After about a decade of planning, three Flash Bus Rapid Transit stations in Maple Lawn, Downtown Columbia and at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory will soon connect Howard County to neighboring Montgomery County.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball was joined by Montgomery Executive Marc Elrich at the Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel Tuesday, where he announced a partnership between the counties to advance the transit system’s expansion. The leaders signed a letter of intent after a memorandum of understanding was signed this spring.

“And so, between the economic development and trying to make life more pleasant for people trying to get to work, I think we’re doing a great thing,” Elrich said. “I welcome this partnership. It is really great to get to the point where we’re sitting down and saying, ‘Let’s go.’ ”

The expanded service is expected to open by the middle of next year following the construction of new bus stations and the delivery of four additional 40-foot-long buses to Montgomery County. As a peak hour service at its launch, the service will run between Downtown Columbia and Silver Spring during morning and afternoon rush hours on weekdays. The morning service will be from 5:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., and the afternoon service will run from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Flash Bus Rapid Transit System in Montgomery County has more than 100 stops across eight routes with high frequency service, according to the county’s website. There is a national movement toward the use of “upgraded bus systems that focus on faster, more convenient, and reliable bus services,” which is called Bus Rapid Transit, the website says.

Among the county’s top five most popular routes, the Flash route on U.S. 29 sees about 2,500 riders each weekday, according to Joana Conklin, rapid transit system development manager for Montgomery County.

With the development of Maple Lawn in Fulton, which includes housing, retail shops and offices, and Columbia through the Downtown Columbia Plan, the need for an efficient transit system to support residents and businesses became evident, Ball said. The three locations in Howard County were “strategically chosen” because of “key demand and transit opportunities in each area,” he explained.

Expanding the Flash service was also part of Ball’s commitment to provide increased support for federal workers, as they were faced with return-to-office mandates.

“Today, as we launch our Flash partnership, we affirm that high-quality transportation is central to a vibrant, successful and inclusive economy,” Ball said. “Together, we are building that future and creating a more connected, sustainable, vibrant Howard County, Maryland and nation for all.”

The Applied Physics Laboratory is home to around 9,000 employees, the largest private employer in Howard County. According to Erik Johnson, chief of staff at APL, just under half of those employees live in Howard and Montgomery counties.

More than 1,300 families live in the Maple Lawn area, and the continued development under the county’s 30-year plan for Downtown Columbia is expected to bring 12,000 residents and hundreds of businesses, Ball said. Soon, all three areas will be connected along the U.S. Route 29 corridor to Montgomery County through transit.

“So, this expansion is a great example of government, businesses and communities working together to deliver improved infrastructure for the amazing people and innovative companies that call Howard County, Montgomery County and Maryland home,” Johnson said.

Montgomery County recently received approval of a grant providing $3 million in federal funding to purchase more buses, and Howard County contributed another $1 million, Conklin said.

Over $7 million in funding is allotted for the transit system’s expansion, with $4.1 million in federal funding and $3 million in county funding. The state also provides millions in funding each year for dedicated bus rapid transit projects, according to Joe McAndrew, assistant secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation. That funding allows the state to “refocus” facilities and devote more thought to moving people, not just private vehicles, he said.

“Today’s a great example of that, it’s an early start of what we can do when we work together across county lines to better connect Marylanders to jobs and opportunities,” McAndrew said. “We’re excited to do it.”

Construction on the bus stations in Howard County is slated to begin in the fall and be complete by next summer. The additional buses are also expected to be delivered by next summer, with the service anticipated to begin in the middle of next year.

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