 Ride On and Metro Bus Routes Available to Take Residents to Montgomery County's 14 Early Voting CentersEarly voting in Montgomery County for the 2022 Gubernatorial Primary and General Elections will be available at 14 early voting centers 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Thursday, Oct. 27, through Thursday, Nov. 3, including Saturday and Sunday. MCDOT’s Ride On bus service has several routes available to transport voters to the early voting centers located throughout the County. For Ride On and Metrobus routes that will serve early voting centers click here. |
 MCDOT Celebrates ‘Walk to School Day’ with Event at Wheaton Woods Elementary School in RockvilleMCDOT and Vision Zero Initiative partnered for a celebration of the 25th Annual “Walk to School Day” on Wednesday, Oct. 12, with a fun-filled morning event at Wheaton Woods Elementary School in Rockville. MCPS Superintendent Dr. Monifa B. McKnight attended the event alongside County elected officials and representatives including County Council President Gabe Albornoz, Vice President Evan Glass and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Will Jawando joined the County’s Department of Transportation Director Chris Conklin, Safe Routes to School staff, Vision Zero Coordinator Wade Holland, County police officers, Maryland-National Capital Park Police officers, firefighters from the Fire and Rescue Service and MCDOT’s Zeal the Safety Zebra mascot. The event took place in front of the school with fanfare including balloons, music, games, giveaways, firetrucks and special guest Zeal. Students and parents were greeted and encouraged to continue walking to school. Safety materials were distributed. Walk to School Day promotes health and safer routes for students to walk and bike to school. MCDOT’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program supports the event as part of the County’s overall commitment to Vision Zero, which seeks to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on its roads. |
 MCDOT Completed Bikeway Construction on Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda and Reopens Reconfigured ‘Streetery’The reconfigured Woodmont Avenue streetery provides extended street dining and a short-term curbside pick-up zone for businesses while reopening two of the four roadway lanes to traffic. MCDOT has constructed a link to the Bethesda bicycle network along Woodmont Avenue between Bethesda Avenue and Elm Street. The bikeway is separated from the roadway to protect bike riders. The cycle track is part of a new, two-way bike network in Bethesda that offers bright green, protected bike lanes. The cycle track loops around a wide stretch of Downtown Bethesda and connects to the Capital Crescent Trail. Learn more here. |
 MCDOT's Bike Drive Draws New Record Last Friday, Oct. 14, MCDOT collected 370 bicycles at the annual bike drive in Rockville. This effort exceeded last year’s record collection of 297 bicycles. MCDOT sponsored the collection of child and adult bikes in partnership with Rockville Bike Hub and Bikes for the World. Volunteers from these organizations will refurbish the bikes and MCDOT places them with low-income children and adults in the County through the MCDOT Bike Match Program or through the Rockville Terrific Kids program. County residents who would like to request a bike or still have a child or adult bike to donate can fill out a form here. |
 MCDOT Receives Grants to Advance the Walter Johnson Shared Use Path in Germantown and the Bethesda Trolley Trail ExtensionMCDOT applies for multiple competitive grants each year to assist in funding projects involving infrastructure and engineering projects, transportation and safety. Even with the second-largest County budget, next to schools, MCDOT has many projects within the department that compete for funding. Transportation and infrastructure projects are complicated in that they require a process that includes a study to determine needs, a planning period, community input and engagement period, plan development and approvals before they can begin. Additionally, projects are often approved through the County’s annual financial approval process in pieces and rely on the priorities of elected officials, which are sometimes subject to change. With multiple projects at different stages and with different funding levels allocated, grant funds can assist in moving projects forward. These applications work to serve public benefit and reduce the amount of County dollars spent. MCDOT was recently awarded $52,000 from the Kim Lamphier Bikeways Network Program for advancing the design of the Bethesda Trolley Trail connection to the Twinbrook Metrorail station. Additionally, $85,000 in funding from the Transportation Planning Board was granted for the design of the Walter Johnson Road shared-use path connection to the Germantown MARC station as part of the Transportation Planning Boards Transit Within Reach Program Technical Assistance Award. |
 MCDOT Sponsors Free E-Scooter Safety Training Classes for Individuals 18+Residents 18 and older can attend free clinics to learn safety tips and basic e-scooter laws and take a test ride (e-scooters are provided). Stop by anytime during the two-hour class. A valid driver’s license or ID is required. Click here for inclement weather cancellations. - Saturday, Oct. 29. 12-2:30 p.m. Montgomery College parking lot 13, Rockville.
