Go Montgomery! August 30, 2019

School Starts Tuesday. Stay Alert and Stay Safe! The start of school means increased traffic, fewer hours of daylight and more buses on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers tips for parents, students, drivers, walkers and bikers to make this school season a safe one. Organize a Walking School Bus to Promote Fitness With one adult escort, walking school buses are a fun way to get kids to school safely while promoting healthy exercise. Read more. MCDOT Opens Rebuilt Goldmine Road Bridge Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, Congressman John Sarbanes and MCDOT Director Al Roshdieh joined Brookeville residents and community leaders to dedicate a new bridge on Gold Mine Road over the Hawlings River that expands traffic flow from one to two lanes, improves pedestrian and bicycle safety and alleviates conditions that led to bridge flooding several times a year following heavy rains. Read more. Ride On Recognized with Fleet of the Year Award Ride On is pleased to accepted the award for “Transit Fleet of the Year” from the Greater Washington Region Clean City Coalition.  The award recognizes Ride On’s commitment to clean transportation in its operation of 125 compressed natural gas (CNG) and 68 hybrid buses.  Collectively, these 193 buses displaced almost 1.15 million gallons of gasoline in 2018 and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 3,800 tons. Read more. Drivers – Stay Alert and Save a Life “Pedestrian safety is at the front of our minds, as always. Urban centers like Bethesda simply don't work if people can't walk—safely. We're redoubling our efforts with Maryland State Highway Administration and Montgomery County Department of Transportation to implement solutions at problem spots. Nothing we do, however, can succeed unless drivers are alert. Drivers must be full participants in the walkable, vibrant urban center we all want. Next time you are in your car, put down the phone and be alert for pedestrians and cyclists. An email isn't worth your neighbor's life.” —Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Service Center Director Ken Hartman, August 21 newsletter White Flint West Project Update White Flint is getting a makeover through new construction and reconstruction of highways and arterial roads, including intersections, that will result in a more walkable, bikeable community. Utility infrastructure relocation and construction continues and this portion of the project is expected to be completed this summer. Read more. Changes Coming to Several Bethesda Garages Beginning Monday, September 9, MCDOT will begin replacing parking meters with centralized pay stations in the Woodmont-Rugby, Auburn-Del Ray, Maple Avenue, Cordell-St. Elmo, Cheltenham and Bethesda-Elm garages. Customers will be able to pay for parking using cash, credit cards or via cell using the MobileNOW! or Parkmobile apps. Learn more about centralized pay stations. Construction of Separated Bike Lanes on Executive Boulevard MCDOT is constructing one-way separated bike lanes along Executive Boulevard, from Woodglen Drive to Nicholson Lane. On or about August 25, crews will begin resurfacing the road and adding new pavement markings. The work will be done overnight from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Once completed, crews will add lane markings, signing and curb bike lane barriers (instead of flex posts). The lanes are expected to be complete in September. Davis Mill Road Closed Davis Mill Road in Germantown has closed indefinitely between its two intersections with Wildcat Road due to embankment erosion. Heavy rains have caused Wildcat Branch at the base of the embankment to migrate, resulting in pavement cracks along the road. The erosion has also compromised guard rail posts in this area. Learn more. MCDOT to Hold Public Hearing for Proposed Lyttonsville Sidewalk Construction on October 2 Residents are invited to a public hearing to comment on the proposed addition of sidewalk segments in Lyttonsville on Michigan, Pennsylvania and Kansas Avenues. The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. at Rosemary Hills Elementary School. Comments may also be provided by email or mail. Read more. Walk, Bike or Use Transit and Earn Cash Commuter Connections has introduced a new program called IncenTrip that awards points for non-auto based peak hour commutes. Use the app and earn up to $10 after completing 10 trips with the potential to earn up to $600 in a calendar year. Learn more. Red Light Running Death Toll Hits 10-Year High According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the number of people killed in red light running crashes reached a 10-year high and increased by 28 percent since 2012. Read more. Speed Identified as the Best Predictor of Car Crashes Speeding is the riskiest kind of aggressive driving, according to researchers at the University of Waterloo. They found that the driving behaviors most likely to cause collisions were speeding, hard braking, hard acceleration and hard cornering. Read more. Child Passenger Safety Week is September 15-21 Be sure your child is protected by the correct car seat for their age, height and weight. See marketing materials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that explain