Transportation

In January 2024, the Active Transportation Open House will be merging with the Transportation Priorities Open House.

The Office of Transportation takes lead in the design and planning stages of bicycle and pedestrian planning projects in the county.

The Multimodal Transportation Board (MTB) advises the County Executive and County Administration on transportation matters, particularly involving the County’s local bus system contractor, the Regional Transportation Agency, and other multimodal issues and initiatives. The Multimodal Transportation Board holds meetings on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. The Webex meetings are open to the public, but registration is required.

The Bicycle Advisory Group (BAG) advises the County Executive and County Administration on matters of bicycle transportation, particularly the implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan. The BAG meets at least quarterly. Meetings take place in the Columbia/Ellicott Room at the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive in Ellicott City. Meetings are held virtually on the Webex platform during the pandemic. 

The Transit and Pedestrian Advisory Group (TPAG) advised the County Executive and County Administration on matters of public transit and pedestrian transportation. Having ended on April 5, 2021 its duties and responsibilities were reassigned to the Multimodal Transportation Board.

The DC Metroplex BWI Community Roundtable is an initiative of the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Aviation Administration (MDOT MAA), formed at the request of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Howard County Office of Transportation Administrator serves as the County Executive's representative on the Roundtable. The Roundtable is responsible for the following:

• Monitoring the implementation of air traffic procedures established by FAA in the District of Columbia Metroplex Project, including but not limited to the procedures implemented under the NextGen program;
• Identifying possible alternative routings and procedures;
• Evaluating noise effects and other environmental effects, of possible route changes; and
• Making recommendations to the FAA for further consideration.

Howard County has adopted a Complete Streets Policy and is developing a Complete Streets Design Manual to be completed by October 2021. These initiatives were recommended in both the Howard County General Plan (PlanHoward) and the Howard County Bicycle Master Plan (BikeHoward), and were required by the adoption of Council Resolution 35-2016.

Transportation Demand Management is moving people, not vehicles, and creating a more efficient use of our roadways.  It's providing and encouraging Transportation Options for those who want them such as biking, walking, taking the bus or train, commuting at non-peak hours/days or even the commute you don't make: working from home. Go Howard is the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program of Howard County, Maryland, funded by the Maryland Department of Transportation -- Maryland Transit Administration and the Howard County Office of Transportation.

The Office of Transportation manages and oversees the contract under which the Regional Transportation Agency (RTA) provides fixed route bus and paratransit services in Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County and the City of Laurel. Funding is shared by the partner jurisdictions with support from federal and state sources to offset the gap between farebox and other revenues and capital and operating costs. The RTA runs 15 fixed routes, provides complementary paratransit service to people with disabilities, and general-purpose transportation for both elderly people and people with disabilities.

The Howard County Transit Development Plan (TDP) is a short-term (typically a five-year period) plan to guide transit system development. The TDP provides a vision of the future public transportation system.

The Office of Transportation coordinates closely with the Department of Planning and Zoning, the Department of Public Works and state agencies to develop transportation plans and projects for all modes.

Our new Transportation Open House on Tuesday, January 30, 2024* from 4:30-7:30PM at the Kenneth S. Ulman Innovation Hub in Columbia. This expanded event replaces our Active Transportation and Transportation Priorities Open Houses and includes the additional topics areas of transportation safety, Complete Streets, transit and regional planning, and roadway maintenance and operations. The Open House will also provide the public the opportunity to comment on the County's overall transportation priorities, approaches to solving common transportation challenges, and specific projects.

The Office of Transportation participates in the County Executive's Transportation Town Halls along with representatives from the Department of Public Works, the Howard County Police Department, the Regional Transportation Agency as well as various state agencies covering issues such as transportation safety, Complete Streets, transit and regional planning.

In addition to the Town Hall, feedback about the County's transportation system is always accepted. Comments and questions may be sent to different offices and agencies depending on the nature of the comment.

Transportation and transit planning, and Complete Streets Policy implementation:
transportation@howardcountymd.gov

Traffic control concerns such as intersection safety, traffic calming, and mis-timed traffic signal or school flashers:
traffic@howardcountymd.gov

Traffic enforcement concerns:
hcpd@howardcountymd.gov

RTA transit service:
consumer@transitRTA.com