Eyes Campaign and Shop With a Cop Promote Safety for Pedestrians, Drivers and Shoppers

The County has launched two public education campaigns to improve public safety that encourage residents to look out for each other during the busy holiday shopping season.  A new Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) pedestrian safety campaign features bus posters showing the eyes of two County students and the slogan, “Hey You, I’m Looking at You.”  The campaign focuses on the most important factors in reducing crashes: visibility of pedestrians and vigilance by drivers.  County Police also announced their “Shop with a Cop” campaign.  Police officers will patrol retail areas to provide extra security and remind shoppers to drive and walk safe -- especially in parking lots.

The “Eyes” campaign was developed by a group of Blair High School students and involved a contest conducted among students to have their eyes featured in the campaign materials.  The winning eyes remind pedestrians to establish eye contact with drivers, be visible and look both ways before crossing the street.  They also prompt drivers to look out for pedestrians.  

For more details about the programs and a list of pedestrian, driver and shopper safety tips, see the press release. For more information about pedestrian safety, go to the County’s website.

Visit MCDOT's New Pedestrian Safety Website

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has launched a redesigned pedestrian safety website that includes additional information on County pedestrian programs and services, progress on implementing the County Executive’s Pedestrian Safety Initiative and news items.  The site is also a resource for the Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, providing meeting packets, a membership roster and meeting summaries that can also be viewed by the general public.

Bethesda Woodmont Parking Lot Project Update

Construction work continues on a public-private partnership project that will more than triple the number of public parking spaces available on two surface parking lots in Bethesda (known as Lots 31 and 31A).  The lots are located at the intersection of Woodmont and Bethesda avenues. As of mid-November, about 50 percent of site excavation and shoring had been completed.

Woodmont Avenue, from Miller to Bethesda avenues, remains closed to traffic.  Only those with business on Miller Avenue or who live off Miller Avenue may enter northbound Woodmont at Wisconsin Avenue.

MCDOT Holds Annual Snow Summit

To make sure the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is prepared for winter weather, the Division of Highway Services (DHS) held its annual Snow Summit.  Kicked off by County Executive Ike Leggett, the summit brought together County crews and contractors to review snow removal strategies.  The  Division of Highway Services maintains nearly 5,000 lane miles of County roads.

The public is reminded to check DHS’ storm operations website map for information that may be needed during storm events, including road closures, snow plowing progress, access to traffic cameras, filing a service request, etc.

For more information, visit the Snow Emergency website.  

Starting in December, Ride On Customers Can Load Monthly Pass Onto SmarTrip® Cards

Ride On passengers will be able to load monthly passes onto their SmarTrip® cards, beginning with December’s pass.  The $45 monthly pass provides customers unlimited rides on Montgomery County Ride On buses for an entire calendar month.  Paper passes are being phased out and will no longer be available after January 31, 2013.  Passengers will continue to have the option of paying fares with cash.

Monthly passes can be loaded onto SmarTrip® cards either in person or online.  When adding value online, customers have the option of purchasing monthly passes automatically.  The automatic monthly pass value is then added to a purchaser’s card seven days before the end of every month. 

Customers who prefer to add the monthly pass value to a SmarTrip® card in person, may do so at the following locations:

• TRiPS Commuter Store: 8413 Ramsey Avenue, Silver Spring (Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
• TRiPS Commuter Store: 17 Wisconsin Circle, Friendship Heights (Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
• Montgomery County Division of Treasury: 255 Rockville Pike, L-15, Rockville, (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
• Retailers, including some Giant Food and CVS Pharmacy stores in Montgomery County.  A full list of participating retail outlets is available online.  

Passes for two consecutive months may be loaded onto a SmarTrip® card at one time.  Customers should be aware that, once purchased, the two-month period for which the pass is active cannot be changed. 

Ride On passengers with monthly passes who use the express Route #70 will be charged an additional $2.05 for each trip, which will automatically be deducted from their SmarTrip® card upon boarding the bus.

A monthly pass purchased the 1^st through the 15^th of any month is active for the month in which it was purchased.  If the pass is purchased the 16^th through the end of the month, the pass will be valid for the following month. 

SmarTrip® card users are encouraged to register their SmarTrip® card online, so that the stored value won’t be lost if the card is misplaced. Customers can manage SmarTrip® information online, including viewing their card balance and usage history, adding multiple cards to their account, reporting a lost card, requesting a replacement card or transferring the balance to another registered card.

