Capital Improvement Projects

Each year in May, a list of projects the City will undertake in the coming 12 months is approved by the City Council. These include street improvements, traffic signal installation, park enhancements, landscape enhancements and projects to generally make our City more livable and appealing. A list of projects currently under design or construction can be acquired by calling 301-739-8577 extension 125.

Traffic

Staff monitors traffic-related issues and address issues whenever possible. This includes congestion monitoring, capacity enhancements, traffic calming, and addressing specific traffic and parking related complaints. For more information contact 301-739-8577 extension 129 or 125.

The City has a citizen-member Board of Traffic & Parking that assists in addressing certain traffic issues. When applicable, the City staff seeks guidance from the Board of Traffic & Parking on a number of issues related to public parking and traffic-related issues in Hagerstown. The Board is made up of five (5) appointed citizens. Board meetings are also attended by one City Council member (ex-officio member), a Police Department representative, the Parking System Supervisor, and representatives from the Department of Parks and Engineering. This Board is an advisory board and staff and/or the City Council make the final decisions as applicable. The Board always welcomes citizen input, provides a forum for citizens to discuss their concerns, and often determines a recommendation with all involved parties in attendance. The Board meets once a month on the second Thursday at 4:00 PM in on the third floor of City Hall. All regular meetings are open to the public. The meeting agendas are posted on Channel 6 before each meeting.

Traffic Calming Program

In response to an increasing number of citizen inquiries to reduce speed and enhance safety on many streets, both residential and non-residential, throughout the City, The City has adopted a "Traffic Calming Program". As congestion along the primary roadway network grows, motorists increasingly seek bypass routes through local neighborhood streets. Aggressive driving and a diminished respect for other motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and traffic control devices can result. The program is based on research of state-of-the-practice policies and techniques, as well as review of programs and practices of neighboring jurisdictions. Please see the policy (link at the end of this paragraph)for the program’s goals and objectives, allowable traffic calming measures, policy and criteria considerations, an application and implementation procedures including warrants and cost considerations.

    Traffic Calming Policy with application and flowchart (pdf)


Stormwater Management & Pollution Control

Stormwater management within the City of Hagerstown is provided by numerous private and public facilities. Ponds, trenches and underground detention are all used in varying degrees around the City. Some sites have stormwater management structures already in place to provide the necessary control. Other sites will require the construction of the necessary facilities as part of site development. Typically, those structures which serve residential areas are ultimately owned and maintained by a homeowners association. Those structures which serve commercial/industrial areas are owned and maintained by either the property owner or developer. An exception to this are those regional structures located in City-owned business parks which are accordingly owned and maintained by the City.

Stormwater management within the City of Hagerstown is under the jurisdiction of the City Engineer. Separate from Washington County, the City of Hagerstown has and enforces its own program within its corporate boundary. The City Engineer is located in City Hall, I E. Franklin Street, Hagerstown, Maryland. Telephone (301) 739-8577, ext. 125.

The City's stormwater management program assures that storm runoff resulting from changes in land use will not adversely affect existing conditions. Certain very small developments are exempt from controls; however, most developments are required to control their runoff to predetermined, predevelopment rates. Water quality treatment is also required.

For more information. click here.


Pavement Preservation Program

To extend the service life, enhance safety, and improve the quality of ride of the City of Hagerstown streets, the City of Hagerstown spends $300,000 to $500,000 per year to upgrade and maintain approximately 110.7 miles of streets, in the form of thin overlays, slurry seals and crack sealing. The City of Hagerstown utilizes a Pavement Management System to select the streets which will be overlaid or crack sealed. This system takes into account the existing pavement conditions, traffic volumes, and smoothness of ride to determine the rankings of the streets to be treated. Contact 301-739-8577 extension 125 to get a copy of the upcoming year's pavement improvement list.

Curbs and Sidewalks

As referenced in the Code of the City of Hagerstown, section 216-24. Responsibility for construction, and repair of sidewalks and curbs is the adjoining property owners:

1. Sidewalks and curbs along the public streets and thoroughfares within the corporate limits of the City shall be constructed and kept in a reasonable state of repair by the abutting property owner.
2. Nuisances.
   1. In the event that a sidewalk or curb or curb within the corporate limits of the City of Hagerstown shall be determined by the City Engineer or his designee, based on policies approved by the Mayor and City Council, to be in such a condition as to be detrimental to the health, safety, welfare or property of others, such condition shall constitute a nuisance. In the event that any person allows any nuisance as defined herein to exist on any premises or property within the corporate limits of the City, said person or corporation shall be provided 90 calendar days written notice from the Department of Engineering of the City to abate said nuisance.
   2. In the event that said nuisance is not abated within 90 calendar days of receipt of such notice, such person or corporation shall be in violation of this subsection and shall be subject to the abatement procedures contained herein.
   3. In the event that said nuisance is not abated within 90 calendar days of receipt of such notice, the City shall have the authority at any time thereafter, within the discretion of the City Engineer or his designee, to cause the nuisance and violation to be abated. All costs for any such abatement, plus reasonable administrative frees, shall be the responsibility of the abutting property owner who was notified under this section. Said person or corporation shall be provided a prompt billing notice of all reasonable charges and fees incurred in connection with the abatement. Payment for said charges and fees shall be due in full from the abutting property owner within 30 days of the date the billing notice was mailed by the City. Failure to remit payment in full may result in collection pursuant to Article III, Tax Liens, §223-11 of the City Code, or by other civil proceeding or remedy.
3. When an abutting property owner is given notice by the Engineering Department of the City to construct or repair a sidewalk or curb, or both a sidewalk and curb, and said owner fails to comply with said notice by the date set forth by the Engineering Department of the City in the official notice, then the person or corporation failing to observe the provisions of this section shall, on conviction thereof, be guilty of a municipal infraction and shall be fined in an amount not-to-exceed $500 for each offense. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which such a violation is permitted to exist. This penalty is in addition to the abatement procedure and penalties outlined in Subsection B herein.
4. The time frame of 90 calendar days may be extended to 12 calendar months when said curb and/or sidewalk is adjacent to a planned City street overlay and the condition of the curb and/or sidewalk is not a safety hazard as deemed by the inspector.
5. Curbs, curb and gutter or sidewalks damaged by street trees (as defined in this chapter) shall be replaced by the City of Hagerstown. Curb, curb and gutter or sidewalks damaged by any other trees shall be replaced by the adjoining property owners.