how to check car seats, booster seats and seat belts. Read more. Google Maps Now Let Users Combine Transit Directions with Biking and Ride-Sharing Google Maps announced the launch of a new feature that allows those using a variety of transportation modes to get directions to their destination. Learn more. Does the Washington Area Really Have the Third Worst Traffic in the Nation? According to David Alpert, executive director of Greater, Greater Washington, the Texas Transportation Institute study that regularly evaluates the nation’s traffic congestion uses a flawed methodology to determine which commuters have the worst traffic congestion. Read more for another point of view August 30, 2019 MCDOT to Observe Labor Day Holiday, Monday, September 2  County Offices are closed Ride On – operates on a Sunday schedule Ride On Flex – closed TRiPS Commuter Store (Silver Spring) – closed TRiPS Mobile Commuter Store – closed Parking at public garages, lots, curbside meters – free “My wife and I are seniors, and we've really been enjoying the new sidewalks installed by our county this summer. We now have safe routes for our daily strolls. The sidewalks seem to have changed the whole character of the neighborhood to a much more pedestrian-friendly, child-friendly environment…. I sat down to pay our semi-annual property tax bill this afternoon with genuine gratitude.” —T. O’Connor Celebrate PARK(ing) Day on September 20 MCDOT is encouraging artists, planners, businesses, organizations, groups and individuals to participate in International PARK(ing) Day on September 20 by temporarily transforming a metered parking space in Silver Spring or Bethesda into a fun, parklike spot. Learn more. Ride Smart Travel Training Workshops for Seniors Register for a FREE one-day workshop to learn how to travel to destinations of your choice using public transit on September 4 or September 18. To register, contact Connect-A-Ride or email connectaride@accessjca.org.   September is National Preparedness Month This month is a good time for you and your loved ones to prepare for an emergency. Take advantage of local preparedness classes, sign up for Alert Montgomery and learn how you can prepare for an emergency.  MCDOT Sponsors Adult Learn to Ride Cycle Classes This Fall If you’re feeling less than confident about hopping on a bike, one of these classes may be for you! MCDOT and the Washington Area Bicyclists Association have teamed up to offer two adult classes this fall for all skills. Register now! Wheaton Revitalization Update Grandview Avenue will be closed on Saturday, September 7 from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. to stage a large mobile crane to hoist the Wheaton Office Building’s cooling tower and other mechanical equipment atop the building. The MCDOT project to build a new Town Center, office building for County agencies and departments and underground parking garage is about 70 percent complete. View the construction site activities live and learn more about the project:  wheatonproject.com.

Go Montgomery! August 14, 2019

Ride On Launches Family Friendly Stroller Policy   All bus operators on regular Ride On routes now allow passengers with strollers to use the bus ramp. When the priority seating area of the bus is not occupied, passengers may park a stroller there and allow the child to remain seated. Learn more.   Caring and Alert Ride On Bus Operator Helps Reunite Missing Person With His Family  Ride On bus operators are often called upon to look out for their passengers in unexpected ways. Recently, Ride On Bus Operator Owen Keys noticed an individual still sitting in the back of his bus. After speaking with the passenger, Keys thought he recognized him from a newly released description of a critically missing person. Thanks to Keys’ quick action, Police were able to get the missing individual back to his family.   Purple Line Work Continues at Silver Spring Metro and Bonifant Street   For the next four weeks, expect temporary lane closures on Bonifant Street between Georgia Avenue and Fenton Street from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and weekends. Learn more about the State’s construction activities in and around the Silver Spring Transit Center.  How Should Cars Treat Bike Lanes? When making a right turn, when is it okay for cars to move into a bike lane—and when is it dangerous? Check out this illustrated blog for the skinny on safe right turns. New Parking Rates in Two Bethesda Garages Begin in Mid-August   Beginning August 19, MCDOT will increase parking rates at the Waverly Garage (Garage 47) from $1.00 to $1.25 per hour, and decrease rates at the Metropolitan Garage(Garage 49) from $1.25 to $1.00 per hour. The new rates are intended to encourage parkers to use less crowded garages. Learn more.  Maryland Transportation Authority Seeks Public Comment on Tolling Options  With a toll modernization system coming online next year, the Maryland Transportation Authority is seeking public comment on a package of tolling options that would provide cost savings for customers. Read more.  