General resources and links are provided below. Additional links to National, State, and Regional bike planning and best practices documents will be provided on an ongoing basis.
Recent Improvements in Howard County’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Network
Bicycle Safety
- For bicyclists – Did you know:
- Under Maryland law, bicyclists have the same rights as drivers.
- You are allowed to ride your bike on all Howard County sidewalks – except Historic Ellicott City!
- Bicyclists have the same rights in crosswalks as pedestrians do.
- For drivers of motor vehicles – Did you know:
- Allow 3 feet of space when passing a bicyclist. When safe to do so, vehicles are allowed to cross a double yellow line to provide sufficient clearance.
- Motorists should yield to bicyclists and pedestrians at intersections and on roads. Let’s keep our vulnerable road users safe.
- It is illegal to park a car in a bike lane in Howard County.
Bike Box 101 – Bike boxes are new to Howard County! Learn more about bike boxes and what to do when you come across one
Look Alive – A campaign in our region to raise awareness about pedestrian and bicycle safety and highlight enforcement of the laws that protect people biking and walking
Look Out For Each Other: A Guide to Sharing the Road Safely When Driving and Cycling Brochure
Bicycle Racks
- For guidance on selecting and locating bike racks in Howard County, visit bikehoward.com/bikeracks
Bicycle Routes
- The Baltimore Regional Council maintains a database of all existing bicycle trails and bike lanes in the region. Howard County provides annual updates to this database. The information is displayed on an interactive map and is searchable by address or by panning.
- Google maps is an excellent tool for bicycle trip planning. Go to: google.com/maps, click on the directions icon (light blue diamond with white turn symbol), click on the cycling icon, and type in your starting point and destination.
Safety plans for Howard County and the State
- Howard County Strategic Road Safety Plan 2021-2025. To see the website, click here. To see the actual plan, including pedestrian and bicycle specific strategies and action items, click here.
- Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is making improvements to the State’s roadway network to improve safety for all Maryland roadway users. Visit Vision Zero to learn more about how every crash is preventable.
Transportation in Howard County
- Howard County Office of Transportation
- Howard County Department of Public Works
- Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks Trail Directory
- WalkHoward: The County updated the County’s 2007 Pedestrian Master Plan. The new Pedestrian Plan, WalkHoward: Moving Forward, continues efforts to improve walkability in Howard County.
- Active Transportation Action Agenda: The Columbia Association’s (CA) Active Transportation Action Agenda is a plan to create a more interconnected and comprehensive bicycling and walking circulation system for health, recreational and transportation purposes. This project developed a list of action items to improve safe pedestrian and bicycle connections throughout Columbia, with an emphasis on CA’s pathways. This project is coordinated with the County’s Bicycle Master Plan initiative.
Bicycle Facility Design Guidance and Manuals
- AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities
- Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center – sponsored by USDOT and NACTO
- Maryland Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
- MDOT-SHA Bicycle Policy and Design Guidelines
- NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide
Bicycle Planning in Neighboring Counties
- Anne Arundel County
- Baltimore County
- Carroll County
- Frederick County
- Montgomery County
- Prince Georges County
Regional and Statewide Bicycle Plans
- Baltimore Metropolitan Council
- Maryland Department of Transportation
If you have feedback or comments, please let us know!
Howard County Bicycle Master Plan 