The public can learn about the new extension of bus rapid transit service between Montgomery and Howard counties, including possible station locations in Downtown Columbia, during two in-person community meetings in May.
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball and Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich announced the formal partnership between the two counties to launch the US 29 Flash Bus Rapid Transit (Flash BRT) extension in 2026.
“First envisioned more than a decade ago, Flash Bus Rapid Transit service will be a gamechanger for our economy, workforce, and residents,” Ball said. “We are delivering this vision to create strong transit connections that are vital to supporting the needs of our residents, workforce, and businesses…. We know that to build a resilient and inclusive future, we must invest in affordable, efficient, and high-quality public transportation that meets the needs of our community.”
Howard County’s Office of Transportation (OoT) and Department of Public Works’ (DPW) Transportation and Special Projects Division will hold meetings to update the public about the Flash BRT extension.
The first meeting will take place during OoT’s “Bike from Work Day” event on Friday, May 16 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Meriweather District’s Color Burst Park (6000 Merriweather Drive in Columbia).
The second meeting will be held during OoT’s BikeAround Downtown Columbia Block Party on Saturday, May 31 from 9 a.m. to noon. This meeting will also be held at Color Burst Park.
Ball and Elrich intend the meetings to be opportunities for the communities to be engaged in the process, with OoT and DPW staff on hand to present the proposed Flash BRT Downtown Columbia station locations and concept plans, answer questions, and gather comments.
This service has been in the works for more than a decade and is Howard County’s first BRT service. It will connect riders to activity and employment hubs in Howard County, Montgomery County, and beyond. Service in Howard County is expected to start in 2026 and include stops in Maple Lawn, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), and two stops in Downtown Columbia along Little Patuxent Parkway and Merriweather Drive. Construction should start in FY 2026 and take around six months to complete, weather permitting.
The service will run as a peak hour service, meaning the buses will run between Downtown Columbia and Silver Spring during rush hour times in the morning and afternoon from Monday to Friday to accommodate employees. Morning service will run from 5:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., while afternoon service will run from 3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The buses will also provide full accessibility for bikes with onboard bike racks. For those boarding in Howard County during the pilot period, Flash service will be free.
Those who cannot attend either event, but would like to see the plans or have questions and/or comments about station design, can contact Caitlin Kovel with DPW’s Transportation and Special Projects Division at 410-313-6142 or email ckovel@howardcountymd.gov. For questions about the transit service extension and/or for more information on Capital Project C-0332, please contact David Cookson with OoT at 410-313-3842 or email dcookson@howardcountymd.gov.
Both events are weather-dependent, so attendees should check the OoT website for updates in case of inclement weather.
