Maryland State Highway Administration
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1908 |
| Jurisdiction | Maryland |
| Headquarters | "707 Building", 707 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 |
| Agency executive |
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| Parent agency | Maryland Department of Transportation |
| Website | http://www.roads.maryland.gov/Home.aspx |
The Maryland State Highway Administration (abbreviated MDSHA, MSHA, or simply SHA) is the state sub-agency responsible for maintaining Maryland's numbered highways outside of Baltimore City. Formed originally under authority of the General Assembly of Maryland in 1908 as the State Roads Commission (S.R.C.), under the direction of the executive branch of state government headed by the Governor of Maryland, it is tasked with maintaining non-tolled/free bridges throughout the State, removing snow from the state's major thoroughfares, administering the State's "adopt-a-highway" program, and both developing and maintaining the State's freeway/expressway system. Since the reorganization of the several commissions, bureaus, boards, and assorted minor agencies with departments of the executive branch and establishment of the Governor's Cabinet in the early 1970s following the adoption of several individual reorganization recommendations after the rejection by the voters in a November 1968 referendum of the 1968 proposed overall new state constitution prepared by the 1967-1968 Constitutional Convention. It is now a division of the larger establishment of the Maryland Department of Transportation and is currently overseen by an administrator.
The headquarters for MSHA is located in Baltimore City. This building houses numerous divisions and offices, such as:
MSHA also maintains four research labs located throughout the State, as well as the Office of Traffic and Safety (OOTS) located in Hanover—which houses several additional divisions. Some other services provided at the OOTS complex include:
While OOTS and the Districts oversee the installation, modification, operation, maintenance, and removal of traffic signals along State roadways, Montgomery County differs in that it is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all signals within the County—even those along State roadways. However, the Districts and OOTS still control decisions regarding the installation, modification (including phasing), and removal of signals. A result of this agreement is that it relieves MdSHA of some of the additional resource cost of the regular duties with regards to signals.
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