Ellicott City’s Main Street Re-Opens for First Time Since Flood

Heather Curtis
WMAL.com

WASHINGTON — (WMAL) For the first time since a devastating flood July 30, people will be allowed to walk and drive down Ellicott City’s historic Main Street Thursday night at 5.

“I think that if anyone had said after the terrible flood we had on July 30, if they had said in 10 weeks we would have Main Street re-open to traffic and that we would have many of the restaurants open or very close to being opened, and some of the businesses as well, I think people would have been amazed, and I’m amazed,” said Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman.

Kittleman said this is good news for drivers who have traditionally used Main Street to get between Howard and Baltimore counties.

Parking will not be allowed along Main Street Thursday but will be allowed in all county lots except for Lot “B.”

Drivers are not allowed to go faster than 25 miles per hour.

County council vice chair Jon Weinstein, whose district includes Ellicott City, said while a lot of work has been done to get things back to normal, the streets are patchwork, and the sidewalks aren’t fully repaired.

Some shops remain boarded up, but Kittleman said others are re-opening Thursday along with restaurants.

Thursday also marks the end of the state of emergency that has been in effect along Main Street since the flood.