 Holiday Season Marks Beginning of Dangerous Driving Period for Fatal Alcohol-Related CrashesThe extended Thanksgiving holiday is one of the most heavily traveled times of the year. Additionally, the evening before Thanksgiving has historically been one of the busiest nights for bars and restaurants, with high drinking rates. MCDOT and the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) are reminding residents that high-risk activities, combined with the sheer number of drivers on the road, make it an especially dangerous time for alcohol-related collisions. Montgomery County annually implements a “Holiday Task Force” in which officers from multiple agencies devote full-time and attention to detecting alcohol-related offenses. The Holiday Task Force begins operations before Thanksgiving each year and runs through New Year’s Day. County Police will establish sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols throughout the holiday period. The night before Thanksgiving is especially dangerous. Called “Blackout Wednesday,” “Drinksgiving” and “Whiskey Wednesday” by public safety agencies, the nicknames have come to describe a cultural phenomenon in which heavy drinking takes place, and as a result, drunk driving-related crashes increase. “Although gas prices are higher than they were a year ago, they have fallen since the summer peak,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “That, coupled with pandemic fears waning, will have friends and families especially excited to gather around the Thanksgiving table this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a record number of travelers taking to the road next week. That high number coupled with the fact that about 30 percent of all our roadway fatalities involve drunk drivers is staggering and the problem seems to be getting worse. Nationally, 2020 saw a 14 percent increase in drunk driving deaths compared to the year before. Impaired driving puts all roadway users at risk—and is completely preventable.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 185 people were killed during the 2020 Thanksgiving weekend (6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, through 5:59 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30). From 2016-20, nationally, 821 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday periods. Each year, more than 20,000 people are arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) offenses in Maryland. Penalties for a first-time DUI conviction in Maryland could include jail time, significant fines, mandatory ignition interlock and license suspension. The County’s Vision Zero effort to prevent death and injury on Montgomery County roadways offers a listing of local safe rides on its website here. The County is asking parents to emphasize to youth under age 21 that underage drinking can lead to serious consequences. Information about how to help prevent underage drinking, through communication and creating an action plan, is available from the Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking website. Learn more here.  MCDOT Wins Michael F. Dwyer Excellence in Preservation AwardMCDOT recently won the Montgomery Preservation Incorporated (MPI) 2021 Michael F. Dwyer Award for rehabilitating and preserving the historic Montevideo Road Bridge in Poolesville. MPI is Montgomery County’s nonprofit historic preservation organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, and promoting the county’s architectural heritage and historic landscapes. MPI’s Board of Directors announced the winners at an awards event held on Friday, Oct. 28 at the Kensington Armory. The Montevideo Road bridge, constructed in 1910 across Dry Seneca Creek in Poolesville, is a one-lane Warren pony truss bridge on masonry abutments. While truss bridges were once standard in Maryland, this is the last remaining bridge of its kind in Montgomery County. It is in the National Register’s Seneca Historic District and is eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Montevideo Road is designated as an Exceptional Rustic Road and the bridge is a significant feature of the road. After a routine inspection uncovered a critical defect, MCDOT worked to repair the bridge and preserve it for future generations. MCDOT takes a systematic approach to bridge maintenance and performs routine maintenance on all 513 bridges in Montgomery County to discover, document, and correct structural vulnerabilities. Watch the awards video here. |
 Montgomery County High School Students Can Apply to MCDOT's ‘Vision Zero Youth Ambassadors’ Program to Improve Traffic SafetyMCDOT is seeking up to 45 Montgomery County high school students to serve as “Vision Zero Youth Ambassadors.” The project-based learning program teaches teens leadership skills, the importance of roadway design, law enforcement, outreach and engagement techniques to address traffic safety needs in their community. Applications are now being accepted through Wednesday, Nov. 30. Interested public, private and home-schooled high school students can learn about the program and apply here. The program received 100 applications last year. The program supports the County’s Vision Zero Initiative, whose goal is to eliminate traffic-related severe injuries and deaths. Youth Ambassadors have an opportunity to help the County work toward the goal by becoming road safety leaders in their communities while earning 40 Student Service Learning credits. Learn more here. |
 More Than 250 Montgomery County Residents Attended MCDOT-Sponsored Adult Bike and E-Scooter Safety ClassesMCDOT recently completed the fall series of Adult Learn to Ride and Basic Skills bike classes and E-scooter Safety training classes. Combined, more than 250 residents participated and learned basic skills to safely navigate on a bicycle or an electric scooter. MCDOT partnered with the Washington Area Bicyclists Association (WABA) to lead six adult bike classes and with Bird, Lime and Spin to conduct four free e-scooter classes. Classes were held at different locations throughout the County. Classes will resume in spring 2023 and information will be posted on the MCDOT website at tinyurl.com/cycleclss in early February. Registration is required for the bike classes and spaces typically fill up fast. Walk-ups are welcome and no registration is required for the e-scooter trainings. |
