Go Montgomeryy! May 24, 2018

MCDOT Installs County’s 83rd Bikeshare Station at Pike and Rose A 15-dock Capital Bikeshare Station was installed at Grand Park and Rose Avenue. Part of a nine-station network in the Pike District and Twinbrook, the station was funded by the developers of Pike and Rose. Learn more about station funding and Capital Bikeshare. MCDOT Launches Education Program About Innovative Pedestrian and Bikeway Infrastructure; Seeks Public Feedback Using a $60,000 2018 grant from the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board Transportation Land-Use Connections Program, MCDOT has developed educational materials to inform travelers about new, safety infrastructure in the County’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Priority Areas. The centerpiece is a new website, montgomerycountymd.gov/lookout. Read more.   Bike to Work Day a Great Success Despite the Rain On Bike to Work Day, MCDOT created Montgomery County’s first pop-up bike lane on Cheltenham Drive, Norfolk Avenue and Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Pop-up bike lanes are temporary, protected bike lanes that create a low stress biking environment. Read more.  View photos on Flickr. Dockless Bikeshare Ambassadors to Help Educate Users and Evaluate Program Beginning in the next couple weeks, dockless bikeshare ambassadors in specially-marked, aqua tee shirts will be in Silver Spring and Takoma Park conducting brief surveys and helping to answer questions about using or parking the bikes. Four companies, LimeBike, Mobike, Ofo and Spin, currently offer dockless bikes in the pilot project area.  Read more. MCDOT Wins TPB Grant to Develop Transit Plan for the Great Seneca Science Corridor MCDOT has been awarded a $60,000 Transportation Land-Use Connections Program grant by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board to prepare a short-range transit plan for a corridor not currently served by bus routes between the Shady Grove Metrorail Station and the Metropolitan Grove MARC Station. Read more. MCDOT Deputy Director for Transportation Policy Participates in The Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG) Walking Tour of White Flint MCDOT Deputy Director Chris Conklin joined a CSG-led walking tour that explored White Flint's rapidly developing strides in livability and walkability and reviewed MCDOT’s recent pedestrian and traffic safety improvements. Read more. Roshdieh and Conklin Visit Stone Mill Elementary School to View MCDOT Safety Improvements Requested by Students MCDOT Director Al Roshdieh and Deputy Director for Policy Chris Conklin visited a third-grade class at Stone Mill Elementary School in North Potomac after MCDOT made pedestrian and bicyclist safety improvements requested by the students. Read more. MCDOT Partners with Community Association to Upgrade Streetlights MCDOT recently completed a project to upgrade streetlights with energy saving fixtures in the Longmead Crossing community in Silver Spring. Read more.   Ride On Bus Operator Praised by Customer A passenger recently commended Ride On Bus Operator Sharri Austin for an outstanding job. She wrote: “………… I remain overwhelmed by the professionalism demonstrated by Ms. Austin, Montgomery County Transit (MCT) Driver, I am compelled to bring her outstanding service to your attention.” Read more. MCDOT Senior Planning Specialist Participates in Bethesda Green’s First Sustainability Series MCDOT Parking Management Division’s Benjamin Morgan was featured on a panel of experts who discussed electric vehicles (EV). MCDOT offers 12 conveniently located EV charging stations at County parking facilities in downtown Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton. View locations online. MCDOT Highway Services’ Staff Help Students Win Prize at KID Museum A team of four students recently won “Audience Favorite” and “Best Design Process” in a KID Museum Invent the Future Contest in which participants identify an environmental problem and solve it. The students invented a filter to prevent road salt from entering residential storm drains and created a prototype. The boys visited MCDOT’s salt storage dome to obtain road salt samples so they could test their invention and learned more about the County’s process for applying salt.  Leggett Seeks Applicants for Silver Spring Transportation Management District Advisory Committee County Executive Ike Leggett is seeking applicants to fill six vacancies on the Silver Spring Transportation Management District Advisory Committee for representatives from three large and three small businesses. Read more and apply online. SHA Seeks Comments on Proposals to Enhance Safety Along River Road The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) is seeking public input on a proposal to reduce the speed limit along River Road and improve safety at the Braeburn-Parkway intersection. Take the online survey by midnight, Monday, June 4.  Montgomery Parks to Hold Community Meeting on Capital Crescent Trail Crossing at Little Falls Parkway On Wednesday, June 13, Montgomery Parks will hold a community meeting to discuss proposed safety improvements and review conceptual trail crossing alternatives for the Capital Crescent Trail at the intersection of Little Falls Parkway. The meeting is planned for 7 p.m. at the Somerset Elementary School in Chevy Chase. Learn more. May 24, 2018 Updates on Paving Projects Watkins Mill Road Paving Project, Montgomery Village Strawberry Knoll Road Paving Project, Gaithersburg Fairland Road Patching Project, Silver Spring Parrs Ridge Subdivision Resurfacing, Spencerville Clarksburg and Bethesda Church Roads Patching, Damascus MCDOT in the Community MCDOT Works with Dale Drive Safety Coalition to Improve Pedestrian Safety ‏  At a recent Woodside Park community meeting, MCDOT staff presented a plan to improve pedestrian safety along Dale Drive that received the enthusiastic support of residents. Read more. Employers: FareShare Helps You Montgomery County's FareShare matching subsidy program helps County employers encourage their employees to use transit and vanpooling. FareShare matches the transit benefit offered by the employer up to a maximum of $50 a month per participating employee (up to $10,000 in one year to any one employer). Learn more. Pay By Cell Parking Now Even Easier MCDOT has added another Pay By Cell option. In addition to Mobile Now!, parkers can choose Parkmobile. Learn more online and view videos on using the apps.  Transit and Highway Provide Vehicles for Preschool Truck Day Har Shalom Early Childhood Center in Potomac held a Truck Day for 50 pre-school children, giving them the opportunity to touch and explore various trucks and vehicles, including a Ride On bus, snow plow and tree trimmer. MCDOT supports community Truck Day events throughout the year. Wheaton Revitalization News Update Project activities include installation of geothermal piping, and foundation and utility construction. View the project’s progress through an on-site camera. Installation of Conduits and Electrical Circuits Holiday Schedule for Memorial Day Transportation-related schedule changes for the Memorial Day Holiday, May 28, are listed below: Ride On – Sunday Schedule  Metrorail – Information available at www.wmata.com Metrobus – Information available at www.wmata.com TRiPS Commuter Store at Silver Spring Transit Center – Open TRiPS Mobile Commuter Store – Closed Parking at public garages, lots, curbside meters – Free

