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Commission backs draft Primary Road Improvement Plan update, reprioritizes Route 37 segments
Summary
Planning staff presented an update to the county’s Primary Road Improvement Plan reflecting findings from the Eastern Frederick County Transportation Study. The commission recommended adoption and forwarded the update to the Board of Supervisors, noting reprioritization of some Route 37 segments and new Route 50 improvement entries.
Planning staff presented a draft update of the 2024 Primary Road Improvement Plan Sept. 4 that incorporates recent transportation studies and reprioritizes several segments. Mr. Bishop said the update adjusts prioritizations for Route 37 segments (keeping some high‑priority segments near Exit 310/520 while lowering priority on more costly or lower‑volume segments around Stonewall Industrial Park) and adds a set of Route 50 improvements tied to recent Smart Scale applications, including potential interchange upgrades at Route 37/50, intersection upgrades at Hayfield and Back Mountain roads, high-friction pavement and other safety measures.
Bishop explained the modeling behind the changes (including demand modeling through 2050) and said some segments are down‑prioritized because modeling shows lower long‑term traffic and because of high right‑of‑way or interchange costs. Commissioners asked for elaboration on specific segments (including 6C, the Stonewall loop) and staff said the committee declined to remove those segments entirely from the plan pending completion of the Eastern Frederick County Transportation Study, opting instead to reduce their priority.
The commission voted to recommend adoption of the draft update and forward it to the Board of Supervisors for final action. Staff said the update will accompany upcoming planning work on Western Frederick and other corridor studies.
