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Category: Safe Streets for Biking and Walking
Testimony: CSG CTP comments to PGC County & MDOT
November 3, 2025
Hon. Aisha N. Braveboy, County Executive
Hon. Edward P. Burroughs III, Prince George’s County Council Chair
Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle, Maryland Department of Transportation
Wayne K. Curry Administration Building, 1301 McCormick Drive, Largo MD
RE: Transportation priorities in the Maryland Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP) for Prince George’s County
Dear County Executive Braveboy, County Council Chair Burroughs, and Acting Secretary Biddle:
The Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG) advocates for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the Washington, DC region to grow and provide opportunities for all. We also support and work closely with RISE Prince George’s, a group of county residents and allies advocating for policies and practices that build shared, sustainable prosperity in Prince George’s County by creating safe, walkable, inclusive and transit-oriented communities. The following letter reflects the views of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.
Appreciation for County and MDOT work on I-495 Southside, next steps needed
We first wish to acknowledge the recent decision at the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) that sent VDOT’s I-495 Southside Express Lanes proposal back to the drawing board. We want to thank County Executive Braveboy, the Prince George’s County Council and state delegation, and especially Council Member Eric Olson.
The TPB rightly decided to hold off on adding the VDOT project to the region’s long-range transportation plan, Visualize 2050. We agree with Prince George’s officials that VDOT’s proposals did not adequately address Maryland’s concerns
Going forward, we ask the county and MDOT to ensure that a rebooted VDOT NEPA study:
- Revises the project purpose and need statement to remove bias for private express lanes and fairly considers a range of alternatives;
- Develops and evaluates alternatives to highway expansion such as near-term conversion of shoulder lanes to bus/HOV lanes, new expanded travel demand management (TDM) programs, alternative managed lanes concepts (e.g., HOTTER lanes, Flexi-HOT lanes) that are fairer for travelers and don’t require highway widening, and a longer-term Metrorail and transit-oriented development alternative;
- Ensures that VDOT conducts timely and adequate analysis on the impacts of any proposal to expand 495 lane capacity on local arterials like MD 210 and the creation of new traffic bottlenecks; and
- Commits to funding expanded transit services for Maryland residents and workers crossing the Wilson Bridge.
Recommendations for Prince George’s and the Maryland CTP:
- Support continued commitment to WMATA and local transit operations in the FY26-31 Consolidated Transportation Plan (CTP): We commend Maryland for continued funding of WMATA, the Purple Line, and Prince George’s County locally operated transit system (The Bus). We ask you to support WMATA’s Better Bus program, and the implementation of Prince George’s Transit Vision Plan.
- Support continued Complete Streets investments over the next 6 years: We support the state’s investment in Complete Streets and specific Prince George’s state road investments, given the county bears a disproportionate share of fatal traffic crashes in the state. We commend MDOT for the increased allocation to complete streets in the draft FY26-31 CTP. This critical program uses the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP) prioritization as its guide, beginning with improvements to MD 650 (New Hampshire Avenue), and MD 410 (East-West Highway), followed with MD 214 (Central Avenue), and MD 201 (Kenilworth Avenue) corridors in Prince George’s. In the future, we ask that MD 458 (Silver Hill Road) be added.
Complete streets should use quick-build safety projects: We urge SHA to start with quick build, low cost interventions that take weeks and months, not years to put in place. It is urgent to put critical safety improvements in place such as reallocating excess road capacity to safety needs for all users, closing of free right turn/slip lanes, lane width reduction, and other measures to reduce hazardous design speeds of roadways and minimize exposure of people walking and riding bicycles to high-speed motor vehicles. Continued effort to use low-cost, quick build interventions are essential for PSAP corridors and the many other state roadways where people face the risks of high-speed traffic.
- Rethink highway capacity expansion projects because we cannot afford to keep investing in ever bigger roads and intersections that chase spread out development while neglecting enhanced transit, walk, bicycle facilities and safer, better connected streets for existing communities. All projects should also advance the state of Maryland’s adopted goal to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We ask that the expense of the proposed highway and arterial capacity expansion projects be reconsidered for less costly alternatives: safety interventions, improved commuter transit service, bus priority and BRT, and travel demand management programs. Below are some of the projects we ask MDOT to reconsider and redesign.
- Reconsider the Medical Center Drive interchange expansion to help Downtown Largo and Central Avenue Corridor connectivity: We urge the county to work with the state to fully reconsider this problematic roadway capacity expansion project which is programmed for $11M for engineering, right of way and utilities over the next six years. The proposed designs for an expanded Medical Center Drive and I-495 Interchange undermine nearby transit-oriented development and would further degrade already poor pedestrian access. There are better solutions to supporting the growth of Downtown Largo and the revitalization of the stadium site.
