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Taneytown mayor outlines aggressive push for bypass and neighborhood safety in State of the Municipality
Summary
The mayor used the annual State of the Municipality address to prioritize a long‑planned southern bypass, new traffic‑safety spending from speed‑camera revenue, and a mayor‑chaired task force to protect residential streets and support Main Street revitalization.
The mayor of Taneytown delivered a detailed State of the Municipality address on Feb. 4, saying his administration will pursue one of the most aggressive efforts in the city’s history to secure a southern bypass and curb dangerous cut‑through traffic.
"The bypass is not just a talking point. It's a priority for us," the mayor said, framing the road project as central to preserving neighborhood safety and walkability. He said the administration will press state and county partners and use every tool available to secure easements along the corridor.
Officials said the administration will pause or slow development that worsens traffic until the city secures the rights‑of‑way needed for the bypass. Staff told the council that the draft bypass deferral would allow projects to continue under an exemption if a developer signs a development agreement committing to delay construction until easements are obtained.
The mayor outlined near‑term steps intended to reduce danger while the bypass is pursued, including deploying revenues from a newly installed speed camera on Travenian Road to fund rapid‑flashing beacons at school crosswalks, a second school crossing guard, sidewalk infill projects, and a foundation‑repair grant program for homes affected by heavy truck traffic.
"We will use the revenues from the speed camera to do a couple of different budget related programs to help with speed calming and safety in our neighborhoods," he said.
He announced formation of a mayor‑chaired Traffic Alleviation and Bypass Task Force to produce actionable recommendations for council and said the administration will rebrand and expand several advisory bodies into ad hoc commissions (public safety, public services, economic vitality, and citizen advocacy) to increase resident engagement.
On economic development and downtown revitalization, the mayor proposed consolidating city offices into a single one‑stop building to free up space on Main Street for adaptive reuse — including transforming a city building into a sit‑down restaurant — and said those projects will be part of the FY27 CIP. He also pledged a 10‑month charter and code review process to modernize governance and to bundle recommended changes for the 2027 election cycle.
Councilmembers asked staff to prepare budget figures and implementation details; the mayor said some measures — like the crossing‑guard position and initial beacons — could be funded from speed‑camera receipts but recommended conservative budgeting as citation revenue may vary.
The council proceeded to public comment and introduced several related ordinances and deferrals discussed later in the workshop. The mayor asked for council support to move quickly on easement acquisition and neighborhood protections as the administration pursues the bypass.
