Howard County Leaders Announce Improvements Are Coming At Guilford, Oakland Mills Roads Intersection
COLUMBIA, Md. (WJZ) -- It's been a year in the making, a movement demanding that Howard County install sidewalks in one neighborhood right outside of Columbia.
County Executive Calvin Ball said improvements are now officially moving forward on the Guilford Road and Oakland Mills Road intersection.
The community of Guilford used to be part of rural Howard County, but recent development has created a lot more traffic.
"This intersection has been the source of community pain for many years, including countless accidents and even a tragic loss of life," Howard County Councilwoman Christiana Rigby said.
When WJZ first aired this story in November 2019, community leaders expressed concern about the dangers posed by the intersection of Guildford and Oakland Mills roads.
"The problem is not enough pedestrian access in this community," Rev. Tyrone Jones, of First Baptist Church of Guilford, said.
Annalese Daley took a photo on her walk to school with her daughter, Clara, showing the sidewalks randomly starting and stopping along the way.
"We moved in large part because of this," she said.
This week, Howard County said its reached an agreement with six property owners to complete an improvement project, a plan more than 10 years in the making.
"In Howard County, one of my priorities remains to ensure that all residents have safe, accessible and reliable infrastructure to live their best lives," Ball said.
The Department of Public Works will be installing a new traffic signal to replace the current four-way stop.
The Department of Public Works will also build 3,000 feet of new sidewalk, curb and gutter. It will install a bus pad in the northwest corner, include a storm drain and pavement resurfacing.
"Truly this is a glorious day in the Guildford-Jessup area of Maryland," Rev. Jones said.
The county is hosting two public workshops to gather input on this plan the week of September 23. A draft of this plan and other transportation projects can be found by clicking here.
