“Proposed Thurmont Boulevard project in the works”
March 2023
On Feb. 7, commissioners addressed aspects of the Thurmont Boulevard project, which would connect Frederick Road and Moser Road and provide numerous benefits to the municipality. With the project in discussion for at least 35 years, the town is eager to move forward into planning and construction.
The proposed roadway is approximately half a mile long and described by CAO Jim Humerick as “an infrastructure project with connectivity and accessibility components.” Not only will the road provide an additional pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle connection, it will also address aging water and sewage infrastructure and create new environmental opportunities.
First and foremost, Thurmont Boulevard will likely ease traffic on both Frederick and Moser Roads, especially that which is created by tractor trailers, dumptrucks, and utility vehicles. The new road will provide many residents with an easier way to get to and from Route 15; furthermore, this “shortcut” will also lessen response time of emergency services, which not only serve Thurmont but many surrounding communities.
Commissioners invited Billie Swailes, senior civil engineer of Hagerstown-based Triad Engineering, to discuss initial design plans for the project, which include mapping the area, upgrading water and wastewater systems, and mitigating environmental impacts as the proposed road will pass through an existing wetland area. According to Swailes, once approved this project will likely spend almost two years in review by the Army Corps and Maryland Department of the Environment before ground can actually be broken.
In projects where wetland is disturbed, the town is required to restore at least twice the amount of disturbed area in order to deter environmental degradation. Although the Thurmont Boulevard project should only utilize a half acre of wetland, current plans indicate that one and a half acres will be restored. The proposed road crosses over a stagnant pond which, if removed, could create room for more forested wetland and eliminate harmful warm-water runoff from the pond into nearby streams.
From a town planning perspective, the restoration of additional acreage should also provide “credit” for future mitigation projects as well as the fulfillment of MS4 (sewage system) requirements.
The construction of Thurmont Boulevard also opens an opportunity for expansion of the Thurmont Trolley Trail, a popular recreational path which follows the old Frederick-Thurmont railbed. Currently, the trail has only been developed in Thurmont, but hopes that it will eventually extend all the way to Frederick are long in the making. CAO Humerick pointed out that the Frederick trails master plan already includes this connection as an eventuality.
Bryant Despeaux, President of the H&F Trolley Trail Association, attended the Feb. 7 meeting to advocate for the trail’s extension through the proposed Thurmont Boulevard area. As stated by CAO Humerick, the wetland area would provide an excellent opportunity to place interpretive signs and observation points to educate residents and visitors on the trail. “It would be good for local citizens, the economy, and businesses,” said Despeaux.
Of course, all of these benefits come with a cost, which was reviewed by CFO Linda Joyce. The total cost for the project as of Feb. 7 was $5,288,735, which includes a 15% contingency plan as well as water line upgrades. According to Joyce, the town is in a good financial position to pursue the Thurmont Boulevard project, with debt at a low and a healthy fund balance. “This isn’t going to impact future capital projects–we have the funding to do that,” said Joyce, who also reassured commissioners that taxes would not be raised to support the project. In addition to town funds, CAO Humerick is already pursuing potential grant money through the office of Congressman David Trone.
In addition to apprehension about cost, opposition to the project has primarily consisted of concern that it will predicate future development of the area. Randy Cubbedge, Chairman of the P&Z Commission, emphasized that roadwork does not automatically imply development and that the power lies with town officials.
If approved, construction on Thurmont Boulevard will not begin until at least September 2024, with the road expected to open for use about a year later. The area will continue to be monitored for the following five years to ensure environmental health. Commissioners are hopeful that the project’s benefits will be reaped far into the future.
Said Cubbedge, “For at least 35 years citizen planners, residents, appointed elected officials have agreed the proposed route of Thurmont Boulevard is a project that will have area-wide benefit–one that reaches beyond the borders of the municipality of Thurmont.”