 MCDOT Kicks Off School Bus Safety Week With Safety Video Featuring ‘Zeal the Safety Zebra’The video was produced by MCDOT, Montgomery County Public Schools and the Vision Zero program, and offers safety tips for elementary school students who travel to and from school by bus. National School Bus Safety Week is a public education program that encourages parents, students, teachers, school bus operators and other interested parties to join forces and address the importance of school bus safety. The school bus safety tips include: - At the bus stop, have children wait in a location where the driver can see them while driving down the street. Try to avoid waiting in a house or car.
- Do not let children play in the street. Playing with balls or other toys that could roll into the street is also dangerous.
- Warn children that if they drop something getting on and off the bus, they should never pick it up. Instead, they should tell the driver and follow the driver’s instructions.
- Remind children to look to the right before they step off the bus.
- If you meet your child at the bus stop after school, wait on the side where the child will be dropped off, not across the street. Children can be so excited after school that they dash across the street and forget the safety rules.
Learn more here and view the safety video at bit.ly/zealbus. |
 MCDOT Celebrated the One-Year Anniversary of ‘Flash’ County's First Rapid Transit Service More than 500,000 riders have used the frequent and reliable Flash service and the County is looking toward expansion. On Oct. 14, MCDOT outreach teams greeted riders at several Flash stations to gather feedback about the service and distributed Flash anniversary giveaways. The Flash operates on Colesville Road/Columbia Pike (US 29) and connects Downtown Silver Spring Transit Center with White Oak, Briggs Chaney and Burtonsville with stops along the way. Flash buses feature bike racks inside, free Wi-Fi service and USB ports. The service—which uses 60-foot-long articulated buses—carries more than 1,800 riders per day. Buses run every 15 minutes from 5:30 a.m. until midnight seven days a week and twice as often during peak hours. At full capacity, the buses can transport up to 80 passengers and are more time-efficient than traditional buses. Learn more here.  Public Has Until Nov. 1 to Provide Feedback for the Ride On Reimagined Bus Network Study Scope of WorkMCDOT is requesting public feedback on the scope of work for a new Ride On Reimagined study. This feedback will help shape what the study will include. Ride On Reimagined is a comprehensive, forward-looking assessment of the bus network that will result in significant recommended changes to how transit operates in Montgomery County based on current and future needs. As the County changes in population, demographics, employment centers and housing, a comprehensive evaluation of the system is needed. The study’s goal is to provide significant recommended changes to better serve transit users. Learn more and share your feedback here. |
 MCDOT Offers First of Its Kind Street Design Guide to Improve Accessibility for People with Vision Disabilities MCDOT now has available a first-of-its-kind design guide titled Planning and Designing Streets to be Safer and More Accessible for People with Vision Disabilities. The guide will facilitate accessibility for people who are blind or have low vision by outlining optimized strategies for public engagement, staff training and improved pedestrian walkway design. The guide involved extensive input from residents, service providers and organizations supporting people with vision disabilities. The toolkit can help planners and designers understand the unique needs of people with vision disabilities. It introduces strategies for effective engagement with this community and design tools that make it easier and safer for people with vision disabilities to navigate. Understanding how different types of vision disabilities impact the ability of people to navigate safely is critical to improving designs. The guide also includes an overview of the approaches taken, and lessons learned, from communities around the world. Learn more here. |
 Reminder: MCDOT to Resume Booting and Towing as Part of Parking Enforcement on Nov. 1MCDOT had suspended certain aspects of its parking enforcement program in March of 2020 to prevent hardship to customers impacted during the COVID-19 health crisis. County businesses are welcoming patrons back and have voiced concerns about vehicles blocking entrances and disrupting traffic flow in downtown areas. Enforcement will focus on vehicles that are continuously illegally parked and abandoned cars. Learn more here. |
 MCDOT Offers Free COVID-19 Vaccination Ride On Shuttle Service to Pop Up Vaccination Site in Gaithersburg on Oct. 27The free Ride On shuttle service will support a pop up vaccination site located at the Washington Square Apartments at 8343 Fairhaven Drive in Gaithersburg. MCDOT's Ride On vaccination shuttle bus will provide a pick-up and drop-off service loop between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. along Washington Grove Lane. Learn more here. |
METRO NEWS Reduced Metrorail Service Reduced Metrorail service is expected to continue at least through this weekend, as the investigation into the Oct. 12 derailment continues. Metrorail will operate from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23 and 7 a.m. to midnight on Sunday, Oct. 24, serving 88 of 91 stations. Trains are operating every 15 minutes on the Red Line and will continue to operate every 30 minutes on all other lines. Expect delays and plan extra travel time. In addition, Shady Grove and Rockville stations remain closed through Dec. 4, for canopy reconstruction and repairs. Free shuttle buses are available. View the Rockville Canopy Replacement Project page for additional details. For alerts and updates, visit wmata.com/alerts. |
PROJECT UPDATES AND CLOSURES MCDOT Bethesda Projects MCDOT work on the Capital Crescent Surface Trail and Woodmont Ave. Cycletrack will resume Oct. 25. There will be impacts to traffic and sidewalk dining. MCDOT thanks residents for their patience as work continues to make downtown Bethesda safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Follow project progress on Twitter.
One Lane Closure on Wisconsin Ave. in Bethesda
Beginning Monday, Oct. 25, the right southbound lane of Wisconsin Ave./MD 355 between Hampden Ln. and Elm St. will be closed, Monday through Saturday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. for demolition of a 5-story building located at 7316 Wisconsin Ave. in Bethesda. Work is expected to be completed by July 1, 2022. A covered pedestrian walkway will be provided and signs will direct pedestrian and vehicular traffic through the work zone. For questions, contact Justin Hollier at 202-497-6189 or justin.hollier@clarkconstruction.com. Sidewalk Closed on Rockville Pike in Front of Pike and Rose Shopping Center in North Bethesda Through Nov. 5, the Southbound sidewalk on Rockville Pike between Rose Ave. and Old Georgetown Rd. is closed to pedestrians Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for water main work. Signs are posted to direct pedestrians through the work zone. For questions, contact Ethan Kleinstuber at 302-260-1556 or ethan.kleinstuber@clarkconstruction.com. Montgomery Ave. Closures Continue in Bethesda Avocet Towers Investors, LLC has extended the closure of two lanes on Montgomery Ave. from Wisconsin Ave. to Waverly St. until Nov. 7. The lanes will be closed Sunday through Thursday between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Additionally, the closure of Montgomery Ave. southern curb lane and sidewalk from Wisconsin Ave. to Waverly St. was extended until Dec.31. For questions, contact Chis Kirkwood at 703-928-4026 or ckirkwood@balfourbeattyus.com. Lane Closure On Sligo Creek Parkway for Tree Removal Expect some slowdowns on Sligo Creek Parkway for the next month, as crews work to remove 87 dead or dying trees along the side of the road. Tree removal will be done by Montgomery Parks Monday through Thursday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sligo Creek Trail is expected to stay open for the duration of the work, with the possibility of some minor closures. One section between Maple Ave. and Piney Branch Rd is expected to close on Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting. 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. |