Keep Up With the Progress on Montgomery County’s First Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Line  Construction of the FLASH BRT line on US 29 is well underway. Follow the progress on Twitter with #US29Flash. County Advances Two More Bus Rapid Transit Projects to Next Stage  Two long-awaited Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects on Route 355 and Veirs Mill Road have been advanced to the next stage of engineering. Read more.  Silver Spring Is Getting The Region's First 'Protected Intersection' in Early Fall  Under construction and expected to be completed by early October, Montgomery County’s first protected intersection will be located at Spring Street and Second Avenue in downtown Silver Spring. Part of a largerSecond Avenue bike infrastructure project, the intersection is designed to better protect pedestrians and cyclists. Read more. MCDOT to Feature Transportation Services at September 5 Senior Forum and Resource Fair  Join us to learn about MCDOT’s enhanced mobility and senior services. Learn more.  Maryland Department of Transportation Reduces Speed Limits on Some Roads in Montgomery County  Here's a list of speed reduction routes in the County.  Update on MCDOT’s Crossing Project  Two new Metro entrance elevators are being constructed on the Navy Side of Rockville Pike, along with a connecting passageway from the mezzanine level to new elevators. During weekdays August 12-16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., right lane closures will occur on both the north and south bound lanes of Maryland 355 between South Drive and Woodmont Avenue. Construction has begun inside the Medical Center Metro Station. Read more.  Update on MCDOT’s White Flint Project  White Flint is getting a makeover through new construction and reconstruction of highways and arterial roads, including intersections, that will result in a more walkable, bikeable community. Utility infrastructure relocation and construction continues and is expected to be completed this summer. Read more. MCDOT Attends Commuter Information Day at Washington Adventist Hospital  MCDOT provided transit options and information to Takoma Park hospital employees who will commute to the new White Oak Medical Center opening in Silver Spring on August 25.    MCDOT Celebrates Safe and Sound Week   For MCDOT, providing a safe work environment is job one. MCDOT is proud to support Safe + Sound Week, a campaign of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Running August 12-18, Safe and Sound Week is an annual nationwide event that recognize the successes of workplace safety and health programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America's workers safe.     Grammy and Emmy Winner Arturo Sandoval Headlines 16th Annual Silver Spring Jazz Festival Saturday, August 24   This free event features two stages of afternoon and evening entertainment. New this year, the Jazz Festival is scheduled the weekend before the Labor Day holiday to make it the County’s end-of-the-summer celebration. It will be held from 3 to 10 p.m. in Veterans Plaza located at One Veterans Place. Learn more.  Update on MCDOT’s Wheaton Revitalization Project  The project to build a new Wheaton Town Square, office building and parking garage remains on schedule for May 2020 and is currently 68% complete. Coming up: Grandview Avenue will be closed to traffic on Saturday August 24 and on Saturday, September 7. Follow live project progress by viewing the online camera. Read the most current newsletter.  August 14, 2019 Update on Residential Roadway Resurfacing and Patching Projects Beverly Farms Glen Park Layhill South Mill Creek Potomac Chase Subdivision MCDOT to Observe Labor Day Holiday, Monday, September 2  County Offices are closed Ride On – operates on a Sunday schedule Ride On Flex – closed TRiPS Commuter Store (Silver Spring) – closed TRiPS Mobile Commuter Store – closed Parking at public garages, lots, curbside meters – free Metrorail and Metrobus – visit wmata.com MCDOT to Celebrate at MCPS Back-To-School Fair August 24  Join MCDOT in a fun kickoff to the 2019–2020 school year at Westfield Wheaton for free children’s activities, health screenings, giveaways and more.  Learn more.    Get Hands-On with County Vehicles at Clarksburg Outlet   Plan to attend the family friendly Touch-A-Truck Event on Saturday, August 17 from noon to 4 p.m. and meet employees who operate County trucks and Ride On buses. Learn more.  Attend the Montgomery County Fair  Stop by Ride On's booth for information on transit services and giveaways, August 9-17. For more information about the fair, visit mcagfair.com.  Biking Classes for Kids and Adults Coming Up in Montgomery County  Eager to try your hand at navigating traffic? What about getting on a bicycle for the first time? Check out classes offered through MCDOT’s partnership with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. Learn more.   Register by 8/23 for the September Walk & Ride Challenge Want to get or stay in shape? Teams in each of our five Transportation Management Districts that take the most steps between September 9 and September 27 are eligible for special prizes. Learn more.  MCDOT Completes Residential Street Sweeping More than 950 tons of debris was collected on over 4,055 miles of residential roads. Street sweeping keeps our storm drains from getting clogged and keeps pollution from our waterways. Go Montgomery is distributed by Montgomery County Government Department of Transportation.