This project provides for: 1) installation of guardrail where they are determined to be required; 2) upgrading identified deficient and/or non-compliant end treatments to meet current Maryland State Highway Administration (MSHA) standards; 3) establishment of a 25-year life-cycle replacement program; and 4) replacement of guardrail damaged beyond repair in crashes.

Cost increase due to the addition of FY27 and FY28 to this ongoing project.

Guardrails reduce the severity of run-off-the-road accidents, prevent collisions with fixed objects, and protect embankments. Damaged or missing guardrails and deficient end treatments present a hazard to motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. Guardrails have a finite service life and must be replaced at the end of this service life or when damaged in order to continue to provide safety benefits for all users. The March 2010, Report of the Infrastructure Maintenance Task Force, confirmed this and identified the need for guardrail life-cycle replacement. The existing tapered and buried guardrail end treatments provide a ramp for errant vehicles and do not meet current MSHA standards. A study was completed to identify these substandard or deficient end treatments and to replace them to meet modern crash attenuation standards.

Expenditures will continue indefinitely.

Federal Highway Administration, Maryland State Highway Administration, and Montgomery County Public Schools.