  MCDOT broke ground on the Brookville Smart Energy Bus Depot, an integrated microgrid and electric bus charging infrastructure project. The project is being completed in partnership with AlphaStruxure, a leader in Energy as a Service (EaaS) solutions and will be built and operational by mid-2022. The Smart Energy Depot will service 44 new electric buses within MCDOT’s Ride On fleet by 2023. This first of its kind project supports the sustainability and climate resilience goals of the County. Learn more here. Watch the ceremony on MCMYMedia.com. |
 MCDOT Reminds Residents to Wear a Face Covering When Taking Public Transportation Through Jan. 18MCDOT reminds residents that Federal guidelines continue to require riders to wear face coverings for the duration of their trips when traveling by public transportation. The regulation covers MCDOT’s Ride On buses, Ride On extRa, Flex, Flash, Metrobus, Metrorail, taxis and on-demand car services. MCDOT buses supply face coverings for those riders who cannot provide their own. Learn more here. *Fares remain free through September. |
 Save Those Unneeded Bicycles for MCDOT's Annual Bike Drive on Oct. 8MCDOT will host a bike drive on Friday, Oct. 8 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., outside the Council Office Building parking garage, at the corner of East Jefferson Street and Monroe Street in Rockville. Donated child and adult bikes will be accepted. The drive will not accept bike parts or helmets. It is a time of year when people start planning for fall and begin to clean out garages and storages spaces. Sometimes they find a bike that is no longer needed. MCDOT encourages residents will hang onto those bikes just a little longer and donate them at the bike drive. Donated bicycles will go to the Rockville Bike Hub, a nonprofit organization whose volunteers refurbish the bikes and give them to low-income residents throughout the County. The bikes are distributed through MCDOT's Bike Match MoCo program and Rockville's Terrific Kids program that awards free bikes to kids who do good deeds. Residents may also donate financially to the program to provide bikes for residents in need. Checks can be made out to the Rockville Bike Hub during the collection event. For more information about the event, contact Paul Gatons of MCDOT at 240-777-7162 or paul.gatons@montgomerycountymd.gov. |
 MCDOT is Hiring Bus Operators Until Oct. 13Join our team! We are currently hiring fulltime and substitute bus operators. The position offers paid training, a positive atmosphere and a full benefits package. Anyone 21 and over with a valid license is encouraged to apply. The vacancies are located at Transit Depots located in Silver Spring, Gaithersburg and Kensington. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required prior to starting work. Learn more here. |
 Register Your School For Walk to School Day on Oct. 6Walk to School Day registration is now open. We recognize many schools are in session in different ways, so this year you are welcome to register your participation as an entire school, a neighborhood, or a family. Register now, here. METRO NEWS REMINDER: Shady Grove and Rockville Metro Stations are Closed Until Dec. 4 Free shuttle buses have replaced trains and will take riders to and from the closed stations (between Shady Grove and Twinbrook stations). Shuttle buses will pick up/drop off at: 1) Twinbrook bus bays B & C, 2) Rockville temporary stops T7 and T8, 3) Shady Grove West Kiss & Ride Lot. Metro's Board of Directors agreed to waive parking fees for customers at Shady Grove and Rockville stations while the two stations are closed for canopy reconstruction and repairs. Passengers can bypass the station closures and use the Twinbrook, White Flint, or Grosvenor-Strathmore Stations instead. None of MCDOT's Ride On bus routes will experience routing changes during this time, except at the Rockville station where Ride On Flex will drop off/pick up at the T2 stop. All buses on the west side have shifted to temporary stops in the Kiss and Ride Lot. Learn more here. WMATA Offers Discount Passes for Metrorail and Metrobus Starting today, Metro customers will save up to 50 percent on selected passes through Oct. 15. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is launching a sales event that will allow riders to purchase discounted passes with unlimited trips on Metrorail and Metrobus whether traveling one day, one week, or one month. During the sale, customers may purchase the one, three and seven day passes to use anytime. Monthly passes will be valid for use October 1-31. Learn more here. |
ROAD CLOSURESTemporary Left Lane Closure for Two Days on Norbeck Road for WSSC Work in Rockville For two days, beginning Thursday. Sept. 23, between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. WSSC will perform work on the grass median of Norbeck Road (MD28) east of the Rock Creek bridge, between Avery Road and Baltimore Road. Temporary left lane closure is possible on the east bound lanes of Norbeck Road for the unloading of drilling equipment. STATE PROJECTS The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) has fully activated ramp meters on 23 ramps on southbound I-270 in Montgomery and Frederick counties. The state agency said ramp metering is a part of the I-270 Innovative Congestion Management (ICM) project to help improve safety, reduce congestion and save drivers up to 30 minutes on morning commutes between Frederick and I-495 (Capital Beltway). This is the first system of its kind to be implemented in Maryland. Learn more here. I-495 Resurfacing Project Begins In Silver Spring Next Week Crews will begin to resurface I-495 between MD 97 (Georgia Avenue) and MD 185 (Connecticut Avenue) on Tuesday at 9 p.m., single or multiple lane closures are likely. Portions of ICC/MD200 to Close for Annual Inspections; Follow Detours
The ramp from southbound US 29 to eastbound ICC/MD 200 will be closed Sept. 18 and 19, between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. The ramp from northbound US 29 to westbound ICC/MD 200 will be closed Sept. 25 and 26 between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. Learn more here. |
 For department updates, follow @MCDOTNow on Twitter, visit the department website at montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot or sign up to receive the latest MCDOT news releases. |
