Go Montgomery - February 14, 2017

Ride On to Hold Public Forums in March on Proposed Spring Service Changes The public is invited to provide input on proposed Ride On service changes for Clarksburg and mid-County that will begin in May. Comments may be made either in person at three public forums or in writing. Read more. M-NCPPC to Hold Public Meeting on Veirs Mill Corridor Master Plan, Wheaton to Rockville The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is launching the Veirs Mill Corridor Master Plan at a public meeting to be held on Wednesday, February 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. Residents and stakeholders are invited to participate. Read more. Emergency Preparedness in Your Community The County's Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security will be making presentations at library branches throughout the County on preparing for disasters. Read more. Learn More About Transportation Options for Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities A handy transportation resources fact sheet provides information on options available for older adults and those with disabilities: View fact sheet. Participate in a Live, Online Discussion with County Executive Ike Leggett County Executive Ike Leggett will hold a live, online discussion on Tuesday, February 21, from 1 to 2 p.m. Residents are invited to submit questions in advance or during the chat or follow the discussion online.    February 14, 2017 Applicants Needed for: Greater Shady Grove Transportation Management District Advisory Committee Read more. Taxicab Services Commission Read more. Ride On to Participate in Seniors Workshop in Gaithersburg on February 21 The public is invited to attend a Seniors Workshop in Gaithersburg where MCDOT will provide information about transportation options for seniors and persons with disabilities. Read more. Ride On is Hiring Ride On is hiring bus operators with excellent communications skills and the ability to serve the riding public and fellow employees with honesty and integrity. Learn more or apply online.

Go Montgomery is distributed by Montgomery County Government Department of Transportation.

Ride On to Hold Public Forums in March on Proposed Spring Service Changes

The public is invited to provide input on proposed Ride On service changes for Clarksburg and mid-County that will begin in May. Comments may be made either in person at three public forums or in writing. Read more.

Applicants Sought for Taxicab Services Commission

County Executive Isiah Leggett is seeking applicants to fill four vacancies on the Taxicab Services Commission. The deadline is February 24. The Commission conducts a review of the County taxicab industry for the County Executive and County Council.  Read more and apply online.

Applicants Sought for Greater Shady Grove Transportation Management District Advisory Committee

County Executive Isiah Leggett is seeking applicants to fill vacancies on the Greater Shady Grove Transportation Management District Advisory Committee (GSGTMDAC). The deadline to apply is February 27. The GSGTMDAC advises the County government on all aspects of programs, management and finances relating to the implementation of transportation demand management in the GSGTMD and vicinity. Read more and apply online. 

Ride On to Participate in Seniors Workshop in Gaithersburg on February 21

The public is invited to attend a Seniors Workshop in Gaithersburg on Tuesday, February 21 hosted by Congressman John Delaney that will feature a panel discussion with representatives from Montgomery County Department of Transportation's (MCDOT) Ride On, the U.S. Social Security Administration, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Montgomery County Office of Aging and Disability Services and the Maryland Insurance Administration. MCDOT will provide information about transportation options for seniors and persons with disabilities. Read more and register online.

M-NCPPC to Hold Public Meeting on Veirs Mill Corridor Master Plan, Wheaton to Rockville

The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is launching the Veirs Mill Corridor Master Plan at a public meeting to be held on Wednesday, February 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. Residents and stakeholders are invited to participate. Read more.

Emergency Preparedness in Your Community

The County's Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security will be making presentations at library branches throughout the County on preparing for disasters.  During the presentations, staff will discuss some of the major hazards that Montgomery County faces and some specific steps that residents can take to prepare, including developing a plan and creating an emergency kit.  The presentations are free but require registration. Register now. 

Learn More About Transportation Options for Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities

A handy transportation resources fact sheet provides information on options available for older adults and those with disabilities: View fact sheet.

Participate in a Live, Online Discussion with County Executive Ike Leggett

County Executive Ike Leggett will hold a live, online discussion on Tuesday, February 21, from 1 to 2 p.m. Residents are invited to submit questions in advance or during the chat or follow the discussion online.      

