Earlier this week, Bike Howard held a public meeting presenting their recommendations for improvements to the bike infrastructure and bike connections in Hickory Ridge. The goal of the project was to identify a preferred route and recommended improvements for continuous bicycle facilities connecting the bike lanes on Grace Drive (which connects to the Pointers Run and River Hill areas and other points west) to Hickory Ridge, downtown Columbia, and the rest of the Columbia pathway system and bike network. After month of community surveys and analysis, the recommendations include:
A shared used (off street) path on Cedar Lane between Grace Drive and Owen Brown Road. Still undecided and continuing to seek feedback on whether this path should be on the east or west side of Cedar Lane.
Bike lanes on Owen Brown Road between Cedar Lane and Martin Road
Bike lanes on Martin Drive between Seneca Drive and Hickory Ridge Drive
A short shared-use (off street) path on the north side Hickory Ridge Road between Martin Road and Broken Land Parkway
The complete presentation boards with much more detail is available here. These improvements will do a lot to make biking easier and safer in the Hickory Ridge area. My personal opinion would be to have the shared path on Cedar Lane on the east side, which would provide direct access from Owen Brown Road to the Hickory Ridge Village Center. Also, in addition to the shared use path on the north side of Hickory Ridge Road, I would also like to see a eastbound bike lane on the south side of Hickory Ridge in order to provide better access from the Hickory Ridge neighborhood into the Merriweather District without needing to cross Hickory Ridge Road.
The website for the project has a lot more detail. Comments on these recommendations are being accepted through January 31. If you would like to provide feedback, suggestions or comments on this project, Bike Howard is requesting that you use complete this comment form and email it to transportation@howardcountymd.gov by January 31. The study is expected to conclude with final recommendations in March 2020.