BikeHoward Express To Add 47 Miles Of Infrastructure: Kittleman

HOWARD COUNTY, MD – County Executive Allan Kittleman is pitching a plan he says would create more than 47 miles of improved bicycle infrastructure in Howard County. The initiative builds upon the county's Bicycle Master Plan, from which he said he selected infrastructure improvements.

New bike lanes, pathways and shared roadways are proposed under "BikeHoward Express," which Kittleman announced on Tuesday.

The following are pieces of the plan that county officials highlighted as key components:

• New shared-use pathways into Downtown Columbia, Columbia Gateway and along Dobbin Road
• Nearly 14 miles of bike lanes
• Route from Savage to North Laurel

See a map of the proposed and existing bike connections in Howard County.

More than half of residents are within a mile of points along BikeHoward Express, which county officials say would help connect them to schools, parks, MARC stations, park-and-ride lots and employment centers.

“During the past few years, I’ve heard growing support for improved bicycle infrastructure and this strategy directly answers those calls,” Kittleman said in a statement.

To assist users in navigating the BikeHoward Express system, the plan calls for installing wayfinding signs.

The $8 million project would come from county funds as well as competitive state and federal grants, officials said.

Howard County has already secured $240,000 in grants for FY19, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Philip Nichols told Patch Tuesday.

The county council would need to approve funding for the initiative in the FY 19, 20 and 21 budgets. The county executive presents his budget proposal in April, and the county council must approve it by June 1. Public hearings and work sessions take place before the budget is approved.

The Columbia Association and Maryland Department of Transportation have already issued statements of support for the BikeHoward Express initiative.

“County Executive Kittleman’s BikeHoward Express will provide true connectivity not only inside Howard County, but it will also link Howard County to key regional interests,” Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn said.

"I would encourage other local jurisdictions to take a similar commonsense approach in improving their infrastructure to create more transportation options for their communities," Rahn added.

The plan is an extension of the Howard County Bicycle Master Plan, which the county council approved in 2016 and provides guidance for infrastructure improvements.

“Columbia Association is a longtime, ardent supporter of improvements to and expansion of the bicycle infrastructure in Columbia and throughout Howard County,” Columbia Association President/CEO Milton Matthews said in a statement. “We support BikeHoward Express as a next step in Howard County's implementation of the bicycle master plan, and we believe the County's ongoing commitment to increasing the number of transportation options as Columbia continues to grow and become a true urban center will produce many benefits for residents and businesses.”

Community members will help guide the infrastructure improvements. Specific dates have not yet been set but community input meetings will be announced as individual projects move through the process of planning, design and construction, according to county officials.

RELATED: Howard County Launches Bikeshare

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