Overview
- A sudden flash flood in 2016 transformed Main Street, destroyed property and vehicles, and killed at least two residents whose deaths remain central to local memorials.
- Howard County launched the Safe and Sound plan in 2018 to stop stormwater before it reaches the historic district and three of five planned upstream retention ponds have been completed.
- Excavation of the North Tunnel began in June 2026 and the 18-foot tunnel is being bored through bedrock to carry about 26,000 gallons per second with expected completion in late 2027.
- More than $350 million in state and federal funding has been secured for the program, including a $10 million Resilient Maryland loan announced in 2025, and work has expanded beyond original cost estimates.
- The projects have allowed some businesses to reopen and added warning systems and evacuation routes, yet survivors report ongoing storm anxiety and officials say the tunnel and ponds are the next critical defenses for Main Street.