The Ride On monthly pass represents a 43 percent savings over paying cash fares on regular Ride On routes. Information about the SmarTrip® card is available online.  Ride On information is available on the County’s website or by calling 311, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 301-251-4850 TTY, or 240-777-0311 (from outside the County).  

Leaf Vacuuming Collection Continues Through Mid-December

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation Division of Highway Services (DHS) is conducting its annual vacuum collection of leaves in the southern part of the County now through mid-December. DHS will make two collections on every street in the vacuum leaf collection district during the fall.

Residents should look for signs posted along the streets announcing the collection dates in their neighborhoods. Green signs indicate the first collection, and red signs indicate the second and final collection.

The leaf vacuum collection district is bounded by I-495, I-270, the Rockville City limits, Norbeck, Bel Pre and Bonifant roads, Northwest Branch Park, and the District of Columbia and Prince George's County lines.

Leaves should be placed in piles or containers on the grass or behind the curb. Placing leaves in streets or alleys can disrupt traffic and surface drainage, hamper snow removal operations or pose a fire hazard to automobiles parked over them.

Collections are restricted to leaves only. Tree debris, sticks, branches or coarse garden debris should be placed in containers or tied in bundles not more than four feet long and placed where household trash is regularly picked up.

Residents who miss the two scheduled vacuum collections can still have their leaves collected by placing them in paper yard waste bags or reusable containers for pick up on their regular yard waste collection day. Leaves placed in plastic bags will not be accepted.

DHS reminds residents that although every effort is made to maintain the posted schedules, weather and equipment issues can affect the timing.

For more information, or to determine if a residence is within the boundaries of the leaf vacuum collection district, call 311, or go to the Department of Transportation’s website.

Metro Offers Enhances SmarTrip® Card

Metro now offers a $3 rebate to purchasers of the plastic, rechargeable SmarTrip® fare card.  The cards still costs $5, but a $3 credit is refunded to the card five days after its first use.  SmarTrip® online registration protects a rider’s balance if the card is lost or stolen and allows customers to add value to the card on the internet.

Riders are encouraged to take advantage of the discount offers available when using SmarTrip®.  For example, save 20-cents a ride, get free bus-to-bus transfers, and a 50-cent discount when transferring from bus to rail. 

Metro has added SmarTrip® card vending machines at all Metrorail stations.

To purchase a SmarTrip® card, go to Metro’s website. 

MCDOT Responds to Hurricane Sandy

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) was an integral part of the County’s storm response effort during Hurricane Sandy.  Staff served in the Emergency Operations Center, and the Division of Highway Services (DHS) kept their Storm Operations Center open throughout the emergency to coordinate responses to fallen trees flooding and other issues.  

Prior to the storm, DHS mobilized 20 tree crews and ramped up contractual resources to deal with damage and clean up.  

To help the public during the storm, MCDOT eliminated parking fees for County parking garages, lots and on-street meters for two days. 

DHS used their Storm Operations Map to provide information on closed roads.  The map was initially designed to show plowing progress during snow storms and now has been expanded for use year round.  View the map at DHS’ website. 

As winter approaches and with it, the threat of snow storms, MCDOT urges residents to prepare by removing leaves and debris from gutters, storm drain inlets and catch basins so rainwater or snow melt can easily flow, reducing possible flooding.

Should there be additional power outages at traffic signals, motorists are reminded that a new State law requires a driver approaching a non-functioning traffic signal to treat the intersection as a four-way stop and yield to any vehicle or pedestrian in the intersection. Violations of the new law carry a fine of $90 and two points if the offense does not contribute to an accident.  If the violation contributes to a collision, the fine is $130 and three points.

MC311 operated continuously during the worst part of the storm. Residents needing information are reminded to contact MC311 by calling 311 (TTY, call 301-251-4850) Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or visit MC311’s website

County Leaf Collection has Started; Continues Through Mid-December

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation Division of Highway Services (DHS) is conducting its annual vacuum collection of leaves in the southern part of the County now through mid-December. DHS will make two collections on every street in the vacuum leaf collection district during the fall.

Residents should look for signs posted along the streets announcing the collection dates in their neighborhoods. Green signs indicate the first collection, and red signs indicate the second and final collection.

