Maryland Department of Transportation’s MD 97 Brookeville Bypass-Two Lane Construction

This $47.6 million Maryland Department of Transportation project aimed to address the increasing traffic volumes in the town of Brookeville from MD 97 (Georgia Avenue), which is a major north-south commuter route between Washington, D.C., and northern Montgomery and Frederick counties in Maryland. The project sought to improve traffic operations and safety conditions on MD 97 while preserving the historic character of Brookeville. The increasing volume of peak-hour traffic, combined with the roadway’s substandard design geometrics, highlighted the need to enhance the operational characteristics of Georgia Avenue through the community. The new Brookeville bypass made Georgia Avenue more accessible and safer for local residents, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The project included marked bicycle lanes along the new bypass road and provided Americans with Disabilities Act -compliant sidewalk connections to a ballfield at Longwood Community Center. Prior to this project, existing MD 97 did not have any marked bicycle accommodations.