Howard County Office of Transportation

10/21/2026

We've teamed with Downtown Columbia to host our sixth annual Cranksgiving on Saturday, November 7th to benefit Grassroots Crisis Intervention.

Our Cranksgiving is designed to provide active recreation for local residents, raise awareness about the county's bikable pathway system, and generate food items for individuals and families in need.

Participants will bike from their homes Saturday, November 7th picking up requested food items along the way from the grocery store of their choice. Drop off will be at the Plaza at the Mall in Columbia (near Seasons 52) in Downtown Columbia from 10AM - 1PM. Registration is FREE; you only need to purchase the food you'll donate. The first 100 registrants will receive a shirt.

Competition: Columbia Villages, along with any other interested communities, are invited to compete to see who can donate the most. Each village will have a designated table, staffed by a volunteer provided by the Downtown Columbia Partnership, where residents can drop off their contributions. At the end of the event, we will announce the winning village based on the total donations received by bike.*

Attendees will also have the opportunity to join members from Howard County Police Department Community Outreach and Pathways Section (COPS) on a group ride starting from The Other Barn in Oakland Mills (5851 Robert Oliver Pl, Columbia) to The Mall in Columbia and back. The group ride will start at 10AM and is a great way for younger and/or less experienced riders to bike to the collection location from a Village Center with seasoned cyclists as guides.

*If you live outside of Columbia but want your community to participate in the challenge, please contact us!

More info and registration: https://www.bikesignup.com/Race/MD/Columbia/CranksgivingDowntownColumbia

09/30/2026

Our Culinary Walking Tour with Downtown Columbia is this Sunday! In addition to great sips & snacks, you can also learn more about the new Montgomery County, MD DOT Ride On Flash Bus Rapid Transit service extension to Howard County serving Maple Lawn, JHU Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), and two stops in Downtown Columbia. More info and tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/downtown-columbia-culinary-walking-tour-tickets-1998964447473?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

09/28/2026

We've once again partnered with and Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland - RTA for another Transit 101 event to help residents explore local transportation options and get around Howard County with confidence.

Join us this Wednesday, September 30, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at Bain 50+ Center (5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia, MD 21044) for this interactive event featuring hands-on learning, transportation resources, local partners and opportunities to tour vehicles serving Howard County.

Admission is FREE and light refreshments will be provided.

Register here bit.ly/HoCo-Transit101 or by calling 410-313-7213.

09/18/2026

Looking for something to do tomorrow morning? Join us, Downtown Columbia, and more at Howard County Police Department's Community Outreach and Pathway Section (COPS) Bike with a Cop event. This free event is an opportunity to ride with police officers tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 19 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Azlon Plaza (6100 Merriweather Dr. Columbia). They're planning two rides: one at 10:00 AM and the other at 11:00 AM. All ages welcome. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Bring your own bike and helmet.

09/17/2026

As you plan your day tomorrow, consider trying transit. Both Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland - RTA and Montgomery County, MD DOT Ride On Flash Bus Rapid Transit are fare-free on Try Transit Day (September 18th)!

For RTA information, visit: https://www.transitrta.com/routes/

For Flash BRT Blue route information, visit:https://assets.montgomerycountymd.gov/files/2026-08/dot-transit-flashblue-timetable-26s3.pdf

09/15/2026

We've teamed up with Girls on the Run of Central Maryland and the Maple Lawn Commercial Association to bring you Sip, Snack, & Stroll this Sunday, September 20th from 2-5PM. Come out, enjoy Maple Lawn's walkability and the great participating restaurants, and learn more about our new Montgomery County, MD DOT Ride On Flash Bus Rapid Transit service. Information and tickets available here: https://www.pinwheel.us/register/index/sip-snack-stroll-maplelawn-FA26?sid=4c4bac68ffb24945927d15c0d2829b3f

Sip, Snack and Stroll the best of Maple Lawn all for an incredible cause! 🥂✨

​Join Girls on the Run of Central Maryland on Sunday, September 20th from 2:00–5:00 PM for our Sip, Snack, & Stroll. We’ve teamed up with your favorite local spots to bring you an afternoon of bites, sips, and community fun.
​Huge thank you to our amazing participating stroll stations:

🍴 Decadent Dessert Bar Maple Lawn
🦪 Hudson Coastal
🥩 Lib's Grill of Maple Lawn
🍢 Maiwand Kabob
🍝 Galliano Italian Restaurant
🏨 Residence Inn by Marriott

​…and a special welcome & thanks to Howard County Office of Transportation!

​Tickets:
🎟️ $70 (includes specialty cocktails/drinks)
🎟️ $50 (non-drinker ticket)
​Every ticket sold directly supports GOTR programs empowering young girls across Central Maryland.

​👉 Grab your tickets today before they sell out: https://www.pinwheel.us/r/5qQIFGN
(Can’t make it? You can still make an impact by donating at gotrcentralmd.org!)

​

09/09/2026

Join us this Tuesday, September 15th, for an open house-style public meeting to discuss our feasibility study regarding construction of a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Middle Patuxent River. This bridge would create a multimodal transportation connection between Kindler Road and Eden Brook Drive. A roadway and vehicle bridge previously existed in this location; however, the bridge was destroyed by Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and never rebuilt.

Set to take place from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on the 15th at King Contrivance Community Center’s Amherst House at 7251 Eden Brook Drive in Columbia, staff will be on hand to discuss the concepts created for the feasibility study. The study will present a high-level evaluation of crossing locations and bridge concepts that are feasible based on documentation and field run topographic surveys. Moreover, the purpose of this phase of the study is to identify a preferred crossing location and bridge concepts that will lay the foundation for future phases as the project moves into design alternatives.

For those unable to attend the meeting, details about the project are available on our Kindler Pedestrian & Bicycle Bridge Feasibility Study website: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/transportation/kindler-bridge-study From this same site, residents will also find a feedback survey available after the meeting, which will remain open to gather public comments until Friday, October 2nd.

08/28/2026

Meet Louis, a software engineer at JHU APL in Columbia.🧑‍💻

He's planning to use the Flash Bus Rapid Transit to commute, doing his part for the environment & saving money. 🌍🚌

How could the new Flash extension to Howard County help your commute? Learn more at RideTheFlash.com

Montgomery County, MD Department of Transportation

Howard County Office of Transportation

JHU Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)

08/07/2026

The new Flash extension to Howard County is coming ✨Sept. 8✨!

Where do you plan to go on the extended route?

Explore all of the details on the Howard County Flash extension here: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/department-transportation/ride-montgomery-county/ride-flash

Montgomery County, MD Department of Transportation
Howard County Office of Transportation

07/31/2026

Coming soon! 🚍✨

Starting September 8, Flash US 29 will expand into Howard County with four new stops on Flash Blue:
📍 Maple Lawn Blvd
📍 APL Johns Hopkins Rd
📍 Columbia-Little Patuxent Pkwy
📍 Columbia-Merriweather Dr

Service will run on weekdays only:
AM Peak: 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM
PM Peak: 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Stay tuned!

Howard County Office of Transportation
Montgomery County, MD Department of Transportation