Howard County Becomes 1 Of 6 Counties Nationwide With Complete Streets Design Manual

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The first Howard County Complete Streets Design Manual has been approved by the County Council, making Howard County one of only six counties nationwide with complete street design guidance in place.

The manual serves as a technical document that guides county street design, including national best practices and complete streets design concepts that improve safety and accessibility for all users, including drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders.

“This is a critical milestone to move forward our vision of reliable and accessible infrastructure for all our residents, of all ages and abilities,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said. “The manual is such a valuable tool to improve the design of new and existing streets and to ensure robust community engagement will play a role in transportation projects that impact our residents’ everyday lives.”

Updates to the design manual were required by the Howard County Complete Streets policy, which was adopted by the County Council in October 2019.

The design manual includes a community engagement plan that allows for more public engagement throughout projects, particularly by groups that have been historically disinvested. With the design manual approved, the complete streets implementation team will work to update subdivision and land use regulations, so new development better supports the multimodal transportation network.

“The Howard County complete streets design manual recognizes that traffic includes pedestrians and cyclists, and it strikes a better balance for all road users,” local organizer Ted Cochran said during testimony. “It contains design requirements that over time will guide drivers to maintain appropriate speeds, help them be aware of where they may encounter cyclists and pedestrians, and if necessary, to separate motor vehicles from cyclists and pedestrians altogether.”