Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Go Montgomery! December 31, 2019


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Silver Spring Transit Center Bus Stop Location and Schedule Changes Begin Jan. 5  

Purple Line construction will impact the following Ride On bus routes in and outside the Paul Sarbanes Transit Center for the next several months. Learn more. 

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MCDOT Activates HAWK Beacon in Bethesda  

MCDOT continues efforts to enhance pedestrian safety by activating the newest high intensity activated crosswalk (HAWK) beacon where Tuckerman Lane is crossed by the Bethesda Trolley Trail. The beacon flashes yellow when a pedestrian presses the signal button, then turns solid yellow and finally red to stop oncoming traffic; pedestrians are then given a walk signal. Learn more. 

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MCDOT Wins Award of Excellence for Region's First Protected Intersection 

The Second/Wayne Avenue Cycletrack in Silver Spring has won an Engineering Excellence Award from ACEC/MW. The project included the State's first protected intersection, a two-way separated bike lane, a floating bus stop, and the County's first bicycle traffic signal and bikeometer. Learn more about this project and award. 

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Fenton Village Bike and Pedestrian Projects Community Meeting to be Held Jan. 21

MCDOT will host a public meeting to brief the community on and receive feedback about several bicyclist and pedestrian and safety improvement projects in the Fenton Village and downtown Silver Spring areas. The projects to be discussed are:
  • Fenton Street / MD 410 Intersection
  • RedesignGrove Street
     Neighborhood Greenway Pilot
  • Fenton Street Bikeway Study

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Orientation and Mobility Assistance to be Offered to Visually Impaired Customers of Silver Spring Transit Center  

Orientation and Mobility specialists will offer appropriate guidance for navigating the temporary bus and pedestrian changes around the Silver Spring Transit Center on January 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meet at the Silver Spring Metro Station, south entrance in downtown Silver Spring. RSVP to Marybeth Cleveland, O&M Specialist at mbcleveland@fastmail.net, subject line JANUARY 11 or call 301-412-4224. For a few days before and after January 11, additional County staff will be stationed around the Silver Spring Transit Center/Metro Station to help direct people to the locations of the temporary bus stops.  

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MCDOT to Hold Public Hearing About Proposed Sidewalk on Jones Lane in Darnestown, Jan. 22

MCDOT invites the public to provide comments concerning construction of a sidewalk proposed to facilitate safer travel on Jones Lane in Darnestown.  The hearing will start at 7 p.m. in the Jones Lane Elementary School located at 5110 Jones Lane, Darnestown. 

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MCDOT's Purple Line Coordinator Interviewed on Montgomery Al Dia

Maricela Cordova, MCDOT's Purple Line Coordinator, was interviewed on Montgomery Al Dia about upcoming community impacts resulting from the Purple Line construction.  Montgomery al Dia's is the County's Spanish 'live' radio show on Radio América 900 AM. See interview conducted in English and Spanish.

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Update on Pedestrian Master Plan 

Earlier in December, staff updated the Montgomery County Planning Department on the Pedestrian Master Plan, a comprehensive project to improve pedestrian safety and comfort across Montgomery County, making it safer and walkable for pedestrians of every age and ability. [See the December 19 staff report.] The update included a summary of community outreach and education efforts. Residents are invited to comment on the Pedestrian Level of Comfort Map, which allows community members to visualize the varying comfort of the county's sidewalks, pathways, trails and street crossings for pedestrians. 

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Alderton Road to Temporarily Close During Storm Drain Construction 

MCDOT will be excavating replacing a storm drain culvert along Alderton Road in Silver Spring, beginning in early January 2020 for about three months. Construction work will occur between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. 

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Montgomery County Native Inspires Funding for State Bike Projects 

(December 20, 2019 by Kate Masters) 
Longtime cycling advocate and Montgomery County native Kim Lamphier wasn’t alive to see more funding awarded to bike trails across the state. But friends say she would be gratified by a December 20 announcement from Gov. Larry Hogan, who pledged $3.8 million to the state’s Bikeways Network Program for the next two years. Read the Bethesda Beat article. 

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MCDOT’s US 29 Flash Bus Rapid Transit Project Featured on WAMU 

(December 20 by Jordan Pascale) 
In an online article, “Five D.C.-Area Transportation Projects To Watch For In 2020”, MCDOT’s plans to have buses arrive every 7.5 minutes during peak rush hours and 15 minutes otherwise along the Route 29 corridor. The service will run from 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. every day, providing a critical, reliable transit link. Follow @Flash_BRT on twitter or visit www.ridetheflash.com to learn more.

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Ensure Your E-ZPass Transponder is Mounted Properly

Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) tweeted last week, asking riders to make sure their transponders are mounted correctly, otherwise it may not work.
Learn more.

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Share Now (Car2Go) Will Only be Available Through the End of February

Starting February 29, Share Now, the car-sharing service, will no longer be available in North America. The company will be pulling back its service to focus on 18 European cities. Read the Washington Business Journal article.

