 REMINDER: MCDOT Ride On Bus Schedule Changes Now in Effect; Increasing Service and Improving Efficiency
Ride On bus service has adjusted schedules to increase overall service and improve efficiency. The changes reflect the continued shift of resources toward schedule patterns prior to the COVID-19 health crisis. In response to recent ridership demand, schedule adjustments were made to the following routes: 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 28, 29,
30, 32, 33, 34, 39, 43, 46, 52, 54, 55, 56, 59, 73, 79, 81.. View all Ride On routes online.
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 MCDOT's Bicycle Swag Bag Contest Week 6 Rock Creek Trail; Contest Continues Through May 30MCDOT celebrates this year’s Bike To Work Day by promoting a different bike path/trail each week through May 30. This week’s featured location is the Rock Creek Trail. Bike riders are asked to submit a favorite picture of themselves enjoying their ride along the featured trail and tag @MoCoCommuter on Twitter and Instagram, or email the photo to commuter.services@montgomerycountymd.gov. The photo will be entered into a weekly drawing, visit tinyurl.com/4r7kd52w. View previous highlighted trail locations on MCDOT's Commuter Services' webpage. Learn more. |
 MCDOT’s Wheaton Revitalization Project is Finalist for ULI Awards for Excellence ProgramMCDOT's Wheaton Revitalization Project is one of 23 international finalists for the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Awards for Excellence program. The program criteria was based on design, planning, technology, economic impact, community engagement, innovation and sustainability, and the winners will be announced in June. The Wheaton Revitalization project was selected for its sustainable mixed-use design and for contributing to the revitalization of downtown Wheaton. The project includes a 200-seat auditorium and new town square that includes public space with an amphitheater as well as a fountain and public art on the plaza. Approximately 900 government employees will eventually work out of the 14-story office building, including Montgomery Planning and Montgomery Parks headquarters, and six other Montgomery County departments. Earlier this year, the Wheaton building became the first government-owned office building in Maryland to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Learn more about the project's sustainability features by viewing MCDOT's special edition newsletter. |
 MCDOT Encourages Parents to Organize a ‘Walking School Bus’ to Help Young Students Walk to Neighborhood SchoolsMCDOT Safe Routes to Schools encourages parents to organize a “Walking School Bus” to enable young students to walk to school safely. Walking school buses provide a safe and fun way for children to get physical activity as they travel to and from school with adult supervision. Learn more. Sign up to receive the quarterly Safe Routes to School newsletter to learn about upcoming events, safety tips, engineering updates, and ways to get involved in the program. |
Update on the Vision Zero Youth Ambassador Program Twenty-eight high-school Vision Zero Youth Ambassadors, that represent all parts of the County, are hard at work on developing plans for projects to improve traffic safety in Montgomery County. Their projects include ideas for improved infrastructure, petitions, social media campaigns and a safety video contest. Each ambassador has worked diligently to engage 100 people in their project. At the end of the program in June, the ambassadors will have an opportunity to share their projects with MCDOT leaders. |
 MCDOT Highlights Vision Zero Ambassador Project; Pedestrian Safety Art Contest for Students in Grades K-5 The Pedestrian Safety Art Contest hosted by Vision Zero, MCDOT and the National Organization for Youth Safety, and is open to students in grades K-5. This contest is to raise awareness around good pedestrian safety habits. Students are encouraged to submit their own artwork that should reflect what a safe road is supposed to look like for pedestrians and what pedestrians should do to keep the roads safe. Art submissions are due by June 13 for a chance to win prizes. Learn more at bit.ly/3347qZU. |
 MCDOT Invites Public to Virtual Hearing About Proposed Rock Creek Forest Sidewalk Construction in Chevy ChaseStarting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19, MCDOT will hold a virtual public hearing about the proposed construction of sidewalks on Terrace Drive, Farrell Drive, Spencer Road, Blaine Drive, Colston Place, Grubb Road and Ellingson Drive in Chevy Chase. These sidewalks will enhance safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and people with disabilities, as they travel to schools and nearby facilities. Public input is encouraged and will influence whether MCDOT constructs all or a portion of the sidewalks. Learn more.  MCDOT Resumes Rush Hour Ticketing on Colesville Road and Georgia AvenueMCDOT, in consultation with the Maryland State Highway Administration, agreed that due to the increase in traffic volume, restricted travel hours will once again be enforced along Colesville Road and Georgia Avenue during morning and afternoon rush hours. Visit MCDOT's Parking webpage for more news. |
