State, county and town transportation planners briefed the La Plata Town Council on Oct. 21 after the Town won a $360,000 USDOT Safe Streets for All grant to fund safety and demonstration projects aimed at reducing serious injuries and fatalities on local roadways.

Jamie Kendrick, a consultant working with the town, said the grant pairs $360,000 in federal funds with $90,000 in local match for a 24–36 month program to plan and deliver several projects. Kendrick said the program prioritizes locations with histories of serious injury and fatal crashes and stressed the program’s emphasis on permanent, durable demonstrations rather than temporary paint‑only prototypes.

Kendrick cited U.S. 301 through La Plata and Maryland 6 as county priorities identified in Charles County’s local roadway safety plan. Specific projects the town is considering include rapid flashing beacons, enhanced visibility crosswalks, lane reassignments, and speed control measures on Washington Avenue; buffered bike lanes/traffic calming on Willow Lane; and a Southwest Access Management Plan focused on improving safety and connectivity on the town’s west side.

On the Southwest access question—where growth, limited existing access and a history of crashes have raised resident concerns—Kendrick presented a traffic‑engineering concept known as a Florida‑T. The configuration would introduce signals and turn‑management features at Catalpa and Glen Alban to protect left‑turning vehicles while preserving through traffic. Kendrick said the Florida‑T concept is lower cost and more feasible than recreating an historic west‑side loop road, and that State Highway Administration (SHA) has used similar designs elsewhere.

Council members and residents asked about timing and construction. Kendrick said staff aims to use approximately $175,000 in the Safe Streets grant for preliminary design and to prepare a construction grant application possibly by May of the following year; he estimated best‑case construction could begin in early 2029 if full construction funding were secured. Residents from Steeplechase told the council they support interim safety improvements while longer‑term connectivity is pursued.

Next steps: with environmental reviews started and a grant agreement in place, Kendrick said staff would request consultant assignments once the town manager and council give a formal go‑ahead. Councilmembers asked staff to coordinate grant work with the town’s upcoming bikeway and sidewalk planning and with preliminary plats for new developments.

No formal spending action was taken at the Oct. 21 meeting; staff will return with design and funding recommendations.