A two-lane stretch of Maryland 197 in Bowie has barely passing grades when it comes to congestion and has had more than the average number of crashes, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration.
The administration recently began a planning study to relieve congestion on the 1.4-mile portion of Maryland 197 just north of U.S. 50 and south of Maryland 450. Daily, about 31,000 vehicles travel from the north funnel from five lanes to two. The 16,000 vehicles that come from the south on an average day have to squeeze from six lanes down to two.
A set of alternatives will be developed by this winter, according to a state highway spokesman, and include feedback currently being gathered from the community.
“That kind of information is looked at very seriously,” said Charlie Eischler.
The administration gets guidance on which roads need attention from each county’s priority list and yearly examines all Maryland highways for improvements that need to be made, Eischler said.
The administration has already made more than $150 million in improvements to an eight-mile stretch of Maryland 450. Those projects added traffic capacity as well as sidewalks, bike lanes and improve railroad crossings.
The Maryland 197 study process begun this summer will develop a series of solutions and result in public involvement at meetings and hearings before a final plan is approved in summer 2008.