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SmarTrip App Coming Soon to Apple

Metro's long awaited mobile payment system app is coming to iPhone and Apple Watch next year. Riders will be able to use a virutal SMarTrip card stored in their Apple Wallet to tap in at fare gates and load value through their phones. More announcements to come! Read the Washington Post article.

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Ten Safety Tips for Driving at Night From AutomotiveFleet.com

An estimated 90 percent of all driver decisions are based on what the driver can see. Yet at night, one's vision is compromised, which may account for the fact that approximately 40 percent of all fatal motor vehicle accidents occur at night. Now is a good time to take steps to ensure your safety when driving at night. See 10 tips. 

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SuperShuttle Ceases Operations to Reagan National and Dulles International Airports

SuperShuttle, the service that ferries travelers to and from airports across the country, stopped serving Dulles International and Reagan National last Sunday, amid reports that the company is shutting down operations entirely at the end of the year. Read the Washington Post article.

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December 31, 2019


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Transportation-Related Schedule Changes for  New Year's Day

  • County Offices - Closed.
  • Ride On - Operates on a Sunday schedule. 
  • Ride On Flex - Does not operate.
  • Commuter Stores - Closed.
View more schedule changes.

soberridenewyear

Don't Drink and Drive this Holiday Season, Use SoberRide For Free!

Why risk driving impaired on New Year’s Eve when there’s an option for a free ride home for up to $15? The Washington Regional Alcohol Program - WRAP - is offering its Holiday SoberRide® program, in partnership with Lyft, nightly from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. through January 1, 2020. Learn more.

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Metrorail Service Will Stay Open Later on New Year's Eve

Riders will be able to take Metro until 2 a.m. on New Year's Eve, but the system will open late on New Year's Day. Learn more at wmata.com.

nowhiring

Work with us! MCDOT is hiring for the following positions:

  • Manager III - Transit (applications due 1/2/20)
  • Program Specialist I – Transit Communications (applications due 1/3/20)
  • Senior Transit Information Systems Technician (applications due 1/7/20)
  • Engineer III/II/I - Traffic (applications due 1/8/20)
  • Capital Projects Manager – Parking (applications due 2/14/20)
  • Transportation Systems Technician I/II/III (applications open until filled)
Go to MCG Careers to learn more.

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MCDOT Partners With AAA on Promoting Safety

The Safe Routes to School team partnered with AAA's talking robotic car "Otto the Auto" to educate students at Travilah Elementary School about pedestrian and bike safety and distribute safety reading materials and reflective bags. 

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Online Interactive Bike Map Helps You Get Around

Did you get a new bike over the holidays? Looking for places to ride in Montgomery County? Check out MCDOT's interactive BIKE MAP online.

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Bike, Ride or Walk - Be Safe, Be Aware!

There may be fewer bikes on our roadways during cold weather, but it's still important to remember to allow at least 3 feet when passing a cyclist. Bicyclists most follow all the rules of the road when riding in traffic. Be on the lookout for one another and read these tips for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers.

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Go Montgomery's Snow Edition Now Available!

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MCDOT Hosts VR Safety Challenge at Westfield Wheaton Mall

On Dec.14, educational safety materials and giveaways were distributed to over 2,000 shoppers, who had a chance to participate in an interactive, virtual reality experience, where participants encounter multiple traffic scenarios and learn ways to reduce injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists.

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Try Ride On Flex 

If you haven’t already, try Flex, Ride On’s first on-demand service. Download the free Ride On Flex app and use it to request weekday rides in the Glenmont/Wheaton and Rockville areas. Learn more at www.rideonflex.com.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Go Montgomery! Special Snow Edition

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Five One-Minute Videos Answer the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Snow Removal

Check out these informative videos that contain key information about what to expect during snow storms:  

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MCDOT to Enhance Sustainable Salt Practices During Snow Removal

MCDOT will be using new environmental controls to better balance salt use during snow removal operations this winter. Learn more.

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When Snow or Ice is Predicted, MCDOT Springs into Action

MCDOT has 200 Highway Services employees and 175 pieces of equipment to handle snow operations. If more resources are needed, contractors can be called upon to immediately provide hundreds of pieces of additional equipment and plow operators. Learn more about how MCDOT tackles winter storms and read FAQ's.
Before snow MCDOT will pre-treat primary and arterial roads with salt brine or salt depending on the storm profile. This helps us get ahead of the storm. Generally, plowing operations do not begin until at least three inches of snow have accumulated on the road. This helps protect both the road surface and the plow blades. Plowing operations focus on primary, arterial & emergency roads first before shifting into residential communities. Plowing operations are aimed at making the roads passable. Depending on how much snow falls, it may take several days before a plow can reach every street. MCDOT crews also clear sixty miles of sidewalks on County right-of-ways, and three miles of bike paths and trails. Residents are responsible for shoveling their own sidewalks.

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Who Plows My Street?

