TOUR MCDOT’s MONSTERFLASH!
MCDOT Announces the Return of the Monster Flash Decorated Bus for Three Free Events in October
Residents can view MCDOT's Monster Flash bus and learn more about the planned Flash Bus Rapid Transit Network coming to Montgomery County at the following events:
- Saturday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. – noon. Monster Flash at Twinbrook Library's Multi-lingual Story Hour, Twinbrook Library, 202 Meadow Hall Drive, Rockville.
- Saturday, Oct. 25, 2 – 4 p.m. Monster Flash at , Germantown Library, 19840 Century Blvd, Germantown.
- Sunday, Oct. 26, noon – 4 p.m. Monster Flash at , Marian Fryer Town Plaza, 2424 Reedie Drive, Wheaton.
A bi-lingual children’s story time will be held in English, Spanish and Chinese at the Twinbrook Library and in English and Spanish at the .
Flash buses are currently running along Colesville Rd/Columbia Pike (US 29) between the Silver Spring Transit Center, Briggs Chaney, and Burtonsville, with stops along the way. The County-operated bus line began in 2020 and offers fast, convenient service running every seven to 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends.
MCDOT is working to implement Flash bus rapid transit service across the County to implement faster, high-frequency bus service and improve pedestrian and bicycle safety on the corridor. Construction and utility work for the Flash BRT has begun on the with service expected to begin in 2028.
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Great Seneca Transit Network Sees Significant Increase in Ridership After One Year of Service
MCDOT is experiencing a significant increase in ridership as it celebrates the one-year anniversary of the Great Seneca Transit Network (GSTN). The GTSN is an upgraded, express bus service operating along the Life Sciences Corridor in Gaithersburg.
The GSTN operates two Ride On extRa bus lines, designated as “Pink” and “Lime,” offering faster, more frequent service between the Shady Grove Metro Station and Traville Transit Center. The GSTN launched in Sept. 2024, serving around 500 riders each weekday, a number that has since doubled to more than 1,000.
While some riders have shifted from local bus routes to the new express service, the GSTN is attracting new riders as well. MCDOT ridership numbers show a more than 70% increase in total bus ridership on a key bus route along Shady Grove Road, formerly served by local bus route 43 alone. That route is now serviced by the express Pink route in addition to the local route 43, which travels a slightly different route and has additional stops.
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Missing Person Reunited With Family, Thanks to Ride On Bus Operator
On Monday, Sept. 22, Ride On Central Communications issued a community-wide alert to Ride On buses in the Germantown area. Bus Operator Tilwonna Gollman Stevenson, operating on Route 55, recognized a passenger matching the description.
Thanks to her quick thinking and calm presence, what began as a frightening situation ended in the safe recovery and reunion of the individual with their family.
MCDOT proudly commends Operator Tilwonna Gollman Stevenson for going above and beyond her duties, demonstrating initiative and compassion. She reflects the very best of public service and underscore the critical role our local bus operators play in ensuring the safety and well-being of our community.
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MCDOT's Bike Drive Breaks Record for Third Consecutive Year
MCDOT's annual bike donation drive collected a record 334 child and adult bicycles during the one-day event held on Friday, Oct 3, in Rockville.
This marks third consecutive year the event has set a record for most bikes collected. MCDOT collected 306 bikes during the one-day drive in 2024, and 297 bikes in 2023.
Rockville Bike Hub volunteers will refurbish the bikes and MCDOT will place them with children and adults in the County through the MCDOT Bike Match Program or through the Rockville Terrific Kids program. A portion of the bikes are also sent to Bikes for the World and are donated internationally. Bikes that are not salvageable are recycled.
This was the seventh year that MCDOT has sponsored the bike drive, starting in 2017. The annual drive has collected a total of 1,684 donated bikes over the years.
MCDOT’s BikeMatchMoCo is a year-round program that has provided nearly 897 County residents with bikes donated by members of the community. Residents who wish to donate or receive a bike can do so by filling out the bike request form on MCDOT’s website. Donated bikes must be in good working condition.
View photos from the event.
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BE SAFE & SEEN ON HALLOWEEN
MCDOT Offers Safety Tips Ahead of Halloween
With Halloween (Friday, Oct. 31) approaching and daylight-saving time ending (Sunday, Nov. 2), MCDOT is reminding drivers to use extra caution when traveling during evening hours and consider staying off the roads altogether during trick or treating hours.
MCDOT suggests these tips to help keep trick-or-treaters safe:
- Try to finish errands before it gets dark to avoid being on the road at the same time as trick-or-treaters.
- If you must drive, drive slow and be alert. Children may be unaware of traffic and dart into the street unexpectedly.