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

MCDOT Highway Services’ Staff Help Students Win Prize at Kid Museum

Gaithersburg East/Damascus Depot Supervisor Danny King and
Field Operations Section Chief Jeff Knutsen with Students at the Salt Dome

A team of four students recently won “Audience Favorite” and “Best Design Process” in a Kid Museum Invent the Future Contest in which participants identify an environmental problem and solve it. The students invented a filter to prevent road salt from entering residential storm drains and created a prototype. The boys visited MCDOT’s salt storage dome to obtain road salt samples so they could test their invention and learned more about the County’s process for applying salt.

(From left to right)
Theo Topolewski, Eastern Middle School, Michael DeWeaver, St. Anselm’s Abbey, Samuel Desai,
Eastern Middle School and Ryan Whittaker, Julius West Middle School

Roshdieh and Conklin Visit Stone Mill Elementary School to View MCDOT Safety Improvements Requested by Students

MCDOT Director Al Roshdieh and Deputy Director Chris Conklin Visit Mrs. Glaser's class

MCDOT Director Al Roshdieh and Deputy Director for Policy Chris Conklin visited a third-grade class at Stone Mill Elementary School in North Potomac after MCDOT made pedestrian and bicyclist safety improvements requested by the students. Read more.

Letter from Students to County Council

Pedestrian Refuge Island and Newly Installed ADA Ramps

MCDOT Launches Education Program About Innovative Pedestrian and Bikeway Infrastructure; Seeks Public Feedback

View of Bethesda Pit Stop and Portion of Pop Up Bike Lane

Using a $60,000 2018 grant from the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) Transportation Land-Use Connections (TLC) Program, MCDOT has developed educational materials to inform travelers about new, safety infrastructure in the County’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Priority Areas.  The centerpiece is a new website, montgomerycountymd.gov/lookout, that features an interactive graphic and videos with examples of the new infrastructure, and tips for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers. Read more.  View MCDOT's Flickr album for more photos.

