​Pilot and Public Input To Inform Future Innovative Solutions

(December 16, 2021) – The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) tomorrow will complete the MD 193 (University Boulevard) Shared Streets Pilot Project and Survey conducted to engage the public and inform any future innovative solutions to address increased demand for pedestrian and bicycle access. As planned, with the conclusion of the six-month pilot, MDOT SHA will remove the flex posts for the interim protected bike lanes and temporary line striping, and restore the use of all lanes for vehicular traffic tomorrow. These flex posts were always intended to be temporary and are not designed to withstand winter conditions.   

MDOT SHA’s next step is to evaluate motorist, bicycle and pedestrian operations and safety to gauge the effectiveness of the pilot project that temporarily allowed bicycles and vehicles to safely share 1.35 miles of MD 193 (University Boulevard) from Amherst Avenue to Arcola Avenue in Wheaton, Montgomery County.

As part of the pilot, MDOT SHA installed two Mobile MULTI Eco-Counter devices along eastbound and westbound MD 193 (University Blvd) at Sligo Creek Parkway and Westchester Drive. These counters provided continuous data that MDOT SHA will use in a study that will analyze the utility and mobility of pedestrians and bicyclists and evaluate the need for the multi-modal program moving forward in this corridor or other corridors across the state.   

The results of the study will be available by early spring 2022 on the pilot project’s website located HERE. Seeking feedback from the public, MDOT SHA’s online survey this month sought to gauge the public’s experiences with the pilot. Early next year, MDOT SHA will hold a follow-up virtual public meeting to update share the input collected with stakeholders.   

The pilot, which began in mid-June, was a Multi-Modal Shared Streets Pilot that included new traffic patterns and temporarily repurposed lanes, providing opportunities for motorists and bicyclists to safely share the road.

The temporary pilot project was part of a county-wide initiative to enhance safety and mobility for all roadway users. The project included:

• Reducing the number of vehicular through-lanes on MD 193.
• Repurposing MD 193 travel lanes adjacent to the curbs for use by bicyclists.   
• Modifying lane assignments to connect bicyclists to the MD 193 interim protected bike lanes.   
• Adding flexible posts – or “vertical delineators” – to separate vehicle and bike lanes.
• Installing updated signage and striping.

For a list of all major MDOT SHA projects, go to Project Portal. Visit our homepage at roads.maryland.gov. For a look at real-time traffic conditions, go to md511.maryland.gov.

Editor’s Note

From intersection improvements to widening and new interchange construction, MDOT SHA is investing in projects to enhance the commute and daily travel for millions of Marylanders.  MDOT SHA maintains more than 2,500 bridges and 17,000 miles of non-toll state roads – the interstate, US and state numbered routes in Maryland’s 23 counties.