A plan to build 262 apartments and townhouses near Route 32 in Columbia is closer to gaining approval as state highway officials have signed off on the installation of a median strip they say would ease the flow of traffic between the highway and the development.

Developer Dale Thompson Builders Inc. plans to build 150 townhouses and 112 apartments on 30 acres of land at the intersection of Route 32 and Cedar Lane, near the Hickory Ridge Village Center and a nature preserve.

Plans for the age-restricted development, which would be called Riverdale, have been tied up for months as officials examine potential traffic hazards posed by the project.

Earlier this year, traffic planners for Howard County and the State Highway Administration rejected the developer's initial traffic plan, saying the location of the development's entrance road near the highway's exit ramps and merge lanes could pose hazardous driving conditions.

In a revised plan, the developer proposed installing a barrier on Cedar Lane that would separate traffic traveling north on Cedar Lane from traffic merging onto northbound Cedar Lane from westbound Route 32.

Although the proposed median would limit access to the Riverdale entrance, it would prevent what officials had called a dangerous merge.

Traffic merging onto northbound Cedar Lane from Route 32 west would be able to turn right onto Riverdale, but the proposed median would prevent other northbound traffic on Cedar Lane from turning onto Riverdale. Southbound traffic on Cedar Lane would be able to turn left onto Riverdale at a traffic light.

In a July 18 letter to county planners, state highway officials stated that they approve of the proposed median strip.

"Because of the traffic volumes during rush hour, the State Highway Administration did not feel comfortable with allowing that merge area," said Lora Rakowski, a spokeswoman for the highway administration.

The builder's ability to move forward with the project hinges on the state's approval.

In addition, although county planning officials have determined that the project's sketch plan is "technically complete," the county is requiring the developer to submit a final version of the plan before Sept. 1, according to Planning Department officials.

Officials at Dale Thompson did not return a telephone call seeking comment.

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