ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County’s Office of Transportation (OoT) and Department of Public Works’ (DPW) Transportation and Special Projects Division will host two in-person community engagement opportunities this May, to provide an update on the new extension of the US 29 Flash Bus Rapid Transit (Flash BRT) from Montgomery County to Howard County. This month, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball joined Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich to announce and formalize a groundbreaking partnership between the two counties to launch the Flash BRT extension in 2026.
First envisioned more than a decade ago, Flash Bus Rapid Transit service will be a gamechanger for our economy, workforce, and residents. We are delivering this vision to create strong transit connections that are vital to supporting the needs of our residents, workforce, and businesses. Through the highly anticipated expansion of the US 29 Flash Bus Rapid Transit service, Howard County will gain access to efficient and reliable regional transit services in the Washington region. We know that to build a resilient and inclusive future, we must invest in affordable, efficient, and high-quality public transportation that meets the needs of our community. By establishing stronger connections with our neighbors, Howard County will continue to be the best place to live, work, play, grow, and thrive for all.
The first community engagement opportunity will be held during OoT’s “Bike from Work Day” event on Friday, May 16th from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., hosted at the Merriweather District’s Color Burst Park at 6000 Merriweather Drive in Columbia. The second community engagement opportunity will be held during OoT’s BikeAround Downtown Columbia Block Party on Saturday, May 31st from 9:00 a.m. to noon, also located at Color Burst Park at 6000 Merriweather Drive in Columbia. At both of these engagement opportunities, OoT and DPW staff will be on hand to present the proposed Flash BRT Downtown Columbia station locations and concept plans, answer questions, and gather public comments. As both events are weather-dependent, please check OoT's website for event updates in case of inclement weather.
More than a decade in the making and Howard County’s first BRT service, this impactful and innovative project will connect transit riders to activity and employment centers within Howard County to Montgomery County and beyond, increasing the region’s available mobility and accessibility options for residents and visitors. The Flash BRT extension project will connect transit riders to activity and employment centers within Howard County to Montgomery County and beyond. Service within Howard County is anticipated to begin in 2026, with stops at Maple Lawn, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), and Downtown Columbia. The two proposed stations in Downtown Columbia are along Little Patuxent Parkway and Merriweather Drive. Construction is anticipated to begin in Fiscal Year 2026 and weather permitting, will take approximately six months to complete.
Once service is operational, this Flash extension will launch as a peak hour service, meaning the buses will run between Downtown Columbia and Silver Spring during rush hour times in the morning and afternoon from Monday to Friday to accommodate employees. Morning service will run from 5:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., while afternoon service will run from 3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Service will run on a 30-minute headway.
Those unable to attend either engagement event who would like to view the plans and/or have questions specifically on the station design, should contact Caitlin Kovel with DPW’s Transportation and Special Projects Division at 410-313-6142 or email ckovel@howardcountymd.gov. For questions about the transit service extension and/or for more information on Capital Project C-0332, please contact David Cookson with OoT at 410-313-3842 or email dcookson@howardcountymd.gov.
May’s community engagement opportunities take place during “National Bike Month” and highlight that Flash BRT, an alternate mode of transportation, provides full accessibility for bikes with onboard bike racks.
This is the second series of community outreach events that DPW and OoT have hosted on the Flash BRT, having previously held a community outreach meeting in September 2024. During this meeting, the public had the opportunity to preview the design plans for the Maple Lawn and APL stations, ask questions, and provide feedback.