[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6537080,"mediaKeyId","3639288-2f9caabc36f43dfe406983451251d654","parentId",3639288,"title","State Highway officials update Bowie council on MD 197, US 301 projects, trash and traffic-timing efforts","audioSeconds",3855,"startMs",3144000,"endMs",6999000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3639288-2f9caabc36f43dfe406983451251d654&start=3144&end=6999","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3639288-2f9caabc36f43dfe406983451251d654/thumbnail_3144000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6537080/Bowie/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/State-Highway-officials-update-Bowie-council-on-MD-197-US-301-projects-trash-and-traffic-timing-efforts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6537080-ca9aad644c5f7757e575dc231891ec7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193982&Signature=h5JLvJWvLgQ5BBbOq3vYda1MyoS28TrcmnWaSw9Z~bteMYD82-FIW3MR-RjK-DuzBxSgQi5zqHZi0~uMypaHOn6uI07hawdl59X2i2pfKpMA3HbuS4RMEh6~kXSlEz2mKUAbUSaJa114OPPto0zPQnIKuUKmXVWDWKUglRhgld9DT5pFnzIA-sOWkTapPwmSqSvlnlcgiRSWMmP3jxN55SpBxTpIT5mX6x7Tiq2pCHafZtez6Pc-cQzEefMgNnOiPWc5ZPGbczKpS6q967GbWoPboHg8lCEfavCL4pqfzsAZLi5caZpYcl5WkZZ5GD4HJZdfFXIUvZZ8SHmDqoaxRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Bowie, MD","date","2025-06-03T03:21:32.137Z","article","Representatives from the Maryland State Highway Administration briefed the Bowie City Council on June 2 about major corridor projects, maintenance responsibilities and short-term traffic and pedestrian safety actions on state routes that run through the city.

David Rogers, SHA regional planner, told the council that larger projects — including segments of the U.S. 301 South Corridor study and a Maryland 3 widening project covering the Bowie portion from U.S. 50 north — were pulled from the near-term Maryland Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP) for budgetary reasons but “remain in the State Highway’s Highway Needs Inventory,” a long-range planning document. Rogers said the Maryland 197 widening project design will resume in the summer of 2026 (fiscal year 2027) and that the project was 50% through design before budget constraints paused work.

Jonathan Brown, SHA assistant district engineer for traffic, described maintenance and near-term operational items the agency can address. On signage and repairs he said SHA uses a customer-care management system (CCMS) to log issues and generate work orders; “typically, they take between 60 and 90 days to respond to those type of work orders,” Brown said. He said maintenance crews completed a litter “blitz” in April and normally clear trash every four to six weeks, with another blitz expected around the July 4 holiday.

Brown also said SHA is reviewing signal timing concerns raised for Maryland 197 in the Bowie Town Center area and that signal synchronization requires analysis of a corridor-wide network because giving longer greens in one direction can create long queues on cross streets. He reported a speed study along Maryland 197 near South Laurel Drive is underway (performed at the request of a state delegate) and expected to conclude in summer 2025. For Maryland 564 (Ninth Street), Brown said a Wallace Montgomery speed-calming study produced a list of treatments SHA will coordinate with the Laurel maintenance shop, including high-visibility continental crosswalk markings, tubular markers at targeted shoulders to narrow the roadway, replacing stop signs in poor condition and trimming vegetation to improve sight lines.

Council members pressed SHA on alternatives to traditional widening for U.S. 301. One council member urged SHA to pursue nontraditional funding sources, partnerships with academic institutions for AI and data modeling, and federal smart mobility grants under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Rogers and Brown acknowledged limitations tied to revenue declines for transportation programs and said SHA would consider requests for pilot projects and partnerships, while noting past deployments of some “smart” signal technology and inherent limitations of those technologies.

Council members also asked about the pedestrian bridge over Route 50 that connects north and south Bowie; Brown said SHA was still seeking an update and would report back to the city manager once more information was available. Several council members requested quicker interim litter and vegetation responses for high-profile interchanges and urged closer collaboration on planning and scheduling so the city can engage stakeholders earlier in design phases.

