County transportation plan update outlines priorities: FDR Boulevard, Route 5 and Thomas Johnson Bridge

John Broker, deputy director with the Department of Public Works and Transportation, presented an updated St. Mary’s County transportation plan at the Oct. 28 Economic Development Commission meeting and outlined short-, medium- and long-range priorities.

Broker said the county’s 2006 plan has not been comprehensively updated but that he had incorporated more recent studies and projections. He told the commission population projections for 2025 have risen: the 2006 projection of 120,000 was updated to about 137,000, and jobs were projected in earlier work to rise from roughly 49,000 to 66,000. Traffic was forecast to increase substantially, concentrating delays on Route 235 and Route 4 corridors.

Why it matters: Broker said several corridors and intersections are projected to reach failing levels of service by 2025 unless improvements are made. The plan lists projects that the county can advance and others that require state coordination — and it identifies tradeoffs, such as the cost and time required for property acquisition and wetland permitting.

Key points from the presentation: - Priorities. Broker identified the Thomas Johnson Bridge (Route 4) project as the region’s top priority and FDR Boulevard (multiple remaining phases) as the county’s highest local priority. He described three remaining phases for FDR Boulevard: the north section (phase 1, divided into three construction sections because of wetlands), the middle wetlands crossing (phase 2, already completed for part of the corridor), and the southern connection to Peg Road (phase 3), with design for that segment about 70 percent complete. - Route 5 / Great Mills. The state is planning improvements in Leonardtown and Great Mills; Broker said the State Highway Administration has treated the project as fundable, with preliminary cost estimates in the tens of millions of dollars (the presenter cited a $20 million–$50 million range as a state estimate). - Sidewalks and ADA. The county has about 61 miles of sidewalks that are being assessed for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance; Broker warned upgrades will be costly but necessary to keep eligibility for federal and state aid and to reduce legal risk. - Transit and park-and-ride. Broker noted existing commuter parking pressure at Charlotte Hall (about 250 cars at the commuter lot and an additional 500 parked nearby) and said the state has considered additional park-and-ride capacity but that locations remain controversial. - Trails and tourism. The Three Notch Trail phases are advancing; the county requested the state to connect the trail to the Thomas Johnson Bridge project to promote a longer recreational corridor.

Timeline and implementation: Broker described that design typically takes about a year to 18 months, property acquisition can take up to two years if owners are unwilling, and condemnation can add time; he suggested four years as a realistic lead time from decision to construction in many cases. He noted the county’s capital improvement program (CIP) process runs in November and that commissioners and department leaders prioritize projects from the plan when allocating funds.

Questions and coordination: Commissioners asked about specific intersections (Hollywood Road and Route 5), coordination with the base on gate staffing (the base controls gate operations), and how sidewalk projects coordinate with school safety. Broker said some projects are feasible and in design now, while others need further study for wetlands, property impacts and funding.

Next steps: Broker said the plan’s recommendations inform CIP submissions and continued coordination with the State Highway Administration. The commission may provide input to the Lexington Park connectivity work and to the county’s CIP process in November.