 Virtual Public Hearing on the Rehabilitation of the Brighton Dam Road Bridge in Brookeville to be Held on Wednesday, Nov. 30 On Wednesday, Nov. 30 starting at 7 p.m., MCDOT will hold a virtual public hearing to discuss the proposed construction to rehabilitate the Brighton Dam Road, Bridge No. M-0229, over Brighton Dam. At the virtual hearing, MCDOT will present the project details, costs and schedules and obtain public testimony. The 602-foot long 15-span bridge is in need of repairs to the concrete parapets, bridge deck joints, prestressed concrete beams, concrete abutment backwalls, streetlights, asphalt approach roadways and concrete sidewalks to enhance the safety of the traveling public and the integrity of the dam. Public input is encouraged and may influence final design plans. Online registration is required to attend. Learn more here. |
 MCDOT Sponsors Annual Walk & Ride Challenge, Oct. 17 – Nov. 4This year, MCDOT’s annual Walk & Ride Challenge had great results – more than 79 teams with nearly 290 participants competed 30,179,721 total steps, roughly 12,072 miles in the three-week challenge that raised morale, enhanced health and provided team-building benefits. The annual event encourages teams of three to five employees who work in the County’s Transportation Management District’s (TMD) to incorporate walking into their daily routines. This year’s winners were: - Friendship Heights, Washington Eye - 1,263,174 steps
- North Bethesda, NIH - 1,131,917 steps
- Silver Spring, Regal Majestic - 802,525 steps
- Greater Shady Grove, ABL, Inc. - 766,821 steps
- Bethesda, ASHP Publishing - 704,536 steps
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 MCDOT Installs Additional EV Chargers in Parking Garages for Public UseMCDOT Parking currently has 44 charging spaces open to the public throughout the three Parking Lot Districts in Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton. Pepco is in the process of installing another 8 dual-port stations in Bethesda and Silver Spring, for an additional 16 charging spaces. They will be operational on a rolling basis, with an estimated completion date of early 2023. MCDOT Parking also purchased two stations for Garage 7 in Silver Spring that is expected to be delivered by the vendor, ChargePoint, in the next four to six weeks with installation to follow. For a list of available public EV charges within County facilities click here. |
 Wheaton Streetery Community Meeting to be Held on Monday, Dec. 6An in-person community meeting will be held at 3 p.m. outdoors at the Wheaton Streetery. Attendees should meet at the corner of Price and Elkin Street. The Mid-County Regional Services Center and MCDOT are hosting the meeting to gather community feedback on the Wheaton Streetery for possible short-term changes.  Residents May Be Able to Install an EV Charging Station in Front of Their PropertyResidents who do not have a driveway or space on their property to create a parking pad may be eligible to install an electric vehicle (EV) charging station in the right-of-way in front of their property. Montgomery County DOT and Department of Permitting Services (DPS) worked together to draft guidelines and DPS is now accepting applications. For more information visit the DPS website and review the guidelines here. Prior to submitting an application, residents should email DPS Manager Atiq Panjshiri, for a free consultation to determine eligibility. |
 Montgomery County Executive Elrich to Hold Hybrid Forums to Seek Input on FY 2024 Operating BudgetMontgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, the County’s regional services offices and community partners will host eight hybrid forums in November and December to seek input on the Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget. Residents can attend the forums in person or view them via the internet. Register for the next forum that will be held on Monday, Nov. 21 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Recreation Center’s social hall located at 2450 Lyttonsville Road in Silver Spring. Learn more and view the forum schedules here. |
 Maryland Declares Nov. 14-18 ‘Crash Responder Safety Week’ as Part of Effort to Protect First RespondersMotorists are reminded of the new Move Over Law and urged to slow down when approaching traffic incidents or disabled vehicles. November 14-18 has been proclaimed Crash Responder Safety Week in Maryland, in support of a national effort to raise awareness of the critical role motorists play in keeping first responders safe. The campaign reminds motorists to stay alert, move over and slow down when approaching traffic incidents and first responders. Nationally, an average of 23 highway workers and one law enforcement officer are killed each month while performing their duties at a crash scene or roadway incident. In addition, one tow truck driver is killed alongside a roadway every six days, according to AAA. |
 Amtrak Avoids Thanksgiving Shutdown, as Rail Unions Delay StrikeLabor unions agreed to postpone strike action, averting disruption to travelers, commuters and shippers. A threatened nationwide railroad strike that could have stranded Amtrak riders during Thanksgiving — one of the busiest travel seasons of the year — has been averted for now. The date of a potential strike was pushed back from Nov. 20 to at least Dec. 4 by the railroad workers union, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The union’s members have rejected a settlement reached with freight railroads in September. Learn more here. |
METRO UPDATES Metro Launches Silver Line Extension With Opening Ceremony; Welcomes Customers to #RideSilver to Six New Stations New rail connections to Washington Dulles International Airport, Reston, Herndon, and Eastern Loudoun County On Tuesday, Nov. 15 Metro celebrated the opening of the Silver Line Extension, connecting customers to six new stations, adding 11.4 miles of track to the Metrorail system, and beginning operations at a modern rail maintenance facility. The Silver Line Extension gives customers a new connection to Washington Dulles International Airport and new service between Reston, Va., and eastern Loudoun County. The grand opening also marks the completion of the Silver Line project, a generational infrastructure investment in Northern Virginia. Learn more here. Metro Explores Silver Line “Express” Train That Saves Six Minutes Metro is looking at timing trains to create an “express” train that shaves five to six minutes off the total trip. Metro says an express train could only catch up with a train in front of it, not pass it, so it would have to time things correctly for it to work. Learn more here. Metro Red Line Service Adjustments This Weekend, Saturday, Nov. 19 and Sunday, Nov. 20 The Red Line can expect some slight disruptions due to track work: - Trains will run every 10 minutes.