 Public Invited to May 13 Draft Vision Zero 2030 Action Plan Zoom Listening Session and Provide InputHelp Montgomery County eliminate serious and fatal traffic crashes in the coming decade and learn about the draft Vision Zero 2030 plan by attending and providing feedback at one of three virtual listening sessions. The next 90-minute session will be held on May 13 at 7 p.m. The conversation will be focused on the UpCounty region, but any Montgomery County resident can attend. Online registration is required. Provide your input now, by filling out this online survey at research.net/r/vz2030plan. Learn more at montgomerycountymd.gov/visionzero/2030plan.html.  Public Invited to May 13 Multi-Modal Shared Streets Pilot Project Public MeetingThe Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) has initiated a protected bike lanes pilot project to be implemented on University Blvd. (MD 193) between Amherst Avenue and Arcola Avenue in Wheaton. The project will temporarily repurpose travel lanes into protected bike lanes to enhance safety and mobility for all roadway users, making more space to walk, bike and access transit on this 1.3 mile stretch of this busy State road. MDOT SHA has installed two Eco-Counter devices along eastbound and westbound University Blvd. (MD 193) to collect data for all multi-modal users, both pedestrians and bicyclists for the next several months. The data gathered will be used to develop a full study that will help MDOT SHA understand the demand for the multi-modal program moving forward. For more information and to follow updates, visit the project website and read the Greater Greater Washington May 4 article. MDOT SHA will be holding a public meeting about the project's geographic limits, timeline for the pilot, and how the State will gather data related to use of the curb lanes and the sidewalks. Residents are encouraged to attend and provide feedback on Thursday, May 13 at 6 p.m. Click on the following link to join: bit.ly/3x7BamB.  Metrobus Expands Late Night Service, Restores Additional Routes and Improves ServiceMetro customers will soon have more options, with expanded late-night service, additional routes restored and improved service on selected routes throughout DC, Maryland and Virginia.
On June 6, late-night service will be extended until 2 a.m. on 36 of the busiest routes throughout the region, providing customers who work or travel late at night a way to get to work and home. The changes are part of improvements to more than 60 Metrobus routes to provide more frequent, reliable service and restore routes to support the region's recovery. These changes will bring Metrobus service to 85 percent of pre-pandemic service levels with more buses, more often, to accommodate the growing return of bus riders. Learn more. |
 Metro Multi-year Escalator Replacement Project Has Begun As part of a $179 million investment to improve safety and reliability, Metro has begun work to replace the oldest, least reliable escalators in the system. Gallery Place station was the first of 130 escalators to be replaced over the next seven years. Learn more. |
 Construction Work Closes One Lane of Old Georgetown Road During Weekdays Through the End of 2021Construction work for a new building at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda will close the far-right lane on Old Georgetown Road (MD 187) between Edgemoor Lane and Commerce Lane between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The construction company expects the work will be completed by the end of this year. Learn more. |
 Meeting Held to Discuss Plans for Brookville Smart Energy Depot(photo of existing EV charging station) The County's Department of General Services plans to construct a smart energy depot (“microgrid”) at the Brookville Maintenance Facility Transit Shop Depot that will charge the County’s electric bus fleet using renewable energy technologies. This public/private partnership project will support the County’s goals of carbon reduction, resiliency and cost containment. See the community meeting presentation online. MCDOT has four electric buses purchased with a federal grant and will add 10 more later this year. |
 Rock Creek Trail Rehabilitation, Pedestrian Bridge Project Underway WDVM-TVThe District Department of Transportation and National Park Service began construction on the rehabilitation of the Rock Creek Park Trail and a new pedestrian bridge on March 31. The project has been in the works for over 10 years and will rehabilitate and construct more than 3.7 miles of the paved, multi-use trail that spans Wards 1, 2, 3, and 4. Learn more. A Washington Post article says that completing a network of trails in the D.C. region would bring a financial boost. |
 Residents Have Until May 28 to Provide Feedback on the Pike District ConnectorThe Montgomery County Planning Department, is partnering with the Friends of White Flint and the Better Block Foundation to add local semi-permanent art and public seating at four main intersections along this temporary one-mile connector that will link pedestrians and bicyclists from the Bethesda Trolley Trail to the Montrose Parkway Trail this summer. The public has until May 28 to provide feedback through an online survey. |
 Powerline Trail Receives State Funding to Expand Length from South Germantown to Cabin John Regional Park in BethesdaThe State of Maryland has provided $10 million to expand the Powerline Trail, a multi-use trail built within the Pepco right-of-way, to complete what will eventually be a 13-mile trail from South Germantown Recreational Park to Cabin John Regional Park in Bethesda. Learn more. |
 Amtrak Released FY20 Sustainability ReportThe FY20 Sustainability report provides details of Amtrak’s measured progress against annual and long-term sustainability goals. Visit amtrak.com/sustainability to learn more. |
 For department updates, follow @MCDOTNow on Twitter, visit the department website at montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot or sign up to receive MCDOT news releases to your inbox. |
