collaborating to make life better for our residents.”

“Safety is the most important thing we work on,” Director Conklin said. “We owe a great debt of gratitude to Secretary Thomson and Administrator Pines for their ability to move forward with improvements that can get implemented and make life better for everybody.”

Prince George’s County District 3 Council member Eric Olson called the PSAP program “one of the best and most innovative things changing people’s lives in Maryland.”

“This makes the quality of life for our community so much better,” Council member Olson added. “We are so grateful in Prince George’s County for the leadership at the state level and the collaboration.”

The State Highway Administration’s Pedestrian Safety Action Plan was published in May 2023 and identifies high-risk corridors statewide for potential pedestrian and bicycle safety projects. The Moore-Miller Administration allocated more than $100 million for PSAP projects statewide, and today 23 projects are in various stages of planning and community outreach in priority corridors across Maryland. Several projects are expected to enter construction in 2027.

“PSAP is a transformative, data-driven approach to enhance safety and mobility for all those who walk, bike and roll on our roadways,” said State Highway Administrator Will Pines. “Today, we celebrate the partnership with local leaders, community stakeholders and the Moore-Miller Administration that made these improvements a reality, and we take the first step – a safe step – on a journey that’s carrying this innovative approach to Baltimore County, Howard County, Western Maryland, the Eastern Shore and communities all across Maryland.”

MD 650 was chosen as the inaugural PSAP project based on its high-use and crash history. The six-lane roadway has a speed limit of 35 mph and average daily traffic of 70,000 vehicles. Between 2021 and 2025, 874 crashes were reported within the project limits, including 57 involving pedestrians. Eight crashes resulted in a fatality, including six pedestrians killed. 

“I am proud of the work being done to improve pedestrian safety along the New Hampshire Avenue corridor and I look forward to the completion of the Montgomery County section,” said State Delegate Lorig Charkoudian (District 20). “This PSAP shows a broader commitment to investing in our community's ability to get to and from work, school and fun in a safe way.”

“I am confident that this project will increase pedestrian safety, reduce traffic accidents, and improve accessibility for senior citizens,” said Prince George’s County Council member Wanika Fisher, who represents the Langley Park area and chairs the council’s Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee. “Prince George’s County is number one in pedestrian fatalities in the state, and this project will help prevent more fatalities from occurring. I applaud SHA for its commitment to keeping our roads safe.”

The PSAP process involves extensive collaboration with local jurisdictions and the community. For MD 650, the State Highway Administration hosted a public workshop in September 2024 where residents shared ideas and their experiences traveling the MD 650 corridor. The project team then developed site-specific improvements and shared updates on the Project Portal for additional review and comment. SHA broke ground on the project in July 2025.

The PSAP program reinforces the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Serious About Safety initiative – an enhanced, department-wide initiative to drive safety goals and save lives, as well as Maryland’s Complete Streets policy ensuring state roadways are convenient, reliable and accessible for all users.

Completion of pedestrian and bicycle safety features on MD 650 in Prince George’s County coincides with Maryland’s observance of Walktober, a month‑long initiative to promote walking, pedestrian safety and active transportation. 

For a list of all major State Highway Administration projects, visit Project Portal ​or the homepage at roads.maryland.gov. For a look at real-time traffic conditions, go to md511.maryland.gov. ​​

​Note

Photos from this event are available by contacting SHA at 410-545-0303 or [email protected].