New Hampshire Avenue is State’s First Pedestrian Safety Action Plan Corridor Moving to Construction
(July 15, 2025) – The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration today announced the start of construction on Maryland’s first Pedestrian Safety Action Plan project – $15 million in pedestrian, bicycle and multi-modal improvements along nearly 2.5 miles of MD 650 (New Hampshire Avenue) from University Boulevard to Powder Mill Road in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.
From left — Del. Julia Palakovich Carr; Kevin Stephen from the Prince George's County Executive office; SHA Administrator Will Pines; MDOT Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld; Prince George's County Councilman Eric Olson and Christopher Conklin, director of Montgomery County Department of Transportation
At a groundbreaking overlooking MD 650 at Metzerott Road, officials said the project will enhance safety and accessibility for all users of this busy corridor through a suite of improvements including new crosswalks and signals, upgraded pedestrian ramps and bus stops to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, corridor-wide lighting improvements, ramp realignments at the MD 650 and I-495 (Capital Beltway) interchange, improved transit connectivity with raised speed tables for safer bus stop access, median fencing at selected locations to deter mid-block crossings and other features.
“MDOT is Serious About Safety and today’s groundbreaking on Maryland’s first Pedestrian Safety Action Plan project is the result of the Department’s efforts to enhance safety and save lives,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “Thanks to Governor Moore’s budget and additional transportation revenues from the General Assembly, New Hampshire Avenue is the first of many corridors across Maryland that SHA will transform into safer roads for everyone to use. These Complete Streets will create desirable neighborhoods connecting Marylanders to opportunities and places where people want to live, work and shop.”
The State Highway Administration anticipates the new safety features will be completed in fall 2026, weather permitting.
“The only thing that rivals the description of the project’s esthetics are the tremendous safety and user benefits, enhancements for residents and, of course, another great connection between Prince George’s County and our neighbors in Montgomery County,” said Kevin Stephen, Prince George’s County Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Government Infrastructure, Technology and Environment, who attended the groundbreaking event on the grounds of Holy Trinity Mission Seminary representing County Executive Aisha Braveboy.
“This is going to keep people safe,” said Prince George’s County Councilmember Eric Olson, who represents the council’s 3rd District and chairs its Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee. “We have in this corridor, and other corridors, too many pedestrian deaths. This recognizes that and seeks to correct that and create conditions that are safe for pedestrians and for all users – cyclists, as well as motorists and pedestrians.”
“This project highlights the power of regional collaboration to turn a safety audit into meaningful, on-the-ground improvements,” said Chris Conklin, Director of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. “Guided by the Transportation Planning Board’s safety audit and planning and construction support from the State Highway Administration, Montgomery County upgraded 2,000 linear feet of sidewalk and driveways and installed eight ADA ramps along New Hampshire Avenue last summer. Continuing this work on state property, SHA is advancing a safer future on the key corridor.”
Published in May 2023, the State Highway Administration’s Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP), identifies areas of need and prioritizes corridors statewide for potential pedestrian and bicycle safety projects. Maryland’s six-year Consolidated Transportation Plan for fiscal years 2025-2030 includes more than $100 million for PSAP projects statewide. For more details on the program, go to the PSAP webpage.
“Safety is our first priority. The Pedestrian Safety Action Plan focuses on data driven safety improvements in high-risk corridors across Maryland,” said State Highway Administrator Will Pines. “The improvements for MD 650 will enhance safety for vulnerable road users and improve traffic operations along the one of Maryland’s most dangerous corridors. With this project, we are moving in partnership with local government partners and community stakeholders to reduce fatalities and crashes in this important arterial and provide a safer, more complete street for all to thrive.”
New Hampshire Avenue is a six-lane roadway with a posted speed limit of 35 mph and average daily traffic of 70,000 vehicles. Between 2018 and 2022, 1,019 crashes were reported within the project limits (see map), including 45 involving pedestrians. Ten of those crashes resulted in a fatality, with eight of those involving a pedestrian.
This segment of MD 650 was chosen to be among the first PSAP project corridors. In September 2024, SHA hosted a public workshop to share preliminary concepts for pedestrian and bicycle improvements with residents and obtain feedback. Since that time, the concepts have been refined and final design completed. For details, visit the Project Portal page.
MD 650 is the first designated PSAP corridor project to enter the construction phase, but more than a dozen other PSAP corridors across Maryland are in various stages of project planning, study and public outreach.
The MD 650 PSAP project reinforces MDOT’s Serious About Safety initiative – an enhanced, department-wide initiative to drive safety goals and save lives. Components also follow the department’s Complete Streets policy ensuring state roadways are convenient, reliable and accessible for all users.
The State Highway Administration works hard to maintain safe work zones for our crews as well as our customers. Drivers need to stay alert, focus on driving, move over and look for reduced speed limits as well as other traffic pattern changes.
For a list of all major State Highway Administration projects, go to
Project Portal, or visit the homepage at
roads.maryland.gov. For a look at real-time traffic conditions, go to
md511.maryland.gov.