Key MCDOT Staff in Developing Pop Up Bike Lane

Go Montgomery! May 9, 2018

MCDOT to Install County’s First Pop Up Bike Lane for Bike to Work Day MCDOT will be creating Montgomery County’s first pop-up bike lane on Bike to Work Day, May 18 in downtown Bethesda. Pop-up bike lanes are temporary, protected bike lanes that create a low stress biking environment. Read more.  MCDOT’s First All-Pedestrian Traffic Signal in Downtown Bethesda Halts Traffic in All Directions for Pedestrians To improve pedestrian and traffic safety along Arlington Road in Bethesda, MCDOT changed the traffic signals at Arlington Road and Bethesda Avenue to halt traffic in all directions, allowing pedestrians to cross all legs of the intersection at the same time.  The all-pedestrian signal change is part of a larger plan to make pedestrian and traffic safety improvements to the Arlington Road corridor. Read more.  Ride On Route Changes to Begin Sunday, May 13 Ride On will begin service improvements on select routes, including new service on US 29 and rerouting of the Route 2 during reconstruction of the Lyttonsville Place Bridge. Read more.  MCDOT’s GreenFest Booth a Popular Attraction at Annual Event Hundreds of people visited MCDOT’s booth at GreenFest to learn more about the department’s green initiatives. MCDOT Director Al Roshdieh was on hand to greet attendees. See photos on Flickr.  MCDOT Completes Roundabout to Improve Pedestrian Safety and Slow Traffic MCDOT’s Division of Highway Services recently completed an intersection improvement project at Bradmoor Drive and Roosevelt Street that included installation of a roundabout, new curbs and gutters and sidewalk modifications to ensure compliance with ADA standards. Read more.  MCDOT Transportation Demand Management Efforts Featured in Mobility Lab The May 4, 2018 article by Ethan Goffman features what MCDOT is doing to encourage use of transit, biking, walking and other forms of transportation that don’t rely on single-occupancy vehicles. Read full article.  Join Two, Guided Community Bike Rides Two upcoming community bike rides will be held this month in cooperation with the Washington Area Bicyclists Association(WABA) on May 12 in Silver Spring and May 31 in Bethesda. Read more. Ride On Passenger Commends Bus Operator Bus Operator Oralee Jackson was recently praised by a regular bus rider of Route 70 from Milestone to Medical Center for her outstanding service. Read more. Volunteers Paint Storm Drain Art Contest Winning Designs The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) sponsored a contest seeking storm drain designs that educate the public about the connection between storm drains, streams and the Chesapeake Bay. MCDOT partnered with DEP and other groups. Six winning designs were painted on storm drains in Wheaton. See photos on Flickr. Learn more about the annual contest. MCDOT Participates in Northwood High School Technology/Engineering Day On May 4, engineers from MCDOT’s Division of Transportation Engineering participated in an all-day event at Northwood High School to promote careers in technology and engineering. The four staff including three women, all work on the planning, design and construction of a wide range of County transportation projects.Read more.  MCDOT Begins Semi-Annual Cleaning of County Parking Garages MCDOT’s Division of Parking Management has begun its semi-annual washdown of all County-owned parking garages in Silver Spring, Bethesda and Wheaton. The interiors of the garages are washed and degreased, including beams and walls. The washings will occur on nights and weekends through mid-June.  Montgomery County’s Green Government Report Confirms Sustainable Operations are Strong Across County Departments MCDOT’s green transportation initiatives are cited in the Montgomery County Department of General Services' fiscal year 2017 report. The Montgomery County Green Government Report. Read more

May 9, 2018 Update on Upcoming Road and Bridge Repair Projects Southlawn Lane and East Gude Drive Road Paving Project, Rockville Springfield Subdivision Patching Project, Bethesda Beverly Farms Patching Project, Potomac Saddle Creek Subdivision Concrete Repair and Replacement Project, Burtonsville Bridge Rehabilitation on Barnes Road, Damascus  The existing bridge along Barnes Road will be closed for seven days on or about May 21 to repair the bridge deck and repave it.  Bring the Family to Highway Services’ TRUCK DAY Kids and grown up kids will have the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of MCDOT’s biggest pieces of equipment at Truck Day on Saturday, May 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Staff will demonstrate the use of front loaders, bucket trucks, paving machines and more. Walk inside the largest salt barn east of the Mississippi River and participate in other fun activities. Read more. Wheaton Revitalization Update  The three key activities on site this week remain installation of geothermal piping, construction of the building foundation and installation of utilities. More information on the Wheaton Revitalization Project is available online

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