MCDOT's Latest Go Montgomery! Newsletter - August 19, 2021

MCDOT Announces White's Ferry Study Underway and On Time MCDOT is working with Loudoun County Department of Transportation on a study of White’s Ferry’s operations. Both counties have a common goal of re-establishing daily ferry service. The study is designed to provide information to ensure that the ferry, when it reopens, is positioned to provide reliable service for the long term Learn more here. A meeting was hosted by the Town of Poolesville Fair Access Committee on Aug. 18. The event was live streamed and can be found on the Town of Poolesville website here. Click on the "View Poolesville Public Meetings" to view the YouTube video. County Executive Issues Statement on the Passage of the Infrastructure Bill County Executive Marc Elrich released a statement about the impact of the federal infrastructure bill on Montgomery County. He said, “This bill is extraordinarily important. It will not only help us rebound economically from the pandemic, but it will also help us build a more sustainable and equitable future for generations of Americans….” Read the full statement here. MCDOT Seeks Organization to Operate an EV Purchasing Cooperative Program in Montgomery County The EV cooperative purchasing or “group buy” program lets the public buy or lease electric vehicles (EV) at favorable prices through the power of volume purchasing.  EV use by residents and local businesses reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more here. MCDOT Installs Pedestrian Safety Beacons on Bel Pre Road in Rockville To enhance safety, MCDOT has installed new pedestrian beacons, also known as HAWK signals, on Bel Pre Road at Tynewick Drive, Weeping Willow Drive and at North Gate/ Astrodome Drives. Learn about how Hawk signals work here. MCDOT to Hold Public Hearing for Charred Oak Leaf Collection Program On Aug. 25, MCDOT will hold a virtual public hearing for the North Potomac Charred Oak community as they consider inclusion in the County’s leaf collection program. Residents can provide MCDOT with oral or written comments by Sept. 8. Online registration is required prior to joining the hearing. Learn more here. MCDOT’s Mobile Commuter Store Joined Residents at White Oak National Night Out On Aug. 3, MCDOT’s Commuter Services’ Mobile Commuter Store was part of the annual East County National Night Out event on Lockwood Drive where more than 130 residents spoke with staff about commuting options, Capital Bikeshare, Ride On and other transportation alternatives. National Night Out is the first Tuesday of every August and provides an opportunity for community members to engage with police officers and others in public safety, while enjoying food, entertainment and activities for the whole family. Do You Have a Bike You No Longer Need? Save the Date for MCDOT’s Bike Collection Drive in October On Oct. 8, MCDOT, in partnership with Rockville Bike Hub, will sponsor a bike collection drive from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Rockville at the corner of Monroe Street and E. Jefferson Street in front of the Council Office Building (COB) garage. Donated adult and kid bikes are refurbished and provided to those in need in Montgomery County. Unfortunately, bike parts and bike helmets cannot be accepted this year.  CLOSURES AND PROJECT UPDATES MCDOT Closes Portion of Beach Drive in Kensington Later This Month for 10 Months Beach Drive in Kensington, between Kensington Parkway and Old Spring Road, will be closed from Aug. 30 through early June 2022 to replace the two-lane bridge carrying Beach Drive over Silver Creek. Traffic will be detoured using MD 185, MD 192, Stoneybrook Drive and Beach Drive.  Construction on the vehicle bridge will take place Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Occasional Saturday work may be necessary. Residents living near the site may hear construction-related noise during those hours. Learn more here.  MCDOT White Flint Project Update As a reminder to the traveling public and County residents, the intersection of Executive Boulevard at Old Georgetown Road  remains completely closed to both vehicular and non-vehicular traffic. MCDOT is currently monitoring weather conditions which may impact the reopening in late August. The last activities that must take place before reopening the Executive Boulevard/Old Georgetown Road intersection are weather dependent. For more information visit the project website at whiteflintproject.com.  Two Montgomery Avenue Lane Closures in Effect Until Oct. 8 Construction by Avocet Towers Investors, LLC at 7373 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda has closed two lanes of traffic on Montgomery Avenue between Wisconsin Avenue and Waverly Street from 9 p.m. - 5 a.m. Sun. through Thurs. Portion of Centerway Road in Gaithersburg to Close for Four Days  Centerway Road at Club House Road to the intersection of Montgomery Village Avenue in Gaithersburg will be closed for four days beginning Aug. 24 to 27 to complete water and sewer upgrades for a retail store. Variable message boards are in place announcing the closure. Closures and Detours Coming to Randolph Road Starting this month, Pepco’s contractor is projected to partially close Randolph Road from Parklawn Drive to Nebel Street to begin construction of a new Pepco substation. The traffic control plan will allow East bound traffic only on Randolph Road. West bound traffic will be detoured down Parklawn Drive to Rockville Pike/MD 355. Sidewalks on Randolph Road will remain open to