2 MD Counties Launch New Joint Bus Service

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — It was 10 years in the making, but Tuesday, leaders from Howard and Montgomery counties announced their plan to launch the US 29 Flash Bus Rapid Transit Service Extension that will be ready in 2026.

Flash BRT will provide transit riders with the means to travel between the counties along the US 29 corridor. The existing Flash service that runs from Silver Spring to Burtonsville will be extended into Howard County, with new bus stops in Maple Lawn, downtown Columbia and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory campus in Laurel.

The extended BRT service in Howard County will launch as a peak hour service, meaning the buses will run between downtown Columbia and Silver Spring during rush hour times in the morning and afternoon from Monday to Friday to accommodate employees. Morning service will run from 5 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., while afternoon service will run from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Service will run on a 30-minute schedule.

“First envisioned more than a decade ago, this Flash Bus Rapid Transit service will be a gamechanger for our economy, workforce and residents Howard County began laying the groundwork for Bus Rapid Transit. We are delivering on this vision to deliver strong transit connections that are vital to supporting the needs of our residents, workforce and businesses,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball and a news conference. “We know that to build a resilient and inclusive future, we must invest in affordable, efficient and high-quality public transportation that meets the needs of our community."

“This portion of US 29 between Columbia and Silver Spring will ultimately connect to the Flash BRT network, which includes seven additional corridors and over 100 stops across Montgomery County," added Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. "Flash BRT enables us to support higher-density development while strengthening connections between Montgomery and Howard counties. It’s a smart, sustainable investment that promotes economic growth, advances equity and moves people efficiently and responsibly.”

Howard County anticipates construction of the bus stations to start this fall and wrap up by the summer of 2026. Montgomery County anticipates its four 40-foot buses to be delivered and ready next summer, too.

Since the project is a regional transportation priority at the federal level, it will receive $4.1 million in federal funding. Montgomery County received $3.35 million in federal funding and Howard County received $750,000 in federal funding. Howard County has committed $3 million to the project.

To learn more about the project, visit the Flash Bus Rapid Transit website at www.howardcountymd.gov/transportation/public-transportation/Flash.