More than $1.5 million in state funding will allow the design of a shared-use path along Route 611 to advance to the next planned phase.
A map shows the proposed design of a shared use path along Route 611 in Worcester County.
Submitted file photo
Bethany Hooper, Associate Editor
More than $1.5 million in state funding will allow the design of a shared-use path along Route 611 to advance.
On Sept. 19, Gov. Wes Moore (D) announced $16 million in grants were awarded for bicycle, pedestrian and trail projects throughout Maryland. Officials report $1.5 million of that funding will be used to complete design work on a shared-use path along Route 611 in Worcester County.
“This investment proves that we don’t have to choose between boosting our outdoor economy, investing in transportation projects, and cutting emissions – we can address all of these goals at the same time,” Moore said in a news release. “In partnership with local leaders, we are building a more competitive and sustainable state from Mountain Maryland to the Eastern Shore.”
The state reports the $16 million in grant funding will support 36 projects, from retrofitting trail-highway crossings to pedestrian improvements within school zones. The funding – broken into two tranches – includes $13.9 million in federal funds awarded to 26 projects through the Transportation Alternatives Program and Recreational Trails Program and $2.1 million in state funds awarded to 10 projects through the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Kim Lamphier Bikeways Network Program.
In Worcester County, $1,542,289 in Transportation Alternatives Program funding will be used to complete the design for the first phase of a shared-use path along the Route 611 corridor. The state also reports $625,755 in Bikeways Network Program funding will be used to match federal funding for construction and design projects, including those in Worcester County.
“Funding projects to enhance mobility and accessibility is a priority as these assets are an integral part of the state’s transportation system to provide safe, equitable and sustainable connections for pedestrians and bicyclists,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “These investments will help provide high-quality paths to connect communities, enhance safety for students to get to and from school and help the state reach its climate goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
In June, Wiedefeld signed a new department-wide Complete Streets Policy to enhance safety for all road users by adding safety features such as bike lanes and pedestrian crossings in projects across the state, according to the news release. The Complete Streets Policy will ensure the Maryland Department of Transportation’s multi-billion-dollar capital program funds a transportation system that is safe, accessible and sustainable for Marylanders across all modes.