Howard County, Maryland

Our Mission

The Bureau of Highways has been assigned, by County Charter, the primary responsibility to ensure an adequate, safe, and esthetic transportation network in Howard County.

 

Goals

 

To provide the resources necessary for the maintenance of all County-owned roadways and appurtenant facilities under Howard County jurisdiction in accordance with applicable Federal, State, and County laws and regulations, and consistent with good engineering practices.

 

To participate in the planning, design, and construction phases of Capital Improvement Projects.

 

To construct improvements to highways, drainage facilities, bridges, and other appurtenances in order to maintain a safe, esthetically pleasing, and comfort for the public to travel.

 

To maintain a fleet of vehicles and equipment that is in excellent condition, and current, in order to serve the maintenance needs of the County road system at minimal cost.

 

To be able to respond in emergency situations in a timely and efficient manner when storms or other disasters occur.

 

To provide all highway personnel with safe working conditions and provide opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge in their pursuit of a career in highway maintenance.

 

To provide the necessary administrative resources and services to ensure fiscal responsibility and for performance of coordinated activities within and without the Bureau.

 

Objective

 

To skin patch, seal cracks and joints, repair broken paving and pot holes over the entire Highway network as the need arises using high maintenance standards.

 

To construct, rebuild, and restore shoulder areas along the highway network so as to provide new life and safety for public use in emergency situations.

 

To control storm water flow and prevent damage to both private and public facilities through replacement, restoration, cleaning and rehabilitation of storm drainage facilities.

 

To provide semi-annual inspection of all Private and County-owned storm water management systems and schedule appropriate maintenance as required for County-owned systems and advise owners of Private systems of any maintenance needs and follow this up.

 

To replace wooden posts and install new guardrail along the Highways network in those areas which present a hazard to the traveling public.

 

To remove all unwanted vegetation and trim street trees along the roads' Right-of-Ways so as to promote a safe Highway system. To keep the roads in highly populated areas free of debris and litter.

 

To provide the necessary maintenance of all County-owned bridges and to assure a safe and structurally sound condition.

 

To prevent premature road deterioration by overlaying existing hard-surface roads with a full width application of bituminous concrete, micro-surfacing, superpave, or tar and chip.

 

To continue the use the high quality maintenance standards to ensure that all equipment assigned to this Bureau is kept in first class operating condition at all times. To provide adequate parts inventory to assure minimum down time.

 

To systematically replace equipment so as to keep pace with new technology and correct construction methods and eliminate obsolete, deteriorated, inefficient, and unsafe equipment.

 

To provide a ready response to snow and other types of emergencies using the high quality standards associated with this Bureau in the removal of ice, snow, and other debris from the road network to assure safety in traveling.

 

To provide assistance to other Governmental Agencies and Departments upon request and approval as to aid in the resolution of a specific problem or emergency.

 

To provide collateral assistance in the completion of the Highway Resurfacing Program through the replacement of drainage structures, shoulder rehabilitation and Project Management. To provide such assistance as may be required on various aspects of the Capital Program and other maintenance projects.

 

To provide technical support and assistance for the efficient and effective operation of the Bureau. This service will include the coordination with other agencies in terms of planning, design, and construction management.

 

Bureau supervision will provide training and safety orientation on an on-going basis to enhance the employee's knowledge and skills and provide a safe working environment.

 

Emergency repairs required after normal work hours will be provided by existing personnel on an overtime basis.

 

The Operation Division will continue to direct, manage, and provide the various administrative services required for fiscal control and efficient and effective Bureau operation.

 

All operating programs will be supervised and controlled to ensure that the goals and objectives of the Bureau are achieved.

 

Bureau of Highways Profile

The Bureau of Highways is divided into three divisions in order to provide the residents of Howard County with a safe, efficient, and well maintained transportation system. These divisions are the OPERATION DIVISION, the HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE DIVISION, and the TRAFFIC MAINTENANCE DIVISION.

 

OPERATION DIVISION:

 

Primary responsibility is to administer the Bureau  in the maintaining of Bureau needs and to coordinate this Bureau's activities with other County, State, and Federal Governmental Agencies as well as with the private sector.

 

Prepares all funding requests for the support of Bureau activities.

 

HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE DIVISION:

 

The Bureau of Highways has divided Howard County into three zones:

 

ZONE EAST - Elkridge, Savage and East                       Columbia Areas. 

 

ZONE CENTRAL - Ellicott City, Clarksville, and West                             Columbia Areas.

 

ZONE WEST - Cooksville, Lisbon, and Woodstock                        Areas.

 

A Superintendent is assigned to manage each Zone under the direction  of the Highways Operations & Program Manager who is subordinate only to the Bureau Chief. The Superintendent for each Zone is responsible for the initiation and the completion of each project within a program. The positions responsible for completion of the various projects within a program are supervisory level - with the Highways Operations & Program Manager overseeing coordination between Zones.

 

The Superintendent is supervisory in his capacity in managing the project as are his subordinates who are Supervisors. Each Zone has been assigned one to three Supervisors who are responsible for performing the actual work.

 

TRAFFIC MAINTENANCE DIVISION:

 

Provide and maintain the necessary street signing, traffic signaling, and marking services to satisfy Federal, State, and County criteria.

 

Administer the County Street Light Program ensuring that maximum traffic safety is obtained.

 

Provide adequate traffic signal systems to ensure appropriate traffic control and safety.

 

Resolve problems relative to critical traffic or pedestrian safety.

 

If you have any comments to Bureau of Highways, please feel free to contact us:

 

Telephone:

 

Send mail to [email protected] with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright � 1998 Bureau of Highways, Howard County, Maryland
Last modified: May 17, 1998