SHA officials said they will follow up with the city manager and staff on scheduling, outstanding maintenance items and the status of the MD 197 design work and pedestrian-bridge repairs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular City Council Meeting - Monday, June 2, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Maryland SHA told Bowie Council several major corridor projects remain in the long-range needs inventory but were pulled from the near-term CTP for budget reasons; SHA provided schedules for design resumes, traffic studies and short-term maintenance commitments.","taxTitle","Bowie, Prince George's County, Maryland","taxId",4106,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6537085,"Bowie council introduces ordinance to buy former Regal Theater after split vote on emergency purchase",5382,404000,5786000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3639288-2f9caabc36f43dfe406983451251d654&start=404&end=5786","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3639288-2f9caabc36f43dfe406983451251d654/thumbnail_404000.jpg","/articles/6537085/Bowie/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Bowie-council-introduces-ordinance-to-buy-former-Regal-Theater-after-split-vote-on-emergency-purchase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6537085-4e81d685ce0e5905f812e58d89d94659/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193982&Signature=Po0tFoi6KoGIH7ETI4rts8QorErJ028WL7k1NTUeVZ~Er4nrybJE0mynL3rxjC1zQurleksm9WHjEgqiXaa5fkq~-fivUcXlQSIu2LF7hA~o7yyX9gaYNbGS0ymoydJbORB69hc0ggMr72zcshUlfTQbhYu4TlDZY7IynSjyH5M-CscLKZF8No8W2izUWYwN-bFLdGDVYfwdisMPRV74kjYZEZ~7GER1ffFPXVXi6-V2JszVYoX720N5dfEpedrOl78Z3CuKTUC4KUR--c8T4Z8DKVEHwJvnev3Kh8FLqB~E52L39seodnLG5U1GKTtUIjqPGGY-a5TTYjntpic8EA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bowie city officials introduced an ordinance and linked budget amendment on June 2 to acquire the former Regal Theater property at 15200 Major Lansdale Boulevard, but failed to adopt emergency measures that would have allowed immediate closing.

John Henry King, the city’s economic development director, told the council the city entered into a purchase-and-sale agreement on May 16 for the approximately 11.97-acre site and the 55,280-square-foot building at a price of $11,970,000. “And on that, we placed a 10% deposit or $1,197,000. That deposit is nonrefundable,” King said. The purchase and the related emergency budget amendment both required an introduction and, separately, a vote to adopt as emergency measures.

The council voted first on the emergency ordinance authorizing acquisition; the roll call produced four ayes and three nays (Council member Estev: Aye; Council member Rogers: Aye; Mayor Pro Tem Wolfley: Aye; Council member Brady: Aye; Council member Truesdale: Nay; Council member Ndebo Mato: Nay; Mayor Adams: Nay). Because the emergency adoption as drafted required unanimous approval for same-evening adoption, the measure did not pass. The council then voted to strike the emergency recital language and to introduce the ordinance as a regular item to be considered at a subsequent meeting; that introduction passed on a 4–3 vote and the ordinance will return for final action at a later date.

Public comment at the meeting included strong objections to the transaction. Resident Jacques Chevalier said, “The recent Regal Theater real estate transaction by most of the elected council ... is sickening and foul, being thrown to taxpayers,” and urged the council to rescind the deal and seek an investigation. Another resident, Michael Bridges, said he was concerned the purchase appeared “kind of a rush decision under high pressure conditions” and asked for more public financial detail and justification.

Council members were split during discussion. Council member Steff (speaking in favor) urged the city to seize the opportunity, saying that “us owning this property puts us in the driver's seat” to shape future redevelopment adjacent to Bowie Town Center. Councilwoman Angela Mamadou announced she would vote no, calling the purchase “a stand for structural integrity over speculative urgency,” and cited concerns about the city’s reserves, the property’s assessed value, and the absence of a detailed redevelopment plan or committed partners.

Because the council did not adopt the emergency appropriation, city staff said the nonrefundable deposit remains in place and the purchase cannot close until the council takes final action after additional public review. Council members said the item will return at the next regular meeting for further deliberation and a final vote.","City staff says Bowie entered a purchase-and-sale agreement May 16 for the former Regal Theater site at 15200 Major Lansdale Blvd. Council failed to adopt emergency purchase and budget amendments requiring unanimous approval, then voted to introduce an ordinance and budget amendment for future consideration.","actionData","errors"]

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State Highway officials update Bowie council on MD 197, US 301 projects, trash and traffic-timing efforts

Bowie council introduces ordinance to buy former Regal Theater after split vote on emergency purchase