pedestrians throughout the duration of the construction. METRO/MARC NEWS Pedestrian Bridge at Rockville Metro Station is Now Open After a 14 month closure, the pedestrian bridge connecting the Rockville Metro station to Rockville Town Center reopened this week. According to a press release from the City of Rockville, the bridge, which allows pedestrians to cross over Rockville Pike, recently underwent five months of repair work. Metro Offering Free Bikeshare Rides Metro and Capital BikeShare are working together to offer Metro customers free bike rides when they sign up for a virtual SmarTrip Card. In D.C, Maryland and Virginia, Capital BikeShare offers more than 5,000 bikes at 600 stations. Create a mobile SmarTrip® card on a mobile phone and get access to 10 FREE, 30-minute bike rides for 30 days. Learn more here. MCDOT has 90 Bikeshare docking stations located throughout the County. Learn more here.  WMATA Announces Metrobus and Rail Service Adjustments Upcoming WMATA service improvements will return overall bus and rail service to near pre-pandemic levels, providing 97 percent of pre-Covid service levels on Metrobus and 91 percent on Metrorail. Metro will also offer up to a 50 percent discount on select unlimited passes between Sept. 16 and Oct. 15. View WMATA’s release on discounts and service changes that will go into effect Sept. 5. Additional information in multiple languages can be found at wmata.com/initiatives/changes-2021.cfm. MARC Rail and Commuter Bus Lines Return to Full-Service August 30 The MARC Rail and commuter bus lines return to full service later this month at previous fares. Fares will not be raised until June 27, 2022. Fares and schedules for all routes can be found here. August 19, 2021 MCDOT Participates in Montgomery County Fair The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair is happening now, at the fairgrounds in Gaithersburg until Aug. 21. Plan to stop by MCDOT's booth for information and giveaways by staff from Transit Services and pedestrian safety teams every day between 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. follow fair activity on Twitter. Save $10 on fair parking by taking the Ride On bus to the fair.  Ride On will detour routes 54 and 61 from 6 p.m. until midnight each day. MCDOT’s SRTS Teaches Bike Safety to Youth: Distributes Over 300 Safety Helmets in August MCDOT’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) staff, in partnership with the County’s Recreation Department, conducted summer bike rodeos at eight summer camps and a bike, swim and run program. At the bike rodeos, children learned about the rules of the road, signs and signals and the ABC CHECK (Air, Brakes and Chain); got helmet fittings; and rode bikes and scooters through a course to safely practice their new skills. Bike Safety Tips Participate in MCDOT’s online activities from Virtual Safety Week. Read 6 Things to Do Before Sending Your Kids Back to School by Bike from Bicycling.com includes always to stop at crosswalks and never pass a stopped school bus displaying flashing lights. Watch the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s NHTSA’s Bike Safety Video here. Read the Street Smart Bike Safety tips here. Read this Greater Greater Washington article on a study that reveals the role protected bike paths can play in bicyclist safety. Spin Rejoins Bird and Lime E-Scooters in Montgomery County Last month, Spin redeployed to rejoin Lime and Bird as one of three approved vendors for e-scooter rentals in the County. To locate an e-scooter, download one of the vendor's app and follow directions. Watch this short video to learn how to safely operate an e-scooter and remember to always wear a helmet.  RIDE ON NEWS MCDOT Ride On to Assist Residents During Rockville and Shady Grove Metro Station Closures From Sept. 11 through Dec. 4, Metro will be closing the Rockville and Shady Grove Metro stations to construct improvements. In addition, beginning Aug. 23, Metro and Ride On will relocate bus stops on the west side of Rockville Station. MCDOT has created an online website to keep residents informed during the upcoming projects. Learn more here.  Let MCDOT Ride On Get You to Your Vaccine Appointment in Rockville Need to get vaccinated? Ride On routes 46, 55, Ride On extRa route 101 and Metrobus Routes Q2 and Q6 can get you there.  The Montgomery College Rockville Vaccination Site is open Sat. and Sun. from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. MCDOT’s Ride On Resumes Partnership with Glenstone Museum Patrons arriving at the Glenstone Museum using Ride On Bus Route 301 will again receive free entry to the museum. The Route 301 provides service to the museum about 10 times a day.  MCDOT Transit Lauded in Recent Article About Climate Change MCDOT will be using microgrids to cleanly power electric buses and other systems. The County’s efforts were recently featured in Canary Media. See how Montgomery County is leading the way. New Ride On Crowdsourcing APP Tells “How Full Is My Bus?” Coming in 2022  Learn more here. MCDOT Launches Campaign to Promote Availability of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton Learn more here. For ongoing updates follow Ride On on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or visit rideonbus.com. To report down tree limbs, potholes, storm drain issues, sidewalk damage and more, contact the MC311 Customer Service Center, by dialing 311 or visit montgomerycounty.gov/ 311. Go Montgomery is distributed by Montgomery County Government Department of Transportation.