We ask that the County work with the state to reposition the construction of the Central Avenue Connector Trail and bridge that connects Largo to Morgan Boulevard Metro station as a top priority. We also urge expediting the redesign of the oversized, high speed MD 214 into a complete street. This is also a key part of the solution for greater access and connectivity.
- MD 210, Indian Head Highway grade-separated interchanges from I-95/ I-495 to MD 228 (10 miles). The FY26 CTP budgets ongoing costs for engineering at $9.7 million. Reconsider these MD 210 projects to address safety and operational improvements — without capacity expansion. Consider TDM programs and bus transit priority to address long-distance commuters. We support advancing the recommended shared use path along MD 210.
- Support for MDOT process to improve Chapter 30 project prioritization – CSG is glad to see the pilot process underway by MDOT to provide a clearer process that helps Maryland communities like Prince George’s get good projects implemented while addressing state priorities like safety, sustainability, and giving residents travel options beyond driving.
Again, we appreciate the priority that MDOT has made to transit and complete streets. We urge the county and MDOT to work to revise roadway capacity expansion projects to address safety, create cost-effective multimodal travel environments, and avoid endless cycles of expanded capacity.
Thank you for your consideration.
Cheryl Cort
DC and Prince George’s Policy Director
Bill Pugh
Transportation and Climate Policy Director
Testimony: Support for University Boulevard Corridor Plan (MoCo)
We ask for your support for the goals of safe streets, vibrant and inclusive communities, and transit-oriented homes and businesses laid out in the University Boulevard Corridor Plan and in our county’s 30-year general plan, Thrive 2050.
CSG primer: Visualize 2050, our region’s 25-year transportation plan
The draft Visualize 2050 plan, our region’s long-range transportation plan, has too many highway and arterial road expansions that will increase driving and climate emissions. We will miss our region’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 – even if there’s a rapid switch to electric vehicles.
Get informed so you can take action on key decisions this fall:
- Upcoming key vote on flawed 495 Southside Express Lanes project
- Comment period on failing status quo Visualize plan
Source: TPB, with annotations by the Coalition for Smarter Growth
Background on Visualize 2050
- Visualize 2050 is our region’s long-range transportation plan, prepared by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), a regional body overseen by our local and state officials and transportation agencies.
- CSG background article
- From March 2024, on draft project list that is now being presented for final approval this fall along with its performance results.
- 48 organizations criticized the previous plan, Visualize 2045 with very similar projects Letter by 48 regional organizations on Visualize 2045 (May 2022)
495 Southside Express Lanes Project
- The TPB board will vote in October on whether or not to include the Virginia Department of Transportation’s flawed highway expansion project in the final plan.
- Background on the project’s flaws, questions that VDOT has not answered, and better alternatives that need to be studied and advanced.
Stay tuned for actions you can take this fall!
- Be on the lookout for CSG action alerts in September and October ahead of the TPB vote on the 495 Southside Express Lanes project.
- Formal public comment on the entire draft Visualize 2050 plan will take place in late October through mid-November. CSG will provide a more in-depth overview of the draft plan – stay tuned.
Event Materials: Prince George’s vision for safer streets, more choices, better communities
On June 5, 2025, an all-star panel discussed county efforts to create more walkable, bikeable, transit-accessible communities with new county and state plans.
Speakers: Prince George’s County Planning Director Lakisha Hull; Carm Saimbre, Maryland State Highway Administration; Prince George’s District 3 County Council Member Eric Olson; and chair of TIEE; Veronica O. Davis, national transportation expert, and author of Inclusive Transportation; moderator: Bernard Holloway, RISE Prince George’s.
View the video recording here.
View Planning Director Hull’s presentation:
The discussion featured Go Prince George’s, a new draft master plan for transportation in the county. This plan implements the newly adopted Urban Street Design Standards for activity and transit centers, and shifts focus to transforming the county’s transportation network by creating more travel options, focusing on the movement of people versus solely the movement of vehicles. A joint hearing by the County Council and Planning Board will be convened in fall 2025. Residents and other stakeholders are encouraged to provide comments on the draft.
The June 5 discussion also included progress by the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) to elevate its focus on addressing pedestrian and bicycle safety. Documents about the Complete Streets policy, statewide progress on implementation of the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, and other safety plans can be found here.
Prince George’s new draft Transit Vision Plan is also open for review. To learn more click here.
MD 214/Central Ave. safety workshop comments (Prince George’s)
RE: MD 214/Central Ave. 12/10/24 safety workshop comments
TO: Mulowa K. Kajoba, Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) Project Manager, mkajoba@mdot.maryland.gov
FROM: Cheryl Cort, Policy Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth
DATE: December 16, 2024
Dear Project Manager Kajoba:
Thank you for holding a public input workshop regarding MD 214/Central Avenue. We have been working with community members in this corridor for several years. We are excited to see important safety measures be contemplated by SHA. We are hopeful that they can be implemented as soon as possible, taking advantage of quick build low cost solutions.
