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Radio Station Road bikeway: 10‑foot shared path, protected lanes and a $600K gap in funding
Summary
Consultant Jamie Kendrick presented designs for a continuous bike route connecting downtown La Plata to Laurel Springs Regional Park and beyond, described a 15‑month build estimate and a $3.2 million project cost with about $2.0 million secured and an estimated $600,000 funding gap.
Jamie Kendrick briefed the council on the Radio Station Road / Willow Lane bikeway project, outlining a multi‑segment scheme that would create a continuous active‑transportation corridor from Summers Middle School through Laurel Springs Regional Park to Rosebud Road and beyond, ultimately connecting to a 10–12 mile regional network.
The design includes three facility types: an on‑street protected cycle track (about 8 feet with a 2‑foot buffer), a 10‑foot shared‑use path largely separated from traffic, and protected crossings at key locations (for example, Audi Lane and Box Elder). Kendrick said an existing pedestrian bridge at Clark Run was replaced with a wider structure to accommodate bikes, and improvements near Sage Point would include a pocket left‑turn lane and shoulder‑calming features.
Kendrick estimated the project cost at roughly $3.2 million, with approximately $2.0 million pledged via state and federal grants and county commitments in the $420,000–$460,000 range. He described an approximate $600,000 funding gap and said the project team expects some state programs to step in or otherwise close the shortfall as plans are finalized. He told the council the project team aims to have a contract on the street by May (target year noted in presentation) and begin construction by September, with typical construction lengths bid at about 15 months depending on start date and winter impacts.
Councilmembers asked about school‑zone interactions, safety around school buses, maintenance responsibilities and how federal program timing (including any federal shutdowns) could affect reimbursements. Kendrick and SHA staff said the bikeway design emphasizes maximum buffer/separation near schools and that federal reimbursement programs in this case operate on a reimbursable basis; Kendrick said Federal Highway operations were continuing at the time of the presentation and that the project’s grant reimbursement mechanism is not subject to the immediate shutdown risk the council worried about.
Next steps include finalizing remaining right‑of‑way and stormwater requirements, resolving the funding gap through additional grants or program adjustments, and preparing bid documents for advertisement.