The leaf vacuum collection district is bounded by I-495, I-270, the Rockville City limits, Norbeck, Bel Pre and Bonifant roads, Northwest Branch Park, and the District of Columbia and Prince George's County lines.

Leaves should be placed in piles or containers on the grass or behind the curb. Placing leaves in streets or alleys can disrupt traffic and surface drainage, hamper snow removal operations or pose a fire hazard to automobiles parked over them.

Collections are restricted to leaves only. Tree debris, sticks, branches or coarse garden debris should be placed in containers or tied in bundles not more than four feet long and placed where household trash is regularly picked up.

Residents who miss the two scheduled vacuum collections can still have their leaves collected by placing them in paper yard waste bags or reusable containers for pick up on their regular yard waste collection day. Leaves placed in plastic bags will not be accepted.

DHS reminds residents that although every effort is made to maintain the posted schedules, weather and equipment issues can affect the timing.

For more information, or to determine if a residence is within the boundaries of the leaf vacuum collection district, call 311, or go to the Department of Transportation’s website.

Walk to School Day a Big Success This Year

Montgomery County’s Department of Transportation Director Art Holmes recently joined parents, teachers, and children around the world to celebrate International Walk to School Day at the Dr. Charles Drew Elementary School in Silver Spring. He was joined by Councilmembers Valerie Ervin and Craig Rice, and other dignitaries  The annual event promotes safer streets, healthier lifestyles, and cleaner air. More than 40 schools across the County celebrated the day with various activities.

Supporters of the event included AAA Mid-Atlantic, Federal Express, Clif Kid, the Maryland Highway Safety Office, and various County agencies.

Montgomery County is upgrading safety at schools, thanks in part to the federal Safe Routes to School program created in 2005.  The program provides funding that communities can use to retrofit roads and create sidewalks and bike paths that allow children to safely walk or bike to school.  Funding also supports enforcement and education campaigns.  For more pedestrian safety information, visit the County’s website.

Forest Glen Gets Rehabilitated Streets and “Green Streets” Projects to Control and Treat Stormwater

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett announced that the rehabilitation of 17 lane miles of roads in three neighborhoods in Forest Glen has been completed through a program that is taking a more systematic and comprehensive approach to maintaining the County’s transportation infrastructure.

Most of the roads in Forest Glen targeted for reconstruction were in very poor condition. MCDOT removed and replaced deteriorated curbs and gutters, as needed, ground up the old roadway surface, further evaluated the road substructure for damage, patched where needed, and reconstructed the roads with hot mix asphalt.

The Forest Glen neighborhood is comprised of three Homeowners Associations: Forest Estates, Forest Grove and Northmont. The multi-year project proved to be an ideal time for the County’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to also make improvements in Forest Estates.  Through its Green Streets initiative, localized stormwater management features were incorporated into the County’s right-of-way. The components included rain gardens, bioretention gardens, and grass bioswales that channel runoff from paved surfaces to permeable soils, gravel and plants,  thus reducing pollution and improving stream water quality. The project is $1.00.  Each additional hour is $2.50. 

Visitors to County’s Rockville Offices can Now Pay to Park with Credit Card

Visitors to the Executive Office Building at 101 Monroe Street, the Council Office Building (COB) at 100 Maryland Avenue, or other County offices in downtown Rockville now can use credit cards -- in addition to cash -- to pay for parking.  Visitor parking is free in the COB garage , accessible from either Jefferson or Monroe streets.

The cashier at the garage will now accept your credit card and swipe it.  Penn Parking manages this garage under a contract with the Department of Transportation’s Parking Management Division.

Visitor parking is available for a fee between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.  The first hour is $1.00; each additional hour, $2.50.

The Jury lot on the corner of Jefferson and Monroe streets, across from the visitor garage, is reserved by County Security patrols for Circuit Court jurors until 9:30 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and sometimes, Thursdays.  After 9:30 a.m., parking in the lot is free.

For information on parking options in County parking lot districts, visit the Division of Parking Management’s website or call 311 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; TTY: 301-251-4850. 

Car Sharing Now Available in Montgomery County

Two car sharing companies, Zipcar and Hertz on Demand, have recently expanded the availability of their cars in Montgomery County following a competitive bid process.   Twenty-six vehicles are now available at 13 locations in Bethesda, Silver Spring, Wheaton, Montgomery Hills, and North Bethesda.