- Trick-or-treaters should carry glow sticks or flashlights and use reflective tape on costumes.
SoberRide Offers Free Lyft Rides for Halloween Celebrations
The Washington Region Alcohol Program’s (WRAP) SoberRide program will offer a limited number of codes for a FREE Lyft ride home (up to $15) from 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31 until 4 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1. The codes will be released to the public at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31 on the program website at wrap.org/soberride.
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Registration Open for Fall Adult Learn to Ride Bike Classes
MCDOT will continue its series of fall classes to teach adults how to ride bicycles. The classes are open to residents 18-and-over who have never ridden a bike or who want to refresh their skills. Bikes will be provided. Advance registration is required to participate, and the cost is $10 for Montgomery County residents. There is no charge for WABA or Capital Bikeshare members.
Online registration is required to attend the following classes:
- Sunday, Oct. 19, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (rain date 11/2)
Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center, 14906 Columbia Pike, Burtonsville.
- Saturday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (rain date 11/8)
Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center, 1000 Forest Glen Road, Silver Spring.
- Sunday, Nov. 2, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. (rain date 11/16)
Wheaton Ice Arena (back parking lot), Wheaton. *Free scooter class to follow.
- Saturday, Nov. 8, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (rain date 11/15)
Westfield Montgomery Mall (former Sears parking lot), Bethesda.
- Saturday, Nov. 15, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (rain date 11/29)
Montgomery College (parking lot 13), Rockville.
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Closure of Medical Center Bus Loop in Bethesda to Impact Ride On Bus Routes 34 and 46 on Select Sundays Through Spring 2026
Ride On Bus Routes 34 to Wheaton and 46 to Montgomery College Rockville will use Bus Bay H (stop #25504) and Bus Routes 34 to Bethesda and 46 to Medical Center will use Bus Bay G (stop #25646) on Rockville Pike during the closures. Ride On Routes 30, 33, 70, and Ride On extRa 101, which use the loop during weekday service, will not be impacted as they do not operate on Sundays.
Construction work will take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the following dates:
- Sunday, Oct. 26
- Sunday, Dec. 28
- Sunday, Mar. 1, 2026
- Sunday, Mar. 15, 2026
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PUBLIC HEARINGS
The public can provide feedback at the following public meetings and hearings. Written testimony carries the same weight as oral testimony and all information provided will become a matter of public record.
TONIGHT: In Person Public Meeting on US 29 Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Phase 2 Project in Silver Spring, Tuesday, Oct. 7
MCDOT is hosting an in-person public meeting on the US 29 Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Phase 2 Project from 6-8 p.m. at Montgomery Blair High School located at 51 University Boulevard in Silver Spring. MCDOT staff will present the preliminary design and answer questions. This project will improve the existing US 29 Flash BRT service by building a dedicated bus lane between Sligo Creek Parkway to Tech Road. Public input is encouraged and may influence the final design.
The US 29 Flash BRT is an upgraded, high-frequency transit service currently operating between Downtown Silver Spring and Briggs Chaney/Burtonsville via Colesville Road/Old Columbia Pike.
Public Meetings on the Veirs Mill Road Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project in October
MCDOT is hosting an in-person public meeting on the Veirs Mill Road Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project from 6:30–8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at Albert Einstein High School located at 11135 Newport Mill Road in Kensington. The public will have the opportunity to review informational display boards, explore detailed maps and speak directly with project staff.
A presentation will begin at 7 p.m. and will be offered in both English and Spanish through simultaneous translation. All materials will be translated and posted on the project website.
For those who cannot attend, the meeting presentation will be posted to the project website on Monday, Oct. 20. In addition, members of the public will have an opportunity to sign up for virtual one-on-one discussions with the project team on the project website beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
The Veirs Mill Road Flash BRT is a planned rapid transit service connecting Wheaton and Rockville with twelve stations along Veirs Mill Road and MD 355. This service will offer faster, more reliable and frequent connections to housing, jobs, the MARC train and the Metrorail Red Line. In addition, the project will deliver bicycle and pedestrian improvements, including paths, sidewalks and safer street crossings.
MCDOT will host a virtual public hearing to give residents an opportunity to present comments and ask questions concerning the possible disposition of multiple parking spaces within four Silver Spring garages for a solar project with a private entity. The virtual public hearing will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 28, beginning at 1 p.m. on the internet-based platform Zoom. The public has until 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24 to register online to attend.