- Due to switch replacement, there will be no train service between Friendship Heights and Grosvenor. Trains will operate in two segments, from Shady Grove to Grosvenor and from Friendship Heights to Glenmont.
- The Bethesda and Medical Center stations will be closed, with free shuttle buses running as a replacement
Metro Charts Course to Bring Rail Service Back to Normal By early next month, transit customers should see Metrorail wait times decrease significantly for the first time in more than a year, followed by another drop in the spring, Metro officials said Thursday as they released a plan for boosting service to pre-pandemic levels. The announcement came after last week’s compromise between Metro and the regulatory Washington Metrorail Safety Commission over the use of the transit agency’s troubled 7000-series rail cars. Transit officials mapped out how Metro could end a train shortage that has created long waits and led to overcrowding on some trains. Read the Washington Post article here. Temporary Closure of Takoma Park Bus Stop, Westbound on Philadelphia Avenue Near Cedar Avenue, Began Monday, Nov. 14 The bus stop located Westbound on Philadelphia Avenue (bus stop #24859), near Ceder Avenue at the Takoma Park Community Center, is temporarily closed for approximately one year for the Takoma Park Maryland Library reconstruction project. Riders will be directed to the next nearest stops at Maple Avenue and Philadelphia Avenue (F4 Metro bus) and Maple Avenue and Grant Avenue (17 Ride On bus). |
ROAD PROJECTS & CLOSURES Rockville Town Square Street Closures for Tree Lighting on Friday, Nov. 18 This Friday, Nov. 18 Maryland Avenue will be closed from E. Middle Lane to the Gold's Gym between 12 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. for winter holiday tree lighting in Rockville. No vehicle traffic will be permitted on the street during this time. Access to the parking garage on Maryland Avenue at Beall Avenue will be maintained. WSSC Reopened Clopper Road in Germantown Clopper Road in Germantown reopened this morning, Thursday, Nov. 17 after crews fixed a 24-inch water main break that caused a large hole in the roadway. Learn more here. MCDOT’s White Flint Pike District (Formerly White Flint West) Project Update The White Flint Pike District project provides the new construction and reconstruction of highways and arterial roads including their intersections and the major relocations of the affected utilities within White Flint District. The vision for the White Flint District is to improve sidewalks, bikeways, trails, paths, public use space, parks and recreational facilities, mixed-use development, and enhanced streetscape and transit-oriented development around the Metro station. Construction operations on the following roadways are complete: - Old Georgetown Road north of the Nicholson Lane/Tilden Lane intersection to MD 355 (Rockville Pike)
- Executive Boulevard between the signalized entrance to 6000/6001 Executive Boulevard and Towne Road.
- Banneker Avenue from Old Georgetown Road to Grand Park Avenue.
- Grand Park Avenue from Banneker Avenue to Old Georgetown Road.
- The improvements at the intersection of Executive Boulevard and Marinelli Road are also finished.
Read the latest project newsletter for additional construction activities here. Sign up to receive project updates here. For questions or concerns contact Paul Bender, Senior Resident Engineer at 301-343-1527 or email paul.bender@montgomerycountymd.gov. Purple Line Implements Long-Term Pedestrian Detour on Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) in Bethesda This week, a long-term pedestrian detour along Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) has been implemented around the Purple Line work zone. The crosswalk on Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) between Elm Street and Waverly Street is closed and a new crosswalk with signals at Elm Street is available for use. View the detour map here. |
 Ride For Your Life Event to Honor Bethesda Woman Killed While Riding Bike, Saturday, Nov. 19The Ride for Your Life, event will be held in memory of Sarah Langenkamp who was killed in August while biking in Bethesda, will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19. The 10-mile bike ride will aim to raise awareness about federal funding that could improve bicycle infrastructure and federal regulations that could increase safety. Learn more here. |
 For more information on MCDOT programs and services, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot and subscribe to receive MCDOT News to your email inbox or mobile phone. |
