Go Montgomery! October 18, 2019

TODAY Until 2:00 p.m. Donate Bicycles and Parts to Aid Low Income Families MCDOT will once again sponsor a bike collection for this year’s Community Service Month celebration. Donate bicycles and parts suitable for all ages from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the Council Office Building parking garage at the corner of East Jefferson and Monroe Streets in Rockville. Rockville Bike Hub has partnered with MCDOT and will make any necessary repairs to get donated bikes back into good riding condition. Learn more. MCDOT Partners to Host Youth Safety Lab Monday, Oct.21 MCDOT and the National Organization for Youth Safety (NOYS) will host a Youth Safety Lab on Oct. 21 at Glenmont Local Park. High and middle schoolers are encouraged to attend for a fun and interactive way for students to learn about traffic safety and the rules of the road. This event is held during National Teen Safe Driving Week as a culmination of the Vision Zero Youth Ambassador Program, which is a collaboration between MCDOT and NOYS to encourage youth to have an active role in road safety efforts and improvements. Register now! MCDOT Opens First ‘Protected Intersection’, Bicycle Signal and Bikeometer in Silver Spring MCDOT joined the County Executive, councilmembers, and other supporters of bicycle infrastructure to open the first “protected intersection” in the region. The intersection at Spring Street and Second Avenue in Silver Spring connects a new half-mile “cycletrack” with a previously completed section to form a 1.2-mile bikeway. Also, the State’s first bicycle traffic signal provides indication of a safe route for cyclists. A nearby digital "bikeometer" displays a live count of cyclists and scooters passing each day. Learn more about this project. Purple Line Outreach Fair Planned for October 31 The Office of Procurement and the Purple Line Transit Constructors will host a construction outreach and networking event in Silver Spring on October 31 to provide information about procurement opportunities to Montgomery County businesses. Ride On will be one of the exhibitors, sharing information on transit services available to people who live and work in the County. Learn more. MCDOT Asks TMD Residents to Take Transportation Survey MCDOT is conducting a five-minute survey of residents who live in multi-family dwellings in the Bethesda, North Bethesda, Shady Grove and Silver Spring Transportation Management Districts (TMDs) to find ways to improve transportation services in their area. Take the survey and enter a drawing for a $25 gift card. TMDs provide services to encourage the use of transit and other commuting options in Montgomery County's major business districts. Input Sought on Proposed Sidewalks in the Bethesda Bradmoor Community MCDOT invites the public to attend a public hearing on November 6 to provide comments on the proposed construction of a sidewalk that will enhance access for those with disabilities, pedestrians and bicyclists and provide for safer travel to schools and nearby public attractions and facilities. Learn more. MD 355 Bus Rapid Transit Request for Information MCDOT held an Industry Forum on October 14, 2019, for the MD 355 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Request for Information (RFI) to introduce the concept design and planning that has been completed to date and provide opportunity for Q&A on the project and the RFI. The purpose of the RFI is to gather knowledge in best practices, emerging technologies, and innovative opportunities for implementing a cost-effective BRT service along MD 355 from Bethesda to Clarksburg. The event included a livestream for remote participants and a tour of the 22-mile corridor under consideration. While the focus of the RFI is on the MD 355 corridor, resulting ideas may have merit for other BRT corridors in the county. Responses to the RFI are due back to MCDOT on December 6, 2019. MCDOT Holds Public Workshop on Proposed Bike Lanes on Amherst Avenue MCDOT hosted a public workshop, last week, for residents to learn about the proposed bike lanes along Amherst Avenue from Arcola Avenue to Windham Lane in Wheaton. MCDOT is working to improve the bicycle and pedestrian network to support safe options for commuting, shopping, traveling to school, and recreation. This effort provides safe, convenient, efficient and comfortable movement of cyclists and pedestrians, and aligns with the County’s overall Vision Zero goals. Leadership Montgomery Uses Ride On to Tour Agriculture Reserve The County's Office of Agriculture and MCDOT have been partnering to provide educational tours of the County’s Agriculture Reserve. In September, Leadership Montgomery members visited the Agriculture History Farm Park and three local farms to learn about the importance of and experience the agriculture work taking place in Montgomery County. Montgomery Lawmakers Concerned About Fund Cut for ‘Crucial’ CCT Transit Project An October 10 Maryland Matters article by Bruce DePuyt detailed Montgomery County lawmakers’ “extreme disappointment” with the Maryland Department of Transportation’s decision to remove the Corridor Cities Transitway, a long-planned transit line, from the state’s list of funded priority projects. Metro Riders Encouraged to Use Phones to Report Safety Concerns According to a WTOP’s Kristi King, monitoring social media is one way officials discover something isn’t safe on Metrorail. That’s how a train running with an open door came to light last May. Read more Driving is the Largest Source of Greenhouse Gas A New York Times article presents an interactive map showing how much carbon dioxide emanates from metropolitan areas. Emissions are growing fastest in cities and suburbs — even ones with decent transit, although in cities with poor transit, emissions per capita are higher. Learn more. Improvements Scheduled for Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring WUSA9 reports that the Maryland State Highway Administration announced plans to revamp a one-mile section of Georgia Avenue between Forest Glen Metro and its intersection with 16th Street. Preliminary plans call for dedicated turn lanes, a two-lane bike path, new sidewalks and narrower lanes to even the flow of traffic. Read more. October 18, 2019 MCDOT Sponsors First Learn to Ride e-Scooter Class Nov. 2 Take a test ride, learn safety tips and other basic scooter laws at MCDOT’s Learn to Ride Scooter Class held at Montgomery College Rockville’s front parking lot 13 at 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Participants must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license. No registration required, walk ins accepted. MCDOT Cosponsors Adult Learn to Ride Bike Class Nov. 2 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 (WABA) have teamed up to offer a class for adults who never ridden a bike before or have tried to learn and have not been successful. The class is 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Montgomery College Rockville’s front parking lot 13. Learn more. Try the New and Improved ‘Ride On Real Time’ App and Provide Your Feedback to Ride On Ride On’s Real Time app is now web-based, enhancing accuracy and adding many new features. The app is usable on all devices, including computers, tablets and phones; ADA compliant; provides updated bus schedule information every five seconds; and offers a trip planner feature. See for yourself and let Ride On know what you think. Learn more about all the new improvements and upgrades. Wheaton Revitalization Update Starting on or about October 14 and continuing for about 12 weeks, Reedie Drive will temporarily become a one-way street westbound between Georgia Avenue and Grandview Avenue. Triangle Lane will remain open to traffic at all times. The MCDOT project to build a new Town Center, office building for County agencies and departments and underground parking garage is about 76 percent complete. Learn more about the project at www.wheatonproject.com Public Transportation Trips Increase by 11 Million from 2018 An article in Transportation Today reported that during the second quarter of 2019, Americans took more than 2.5 billion passenger trips on public transportation, an 11 million trip increase from 2018. WJLA Reports That Metro Ridership is on the Rise Metro has seen the largest percentage increase in riders in the country compared to other transit agencies. A Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Study Reports Area Commuter Driving Less Fewer commuters are driving alone and increasingly choosing transit or telework.

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