MCDOT's Lastest Go Montgomery! Transportation-Related Newsletter is Now Available!

 

Ride On Wins Grant to Develop First Regional App to Show “How Full Is My Bus?” MCDOT has been awarded a grant for $450,000 by the Federal Transit Administration to create a Ride On Crowd Sourcing System (ROCSS) application that provides real-time bus status and passenger counts for Ride On routes to the public and MCDOT’s central dispatch. The new technology is the first to coordinate with strategically placed buses to assist routes nearing capacity and offer trip planning services. This cutting-edge project is slated to begin this fall with a pilot of users from the Montgomery County Transit Advisory Group. Rollout to all riders is projected to begin in the Spring of 2022. MCDOT Awarded Grant for New Hampshire Avenue Safety Study The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) has awarded MCDOT a $60,000 grant for a safety study along New Hampshire Avenue (MD 650) from Oakview Drive to Southampton Drive. The study will include recommendations for safety improvements to enhance the corridor for all people walking, biking and using transit. Learn more here. Montgomery County Department of Transportation Commits to Long Term ‘Ride Free Program’ for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities MCDOT’s Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Ride Free Program will continue long-term on all County buses, including Ride On, Ride On extRa, Flex and Flash buses. The Ride Free Program will stay in effect even if fares are resumed on the County bus system. Montgomery County buses have been free for all riders during the COVID-19 health crisis. Learn more here. Did you know? Senior SmarTrip cards can be purchased at the Montgomery County Treasury office in Rockville, County libraries,  MCDOT's Silver Spring TRiPS and Mobile Commuter stores.  MCDOT’s Ride On Flex Resumes Ride On Flex, a unique on-demand transit service that has been suspended due to the COVID-19 health crisis, has resumed operations. Flex provides service in defined zones in Rockville and Glenmont/Wheaton and is the first of its kind in the Washington Metropolitan Region. Flex offers transit without a fixed route or schedule within defined geographic zones. Using an app or the call center, riders can request trips from a designated pickup location to a drop-off location within the same service zone. Curb-to-curb service is also available for those with disabilities. Learn more here. The First Four Days of Service Statistics: Average 6 minute ride time Average 1.2 miles traveled  Average 4.9 customer satisfaction rating (5 being the best) MCDOT Seeks Public Input on Veirs Mill Road (MD 586) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Wheaton Take a survey to provide feedback on design concepts for the new FLASH bus rapid transit (BRT) stations planned along Veirs Mill Road (MD 586) between Montgomery College and the Wheaton Metro station. The Veirs Mill Road BRT will be a seven-mile, limited-stop, branded bus service with an expected twelve stations. Learn more here. REMINDER: MCDOT Has Resumed Charging Late Fees for Outstanding, Unpaid County Parking Citations MCDOT, which suspended late fees on parking tickets in March of 2020 to prevent undue hardship for customers during COVID-19 health crisis, has resumed collecting late fees as of August 1.  MCDOT has mailed notices to the owners of vehicles with balances due for citations issued from January 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021. Learn more here. New walking lane and mini-roundabout at Grove Street and Silver Spring Avenue. The goal is to slow down traffic. MCDOT Making Good Progress on Grove Street Neighborhood Greenway Pilot Project The Grove Street Neighborhood Greenway Shared Street Pilot Project, stretching along Grove Street from Sligo Avenue in the south to Bonifant Street in the north, will improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety on the edge of downtown Silver Spring. The pilot project uses temporary materials that can be modified or removed. It prioritizes safety for bicyclists and pedestrians and minimizes the fast movement of vehicles. See the newly installed walking lane. Learn more about the Grove Street Greenway project and MCDDOT's Shared Street program. SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL (SRTS) UPDATES SRTS Works With Safe Kids Worldwide in July Safe Kids Worldwide selected MCDOT’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program to be part of the "Ready to Roll" Program.  