BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Transportation announced that it will test out new road safety measures in three cities in the state this summer before they roll out statewide.

The pilot projects are going to be implemented in partnership with Smart Growth America and will be rolled out first in Howard County, the City of Hagerstown, and the Town of Bel Air as part of the state’s new MDOT Complete Streets policy, which aims to make roads safer for everyone.

The new policy went into effect on June 1, and the goal of the pilot projects is to see how new safety measures can reduce traffic fatalities.

“Whether you’re walking, biking, riding the bus or driving, Marylanders deserve a high-quality trip that gets them safely to their destination,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld in a news release.

The state hopes that these pilot projects will improve road safety and provide lessons for future road safety efforts.

One of the safety measures that will be tested is a reconfiguration of traffic lanes in Howard County as part of an effort to increase safety for cyclists and pedestrians.

The Maryland State Highway Administration will work with local officials to identify areas that have a high risk of traffic fatalities and crashes, and then the Smart Growth America Complete Streets Leadership Academy will provide training and resources to local jurisdictions to help them implement new safety measures.

“The goal of the program is to identify barriers to implementing safety measures and develop strategies to advance road safety efforts across the state,” the MDOT said in a news release.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo by Taras Makarenko from Pexels