The project will allow the previously underutilized parking spaces to generate revenue from the installation of green roof infrastructure and solar energy panels in partnership with a private developer. Impacted spaces include 36 spaces at the Fenton Street Garage 4 (8110 Fenton Street), 127 spaces at the Bonifant Dixon Garage 5 (1101 Bonifant Street), 150 spaces at the Cameron Street Garage 7 (8530 Cameron Street), and 66 spaces at the Kennett Street Garage 9 (8040 Kennett Street), all of which are located within the County managed Silver Spring Parking Lot District.
Written comments for consideration in this matter may be submitted to MCDOT Property Acquisition Specialist, David Harris by email to david.harris@montgomerycountymd.gov or by mail to MCDOT - Division of Transportation Engineering - David Harris, Property Acquisition Section, 100 Edison Park Drive, 4th Floor, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878.
Virtual Public Hearing on the Carroll Avenue Separated Bike Lanes Project in Takoma Park, Tuesday, Oct. 28
Starting at 6:30 p.m., MCDOT will hold a virtual public hearing on the Carroll Avenue Separated Bike Lanes Project in Takoma Park to present the project scope, costs, schedule, obtain resident testimony and answer questions.
The Carroll Avenue Separated Bike Lanes Project will add a low-stress bikeway to Carroll Avenue between Merrimac Drive and Piney Branch Road (MD 320) in the Takoma/Langley Crossroads area. This facility will help to provide connections for cyclists to the future Purple Line station at Takoma/Langley Transit Center.
Online registration is required to attend.
The public is encouraged to visit the project website and provide feedback via the online form or by email to the Project Manager, Khursheed Bilgrami, at Khursheed.Bilgrami@montgomerycountymd.gov by 5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 28.
MCDOT Seeks Written Feedback on the Kensington Parkwood Elementary School Safe Routes to School Safety Improvement Project
As part of a countywide initiative to identify safe and accessible routes for students walking and bicycling to school, MCDOT completed a walkability study for Kensington Parkwood Elementary School in 2019. The study evaluated existing infrastructure conditions and recommended improvements to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety and accessibility. In October 2024, MCDOT presented the study’s recommendations to the community. Based on their feedback, the proposed plans have been revised.
The public is encouraged to visit the project website and provide feedback via email to walkyourway@montgomerycountymd.gov or phone 240-777-2192 by 6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 24.
PARTNER NEWS
140 New Speed Cameras, 76 Red-Light Cameras to Be Installed in Montgomery County
Montgomery County will add 140 new speed cameras and 76 red-light cameras, with installation beginning in October at locations identified through traffic safety data. The expansion is a joint effort by the county’s Vision Zero initiative and the Montgomery County Police Department and aims to reduce crashes and save lives, building on previous efforts that have already contributed to an 11% drop in serious and fatal collisions.
The news comes on the heels of the state of Maryland rolling out a new fine structure for speed camera violations on Tuesday, Oct. 1, replacing the long-standing flat fee of $40 for drivers caught traveling 12 miles per hour or more above the posted speed limit.
Portion of Sligo Creek Parkway is Closed for Purple Line Construction
Montgomery Parks temporarily closed Sligo Creek Parkway, between Piney Branch Road and Wayne Avenue on Sept. 22, for approximately two months. The closure will allow for the construction of the future Maryland Transit Administration’s (MTA) Purple Line light rail project.
During this time, the Purple Line Transit Partners will lay light rail tracks and reconfigure the intersection with the parkway, while Montgomery Parks incorporates other roadway improvements, including culvert replacements, traffic calming, signage, and guardrail repairs.
During the construction, signs will detour vehicular traffic and pedestrians around the work zones. Full construction updates are available at this link.
The Sligo Creek Trail will remain open during construction; please use caution and follow detour signage through the work areas. Visit Montgomery Parks’ website for updates on timing.
Montgomery Parks Begins Construction on Little Falls Parkway in Bethesda
Montgomery Parks will remove the plastic bollards and orange barriers along a 0.4 mile stretch of Little Falls Parkway in Bethesda to make way for construction of a project that aims to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians who use the parkway. Project completion is expected in early December.
The project will remove two of the four vehicular lanes between Arlington Road to Dorset Avenue. The project includes installing traffic-calming measures and adding a buffered bike lane, shared-use path among other improvements.
For details view the Montgomery County Parks Department news release.
Metro Seeks Public Feedback on Proposed Changes to Twinbrook Metrorail Station on Thursday, Oct. 16
Metro is proposing changes to Twinbrook Station's transit facilities to enable joint development, create a transit plaza, and increase ridership. The proposed changes include removing the 164-space Park & Ride surface lot and relocating the bus loop and Kiss & Ride facilities on the west side of the site to accommodate future development.
View Metro’s press release for more information.
For information on MCDOT programs and services, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on X, Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook and subscribe to receive the latest MCDOT news by phone or email.
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