SRTS will host bike rodeos, teaching bike safety, at summer camps throughout the County. SRTS Program Manager Speaks at Safe Kids Worldwide Convention SRTS Program Manager Duwan Morris presented at a virtual childhood injury prevention convention last month. Morris spoke about the challenges of transitioning to a virtual platform to reach students during the pandemic. Visit safekids.org for more information. Sign up to receive the SRTS Newsletter. METRO UPDATES Metrorail Has Extended Service to Midnight Metro has expanded train service to midnight, seven days a week. The extended operating hours are the first in a package of improvements that will add more all-day rail service, create high-frequency bus routes and improve service across the region. Learn more here. Major Metro Red Line Projects Will Cause Delays and Close Shady Grove and Rockville Stations from September 11 to December 4 The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA—or Metro) has announced that two major projects to improve safety will impact riders of the Red Line from July through December. A project that will begin in September will necessitate the complete closure of the Shady Grove and Rockville Metro stations through December. Free shuttle bus service will be available during this time. Residents can sign up for email updates on the latest construction progress and potential travel impacts here.  Seeking Public Input on the Corridor Forward I-270 Transit Plan  The Montgomery County Planning Department is requesting public feedback from transit riders along the I-270 corridor. This input will help planners view the current transit system through the eyes of Montgomery County residents and provide perspective when prioritizing the proposed transit options. Residents can provide input through text, photos, or videos on social media by tagging Montgomery Planning on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. For more information visit the project website. MTA to Return to Full MARC and Commuter Bus Service Late Summer Learn more here. For department updates, follow @MCDOTNow on Twitter, visit the department website at montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot.  Sign up to receive the latest MCDOT news releases to your inbox. August 5, 2021 SAVE THE DATE: Montgomery County Agricultural Fair Coming August 13-21 in Gaithersburg MCDOT will have a table. Stop by for information and giveaways everyday between 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. MCDOT Partners with BUP for “Paint the Town” Mural Project in Downtown Bethesda MCDOT and the Bethesda Urban Partnership’s (BUP) announced a call to artists to apply for a mural project on the Old Georgetown Road side of MCDOT’s public parking garage 11. Submissions are due by August 6. For more information and to apply click here.  Help Improve Biking In Your Area With RackSpotting Help fellow bikers find places to lock up by spotting and recording bike racks in the region. Visit rackspotter.com/MoCo. Did You Know? Residents can request MCDOT to install a bike rack as part of an incentive program to encourage the use of alternative modes of transportation. If you would like to request a bike rack at a specific location, visit tinyurl.com/fmfjft6s.   MCDOT's E-Scooter Pilot Program Update This past week, Spin redeployed its e-scooters in Montgomery County. There are now over 160 e-scooters available for rent in Montgomery County. These include e-scooters from Bird, Lime, Lyft and Spin. Watch this video to learn how they work. MCDOT’s Sidewalk Program Improves Safety MCDOT’s Sidewalk Program is set up to retro-fit sidewalks where none have previously existed to increase safety and mobility. Learn more here. Safety Tips Follow the rules of the road and obey signs and signals. Walk on sidewalks, if there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic. Be alert; don’t be distracted by viewing your cell phone. Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections, where drivers expect pedestrians. Make eye contact with drivers as they approach to make sure you are seen. Be visible - wear bright clothing during the day, and reflective materials or use a flashlight at night. Attend FTA’s Series of Listening Sessions on Transit Ridership Join the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for a national conversation about what’s working to help transit agencies across America renew ridership. Learn more at transit.dot.gov/transitisopen. Maryland Department of Transportation Launches New ZeroDeathsMD.gov Website  Learn more at zerodeathsmd.gov.   Help Care for Trees in the Right-of-Way  MCDOT plants and maintains thousands of trees in the County. You can help ensure the summertime health of these trees and those on your property by following general guidelines from the Arbor Day Foundation.  Call MC311 to Get it Done To report down tree limbs, potholes, storm drain issues, sidewalk damage and more, contact the MC311 Customer Service Center, dial 311 or visit montgomerycounty.gov/ 311.  Go Montgomery is distributed by Montgomery County Government Department of Transportation.