Regarding the MD 214 12/10/24 display boards “Improvement Opportunities,” we wish to add some comments to this excellent list. Overall, we hope to see retrofits that create a 30 MPH design speed/operating speed roadway, which is the posted speed limit in portions of the corridor. A design speed of 30 MPH better reflects the Metro station local center designation by the County’s General Plan, and better utilizes the state’s investment in the Metrorail system.
- Construct missing sidewalk – Yes, and Old Central Av. at Zelma should be closed.
- Tighten curb radii – All intersections should be assessed for tighter turns (15′ turning radius standard or 25’ effective radii for truck/bus routes), and driveways can be narrowed or closed across public ROW too. These and other measures should narrow crossing distances and slow vehicle speeds to benefit pedestrians.
- Remove channelized turn lanes or improve sight distance for pedestrians and drivers – Yes, closing off slip lanes would be a big help for pedestrians, and slow vehicle operating speeds.
- Add new signals or pedestrian hybrid beacons – Yes — Cabin Branch Rd should be a top priority for a new signal, but should be done with travelway narrowing and other measures to slow operating speeds to ensure compliance with the signal and posted speed limit of 30 MPH (near Cabin Branch Road).
- Implement road diet to add buffered bike lanes – Yes, the traffic volume of 30,000 vehicles/day does not justify a six lane roadway, thus the oversized road encourages drivers to greatly exceed the posted speed limit of 30 MPH. This urban area — by 2 Metro stations, a high school, local businesses should have an urban roadway designed to encourage slower, safe operating speeds and safe, easy crossings for people walking, biking and riding transit. A road diet configuring the roadway for four rather than six lanes is sufficient to address vehicular traffic.
Further, travel lane widths can be narrowed consistent with PG DPW&T’s Urban Street Design Standards of 10’ for general lanes and 11’ bus routes.
We support a buffered bike lane as a good use of the excess space, however these lanes should be vertically separated to ensure both safety for cyclists and visually narrowing of the roadway to reduce operating speeds to safe levels. The new AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities can help address the most appropriate design to match this high-volume location. Interim, less expensive protected bike lane elements that can be deployed quickly should be done as soon as possible to improve roadway safety, followed by more expensive permanent measures.
Better walking conditions created by buffered bike lane: We note that a buffered bike lane will also improve the safety and comfort for people walking along the road. In our walk audit of Central Avenue, Central High School students identified the discomfort of walking on a sidewalk next to high speed traffic as a problem, and also occasional vegetation or standing water as a partial obstruction of sidewalks and crossings, and narrowness of some sidewalk segments.
- Provide bus stop connectivity – Yes, this is a problem in several places along the corridor but is acute for students who ride the bus to and from Central High School. SHA should make a special effort to solve for safe access for these students, and other bus stop users.
- Provide bus stop amenities [my addition] — add a bench and shelter to the Cabin Branch Rd stops. If SHA does not normally do this, it should work with agencies like MTA to install facilities to give students and other bus riders a more comfortable trip.
- Replace and upgrade signs – yes, and look at ways to consolidate, narrow and close driveways unnecessarily intruding on the public sidewalk and roadway creating extra or elongated conflict points.
- Add lighting – yes.
Making Capitol Heights more bike friendly: Establishing protected bike lanes to Central Ave. will greatly enhance bike connectivity in the corridor. The Central Ave. Connector Trail will also do this, but is not in conflict with bike lanes on Central Ave. Repurposing travel lanes to bike lanes is a good way to improve safety for drivers, bikers & pedestrians.
Quick build, low cost, tactical measures: Many interventions can be done quickly at low cost but deliver big benefits to safety, and can even lower maintenance costs over time. Given the budget constraints faced by Maryland, deploying low cost tactical measures within months or the next year will have major benefits to safety and support transit-oriented development. As more funding is available, more permanent retrofits can be implemented. Other jurisdictions often use this approach – quick build temporary safety measures right away, followed by more expensive permanent elements later.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment. Please keep us informed as this important project moves forward.
Comments: MD-410 PSAP draft plan (Maryland, Support)
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on these SHA concepts for MD 410. We greatly appreciate the efforts of MDOT and SHA to address safety and access for all users through the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan process and the Complete Streets Program. We wish to endorse the thoughtful comments submitted by Dan Behrend. Here are additional specific comments:
MDOT FY 25-FY 30 Consolidated Transportation Program (Prince George’s, Comments)
Overall, we want to commend the MDOT’s priorities in a difficult budget year. We applaud the state’s leadership on meeting the obligation for WMATA funding.