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation provided public parking spaces for car sharing vehicles, and the companies are paying established parking rates for use of the County parking spaces.

The following new car share locations are prominently marked by signs:

Zipcar

• Metropolitan Garage, 7601 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda

• Bethesda Avenue between Woodmont Avenue and Arlington Road, Bethesda

• Cordell Avenue between Woodmont Avenue and Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda

• Ellsworth Drive between Fenton Street and Veterans Place, Silver Spring

• Fenton Street between Colesville Road and Cameron Street, Silver Spring

• Cameron Street between Georgia Avenue and Fenton Street, Silver Spring

• Wheaton Market Place Lot, 11219 Grandview Avenue, Wheaton

• Parking Lot, Seminary Road and Sutton Place, 1920 Seminary Road, Montgomery Hills

• Executive Boulevard between Rockville Pike and Woodglen Drive, North Bethesda

Hertz On Demand

• Metropolitan Garage, 7601 Woodmont Avenue Bethesda

• Middleton Lane Parking Lot, 4538 Middleton Lane, Bethesda

• Bonifant/Dixon Garage, Silver Spring

• Fenton Street between Wayne Avenue and Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring

More information on using car share vehicles is available from Hertz and Zipcar.  For more information on the County’s programs promoting alternatives to driving alone – including car sharing – visit Commuter Services’ website or call Commuter Services at (240) 777-8380

Chinese Delegation Gets Advice from MCDOT

An 11-person delegation from the Tianjin Highway Administration, a northern Chinese city of 13 million people, recently visited the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) – the fifth such delegation MCDOT has hosted.  The group was interested in road and bridge construction, traffic safety, and maintenance.

The visitors heard about the Engineering Division’s new approaches to bridge replacements, using prefabricated components.  They learned about the Traffic Division’s Transportation Management Center and the recently completed signal modernization program.  Finally, Highway Services staff described their innovative use of GPS devices to guide snow removal crews through their routes. 

The visitors also toured the Bethesda Highway Depot and the Materials Testing Lab,    the only state-certified, County-run facility that tests concrete or asphalt used in road construction.  

Intercounty Connector Bike and Pedestrian Path Information Available

Information and maps about bicycle and pedestrian paths near the Intercounty Connector (ICC)/MD 200 are now available on the ICC’s project website.

Montgomery and Prince George’s counties are still developing some segments of the bicycle/pedestrian plan.  Once the plan is completed, cyclists will be able to bike on the ICC bicycle/pedestrian route from the Shady Grove Metrorail station to the Muirkirk Commuter Rail Station. 

MCDOT Has First Team Honored by Rewarding Excellence

Montgomery County’s Rewarding Excellence program rewards employees who develop cost-saving proposals in the workplace.

A team with the Department of Transportation’s (MCDOT) Sign Shop is the first to complete a project   The team, called the “Scrap Metal Optimization” group, saved the County $16,000 in the first year the money-saving idea was put in place.  The initiative separates scrap metal from aluminum in MCDOT’s Sign Shop and sells the valuable aluminum to a salvage company.

The first year’s savings were shared between the 36 members of the implementation team and the County on a 50/50 basis.  County Executive Ike Leggett personally congratulated team members and presented each with a check for $229.

An article about gainsharing in the August edition of Governing magazine stated that many governments eliminate such programs in tight times when the programs are needed the most.  However, Montgomery County has made every effort to support the Rewarding Excellence program by collaborating with the employees’ union and partnering with employees to identify ways to become more efficient.

Bethesda Named a “Bicycle Friendly Community” by League of American Bicyclists

Bethesda has been named by the League of American Bicyclists as a “Bicycle Friendly Community.”  Rockville is also on the list, and Maryland ranks as the League’s eighth most bicycle-friendly state in the U.S.

The League’s Bicycle-Friendly Community program recognized Bethesda at the bronze award level, citing the community’s bicycling promotion, education programs, infrastructure and pro-bicycling policies.

Bethesda has seen a significant increase in the number of employees who bike to work regularly, according to Montgomery County’s Annual Commuter Survey. It also had the third-highest attendance at the regional Bike to Work Day celebration this past May.

Visit the League’s website to learn more about Bicycle Friendly Communities.