MCDOT is responsible for clearing snow from 5,200 lane miles of County-maintained roads – but this doesn’t include every road in the County. Read more, or visit the County's Snow Portal to find out who plows your street.  Here are other agencies that also handle snow removal:
Montgomery Parks clears snow on roads, bridges and trails inside local parks.
Montgomery County Public Schools are responsible for sidewalks and parking lots on school property.
WMATA is responsible for metro stations and parking lots. 
Maryland State Highway Administration (MSHA) is responsible for roads that contain a number (exp; MD355, RT27).
Report issues online or call 800-543-2515 or 410-582-5650.

rideonsnow

Ride On "S" (Storm) Service Plan

When severe weather or emergencies are expected to disrupt Ride On bus service on weekdays, Ride On has the option of operating under its “S” or Storm Service Plan (English) (Spanish). Check for Ride On service interruptions. Here are Ride On bus routes that serve metrorail stations.
Ride On contractors clear nearly 800 bus stops and work to keep transit centers clear of snow and ice. Follow Ride On on twitter @RideOnMCT for real-time service announcements related to weather.

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Information on Snow Emergency Routes

Both the State of Maryland and Montgomery County have designated certain roads as Snow Emergency Routes, prominently marked with red and white signs. When the
State and/or County initiates its snow emergency plan, it is illegal to park on these designated roads. Vehicles found blocking snow routes during an emergency may be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense. State and County snow emergency plans may not be put into effect simultaneously, so pay special attention to news broadcasts when announcements are made. Watch this video to learn more.

parkingsidewalksnow

During Snowstorms, When is Parking Free in County Garages?

During a County Executive-declared snow emergency in Montgomery County, the MCDOT Director may announce that parking is free in County-owned garages and lots for residents to use for the duration of the snow emergency. This helps to get cars off the roads helping plowing operations and overall safety. Normal rates for on-street meters will still be in affect for non-snow emergency roadways. Real-time storm-related parking information will be posted on twitter.

stormapp

S.T.O.R.M App Offers New Features for Drivers

The Maryland State Highway Administration added new features to its Statewide Transportation Operations Response Map (S.T.OR.M) app this year, available on computers and mobile devices. This web-based app shows the location and status of snow removal equipment across the state and, as part of the new features, drivers can now check the direction of where the plow trucks are heading and check the state's traffic cameras to have a better idea of the road conditions. Read the article and try out the S.T.O.R.M. App now.

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Do You Know the Difference Between a Winter Weather Advisory, Watch or Warning?

Check the National Weather Service website for definitions about the difference between these and other weather-related advisories.

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Clearing Sidewalks of Snow and Ice - If You Own Property, It's Your Responsibility

Clearing sidewalks within 24 hours after the end of a snowstorm is a civic responsibility that keeps our communities and neighbors safe – and it’s the law. Property owners are required to clear sidewalks in front of, and alongside, their properties. Be a good neighbor by clearing the sidewalks in front of your house and assisting those in your neighborhood who may need help. Read more. 
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www.montgomerycountymd.gov/safesidewalks


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DECEMBER 18, 2019


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SIGN UP to receive the latest MCDOT News! 
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Follow us on twitter @MCDOTNow for real-time storm preparation and road conditions.

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Get Updates from the MCDOT SNOW PORTAL

This handy, online website provides information on the latest delays and closings, the status of plowing in your neighborhood, get up-to-date snow-related information and submit a service request. 

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Winter Safety Tips


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With Hypothermia Alerts Last Week, Montgomery County Provides Cold Weather Information 

Wear layers if you go outside and take extra precautions if you spend significant time outdoors. Learn more.

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WHO TO CALL

Call 311 (or 240-777-0311 if outside the County) for information/status of County programs and services, to report unshoveled sidewalks, down trees and any other issue or visit 311 online at:
montgomerycountymd.gov/311 
UTILITIESFirst Energy/Potomac Edison: 1-888-544-4877 BG&E: 1-800-685-0123 PEPCO: 1-877-737-2662 Downed Wires “Hot” or sparking call: 911
POLICEEmergency: 911
Non-Emergency: 301-279-8000
SCHOOLS/MCPSCall: 240-740-3000
Spanish Hotline: 240-740-2845 (Línea Informativa en Español) or email:
ASKMCPS@mcpsmd.org
COUNTY SERVICESFollow snow removal progress on Facebook or Twitter.
Library Branch Opening and Closing Status: 240-777-6500.
Recycling and Trash Collections - for updated information about the collection schedule during snow storms, sign up for email or text updates, or follow Solid Waste on Twitter.
WMATA (Metro Services) call
202-637-7000 or follow on Twitter.
CABLE TV / SOCIAL MEDIACounty Cable Montgomery, Channel 6 for RCN Comcast subscribers and Channel 30 for Verizon subscribers, provide continuous updates on roadway conditions and transit services. 

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Don't forget to check MCDOT's
SNOW PORTAL or WEBSITE
for special announcements.

alertmontgomery
Sign up for Montgomery County Alert Montgomery to receive emergency information, event updates, warnings and instructions directly to your email or device.