REMINDER: Two BRT Open Houses to be Held Next Week

Two open houses will be held February 7 and 8 so the public can learn more about the MD 355 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor Planning Study being conducted by the Maryland Department of Transportation, in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. Attendees will learn more about the BRT conceptual alternatives under study and provide their input about potential BRT service between Bethesda and Clarksburg (including along Observation Drive).
Read more.

MCDOT Working to Make White Flint Friendlier to Pedestrians and Bicyclists

At the request of the White Flint Downtown Advisory Committee, MCDOT recently installed a new, all-way stop at Marinelli Road and Citadel Avenue that has helped to improve pedestrian safety. Other Committee-requested improvements made by MCDOT include all-way stops at Old Georgetown Road and Nebel Street and at Marinelli Road and Nebel Street. Read more. 

MCDOT Expanding Bicycle Network in White Flint, North Bethesda, Grosvenor

MCDOT’s Division of Transportation Engineering continues to expand cycling options in White Flint, North Bethesda and Grosvenor as part of its commitment to support the transformation of these areas into more walkable and bikeable communities. Read more.

MCDOT to Begin Bridge Reconstruction and Roadway and Storm Drainage Improvement Projects

MCDOT’s Division of Transportation Engineering Construction will soon begin two projects: 

Replacement of the Pennyfield Lock Road Bridge and roadway and storm drainage improvements at Wapakoneta and Wehawken roads in Glen Echo Heights.

The Pennyfield Lock Road Bridge passes over a tributary of Muddy Branch. The bridge was built in 1930 and is a single concrete slab structure with one-14-foot-wide lane that carries two-way traffic. The replacement bridge will have one 12-foot traffic lane and two two-foot shoulders for a total width of sixteen feet to accommodate two bike lanes on the bridge. The bridge will be aligned west of the existing structure.

The existing bridge will remain open during construction, providing park access.

Follow the project’s progress on Twitter at #PennyfieldBridge.

Along Wapakoneta Road, the lack of a drainage system or roadside ditches affects 22 homes, causing severe residential flooding during rain storms, erosion to roadway shoulders and roadway flooding. In response to resident concerns, MCDOT will install curbs and gutters, a storm drain system and reconstruct the road, followed by pavement resurfacing.  Follow the project’s progress on Twitter at #WapakonetaRd.

Read the press release here.

Clarksburg Roadway, Sidewalk and Bikeway Projects to Improve Access and Mobility

A number of projects, both County funded and developer funded, will be improving transportation options in Clarksburg and MCDOT will be holding public meetings in March and April to familiarize the public with them. More details about the meetings will be available soon. Read more.

MTA Announces Closure of Elm Street in Bethesda

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) announced that PEPCO has begun relocating multiple underground duct banks, manholes, and underground vaults on Elm Street, as well as relocating duct banks along Wisconsin Avenue. During the relocation work, Elm Street will be closed to through traffic, but sidewalk access will be maintained. The PEPCO work will last approximately eight months. Read more.

Two Montgomery County Employers Honored as Best Workplaces for Commuters

Mobility Lab reported that Best Workplaces for Commuters, a program of the Center for Urban Transportation Research, has released its 2017 list of employers leading the way in Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs.  Two Montgomery County companies/agencies made the list: The Cadmus Group, Inc., in Bethesda and the Food and Drug Administration in White Oak. View the full list online.

SHA to Rehabilitate Seminary Road Bridge Over I-495 Starting This Summer

The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) will begin rehabilitation of a bridge on Seminary Road over I-495 in the summer of 2017. The project will take about a year to complete and will replace the riding surface and girders and strengthen the concrete supports to improve safety and mobility and reduce maintenance costs. The project is part of SHA’s Bridge System Preservation program. Read more.

U.S. DOT Releases New Standards to Measure Movement of People, Not Just Cars

(Article By Angie Schmitt, January 12, 2017, Streetsblog USA)

U.S. DOT has taken an important step by releasing new standards to guide how transportation agencies measure their performance. Advocates for transit and walkability say the policy is a significant improvement. Read more.

Ride On Appreciates Hearing from the Public

Getting input from the public about their experiences with Ride On helps MCDOT improve service. And, it's always great to hear what we are doing right. Ride On regularly gets compliments from residents. Read some of these compliments from the week of January 13.