Howard County DPW proposes school zone expansion
There are already dozens of school zones in Howard County, but there could soon be 18 more.
That's if the county's Department of Public Works' proposed school zones become a reality.
The new zones affect areas around several schools throughout the county to make them safer.
One driver WJZ met believes the new zones are a good idea.
Where are the new zones?
When it comes to deciding on a new school zone, it's not just a matter of looking at what roads are near a school.
During a virtual meeting unveiling the proposed school zones Wednesday night, Erjon Rembeci, with DPW's Bureau of Highway, Traffic Engineering Division, said there are several State Highway Administration guidelines to consider.
"We look at whether the roadway directly abuts the school property, whether students have direct access to the roadway from the school grounds," Rembeci said. "What we also consider [is] whether students are walking or bicycling to and from school, [and] where the marked crosswalks are."
The most noticeable change would be more signage alerting drivers that they're in a school zone.
Here are the 18 proposed school zones and what schools they impact:
- Summer Home Terrace
From near Judge Dobbin Court to near 6209 Summer Home Terrace
Schools impacted: Elkridge Elementary School, Elkridge Landing Middle School
- Rowanberry Drive
From near Greenfield Road to Montgomery Road
Schools impacted: Elkridge Elementary School, Elkridge Landing Middle School
- Centre Park Drive
From Old Annapolis Road to Columbia 100 Parkway
Schools impacted: Howard High School
- Chatham Road
From Pebble Branch Road to near 3913 Chatham Road
Schools impacted: Northfield Elementary School, Dunloggin Middle School
- MacAlpine Road
From Pebble Branch Road to Crescent Road
Schools impacted: Northfield Elementary School, Dunloggin Middle School
- Stephens Road
From S. Eternal Rings Drive to Gorman Road
Schools impacted: Forest Ridge Elementary School
- Twin Rivers Road
From Governor Warfield Parkway to near Green Mountain Circle
Schools impacted: Wilde Lake Middle School, Wilde Lake High School
- Leishear Road
From Mary Lee Lane to 8082 Leishear Rd
Schools impacted: Hammond Elementary School, Hammond Middle School
- Kingsbridge Road
From Breconshire Road to near 10413 Kingsbridge Rd
Schools impacted: Centennial High School, Burleigh Manor Middle School
- Breconshire Road
From Centennial Lane to Glastonbury Road
Schools impacted: Centennial High School, Burleigh Manor Middle School
- Cedar Lane
From Rivendell Lane to near Cedar Lane Park's entrance
Schools impacted: Harper's Choice Middle School
- Harpers Farm Road
From Willow Bottom Drive to Little Patuxent Parkway
Schools impacted: Harper's Choice Middle School
- Eliots Oak Road
From Harpers Farm Road to 5230 Eliots Oak Rd
Schools impacted: Harper's Choice Middle School
- Rock Coast Road
From Swansfield Road to Cedar Lane
Schools impacted: Swansfield Elementary
- Little Patuxent Parkway
From Crystal Run to Cedar Lane
Schools impacted: Swansfield Elementary
- Iager Boulevard
From Daily Street to Early Morning Street
Schools impacted: Fulton Elementary School, Lime Kiln Middle School, Reservoir High School
- Westside Boulevard
From near Tuckahoe Court to near Market Street
Schools impacted: Fulton Elementary School, Lime Kiln Middle School, Reservoir High School
- Maple Lawn Boulevard
From Terrace Lane to near West Market Place
Schools impacted: Fulton Elementary School, Lime Kiln Middle School, Reservoir High School
DPW is currently accepting public comment on these zones until Aug. 24. You can email them to Rembeci at erembeci@howardcountymd.gov.
The proposed school zones were determined in coordination with Howard County Police, as well as the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) Office of Student Transportation.
"I don't have any problem with that"
Jack Ridgeway is often at the plaza near Harper's Choice Middle School, which is in the middle of a number of the proposed school zones.
When asked what he thought of what's proposed, he said it's a good idea.
"I know there's a lot of students [who] come over here after school," he said.
A fine in a school zone is anywhere from $40 to $425, depending on how fast the driver is going.
In Howard County, speed cameras are only placed in school zones. Police currently have 10, two more than last year, because a cap that limited the number of speed cameras was removed from county code.
