LEONARDTOWN, Md. — The St. Mary’s County Planning Commission voted unanimously Monday to approve an updated St. Mary’s County Transportation Plan that outlines road upgrades, infrastructure improvements and mobility goals through the year 2045.
The plan, developed in collaboration with Brudis & Associates and the St. Mary’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T), identifies priority projects that will guide local infrastructure investments over the next two decades. With the Planning Commission’s approval, the plan will now move forward to the Board of County Commissioners.
According to Jim Gotsch, director of DPW&T, the county is currently investing approximately $6 million annually in road overlays and repairs. That’s double what was allocated in earlier years. Sustaining that level of investment avoids the higher costs of full reconstruction.
“We are actually in a place where we’re maintaining overlaying a road every 20 years,” Gotsch said. “So that’s gotten really better.”
Key improvement proposals include the extension of FDR Boulevard to Pegg Road, which will feature the county’s first owned traffic signal, to be maintained by the state. The plan also calls for several traffic-calming roundabouts, including at Wildwood Parkway and Pegg Road, to improve safety and reduce congestion at key intersections.
The transportation plan places a strong emphasis on Level of Service (LOS) improvements on state-managed corridors like Routes 235, 5, 246 and 237, which have been identified as high-incident roadways. LOS is a grading system that evaluates traffic conditions based on speed and travel time, freedom to maneuver, traffic interruptions and delay. While most county roads perform well, several still require improvements to meet future demands.
Pedestrians, Buses and Electric Transport Drones
To support broader accessibility, the plan proposes expanded pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, including sidewalk and trail connections, and additional bus shelters in high-ridership areas such as Lexington Park.
Gotsch also noted that fare-free public transit remains a long-term goal. While not yet implemented, eliminating fares on the county’s STS bus system could increase ridership and bolster eligibility for funding from the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA).
“On our STS system, we’re averaging in the wintertime now, close to 16,000 trips on the bus,” Gotsch said. “It gets heavier in the summertime. If the commissioners hold the fare-free [ridership] coming July 1, then we’re expecting to see about a 30% increase in the number of riders.”
At the St. Mary’s County Regional Airport, the plan emphasizes runway repaving and extensions. It also outlines future infrastructure to support electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which are passenger drones capable of short-range, app-based travel.
“Soon you’ll be able to go on your phone, on your app, like calling an Uber, reserve your spot on the passenger drone and fly over to Ocean City, or wherever you want to go,” Gotsch said, describing emerging mobility infrastructure. The county is exploring a potential recharging hub in partnership with SMECO as part of a regional drone corridor.
Historic Roads and Coastal Preservation
Despite its scope, the plan also acknowledges barriers. Eighty-eight roads in St. Mary’s County remain noncompliant, primarily due to right-of-way acquisition issues involving HOAs and private landowners. Longstanding road projects like Mattapany Road and Bayside Road are also delayed due to utility relocation and environmental permitting.
The plan highlights the need for flood mitigation and shoreline protection at the Piney Point Museum, where erosion has threatened coastal infrastructure for years.
Public input played a central role in the plan’s development, with feedback gathered from community meetings, agency partners and the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC worked closely with DPW&T to prioritize projects across roadways, public transit and nonmotorized mobility.
The Planning Commission approved the plan by a 6-0 vote following a public hearing in Leonardtown. With no objections raised, the plan now heads to the Board of County Commissioners for final review later this summer.
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I’m very curious about “several traffic-calming roundabouts, including at Wild(e)wood Parkway and Pegg Road”. A little more specific information would be nice. When can the residents of Wildewood expect these roundabouts, how many, and exactly at what side streets? I broached the same idea with the past commissioners and DPW Director a few years ago and was told “roundabouts and or stop signs, or speed humps on Wildewood Parkway would only serve to cause a disruption in the flow of traffic. Well yeah, that was the purpose: disrupt the flow of vehicles being driven at 40-45MPH on a 30MPH road, AND providing safer egress from neighborhood side streets onto the parkway. Here we are 5-6 years later, nothing has been done, and now we are possibly looking at another 20 years? That’s how far out this newest plan goes; 2045! I know all the speed humps installed within Town Creek didn’t take 20+ years.