- Sunday, Oct. 30. 12-2 p.m. Upper County Rec Center parking lot, Gaithersburg.
- Saturday, Nov. 5. 12:30-2:30 p.m. Wheaton Ice Arena back left parking lot, Wheaton.
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 Virtual Public Hearing on Proposed Old Baltimore Road Sidewalk Proposal in Olney to be Held on Wednesday, Nov. 9On Wednesday, Nov. 9 starting at 7 p.m., MCDOT will hold a virtual public hearing to discuss project details, costs, schedules and obtain public testimony on the proposed construction of a sidewalk on Old Baltimore Road from Menden Farm Drive to the path at the lake. If approved, the completed project will enhance safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and people with disabilities as they travel to nearby schools and facilities. Public input is encouraged and will influence whether MCDOT constructs any, all or a portion of the proposed sidewalks. Online registration is required to attend. Learn more here. |
 Take the MCDOT Highway Newsletter SurveyMCDOT is looking to collect community feedback on the Division of Highway’s construction project newsletters to determine how residents feel about the current design. Feedback will be collected through the end of December with the hope of introducing a newer newsletter design in early January 2023. This will help ensure that residents are informed about upcoming projects and are able to locate the information that is most important to them. Residents can provide feedback here and view a sample of the current newsletter here. |
 MCDOT Facilitates Contractor Truck Inspections In preparation for the winter season, MCDOT held a truck inspection last weekend. This routine inspection of all contractor service vehicles ensures all systems and equipment are working properly. The event involved over one hundred trucks split between four depots. |
 MCDOT Awarded Grant for Bus Driving Simulators and TrainingMCDOT was awarded a $263,000 Transit Innovation Grant from the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration to purchase bus driving simulators and develop a five-week bus operator training program that prepares bus operators to better handle challenging traffic and road conditions to improve safety. Read the Mass Transit article here. |
 As Flash, MCDOT’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System, Slowly Comes Together, Could it (Eventually) Transform How People Get Around?This is Part II of a three-part series on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Montgomery County. Read Part I. In an ideal world, MCDOT’s Flash BRT system would be built in a flash, an interconnected network whisking people to all corners of the county, as has long been planned. Yet financial issues mean that the network is being built slowly, piece by piece, while local conditions and plans mean that large segments end up running in mixed traffic rather than having lanes of their own. Read the full Greater Greater Washington article here. |
 Public Hearing Scheduled for Rustic Roads Functional Master Plan Update on Thursday, Nov. 17On Thursday, Nov. 17 starting at 6 p.m. the public is invited to provide testimony in-person or virtually on the draft plan that adds roads to the program and updates details for roads already included in the program. View and comment on the current draft of the plan and sign up to testify. As a part of the plan, existing road profiles were reviewed for changes, new maps were created and an environment section was added. This update revises the descriptions of the significant features, history, traveling experience, environmental setting and road characteristics of the existing rustic roads and provides new profiles for nominated rustic roads and those roads lacking a complete description. For questions and comments, please contact project co-lead, Jamey Pratt, by email jamey.pratt@montgomeryplanning.org or phone at 301-495-4588. |
 Montgomery Planning's Thrive Montgomery 2050 UpdateThrive Montgomery 2050 is a framework to guide land use planning for housing, economic development, equity, transportation, environmental sustainability and more for the next three decades in Montgomery County. A comprehensive description of the draft plan is available at the Montgomery Planning Department’s Thrive Montgomery 2050 website. Additional updates are available on the Council’s Thrive Montgomery 2050 resource page. |
METRO UPDATES Metrorail Weekend Service Adjustments for Saturday, Oct. 22 and Sunday, Oct. 23 Due to aerial structure repairs, trains will operate every 10 minutes in two segments: Shady Grove to Grosvenor; and Medical Center to Glenmont. There will be no train service between Medical Center and Grosvenor. Free shuttle buses will be provided. RIDE ON BUS SERVICE CHANGE: Due to the Metrorail Red Line segment shutdown between Grosvenor and Medical Center Metro Station, Ride On bus routes 34 and 46 will be relocated from Bay D to Bay E. WMATA Shuttle Service will use Bays C and D. WMATA representatives will be onsite to assist customers. WMATA Gathers Public Input on Better Bus Network Redesign The metro bus redesign will work toward a bus network that is easier for customers to use and understand, and better align with where and when people want to travel. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will be holding events across the region to gather customer input to help shape the Better Bus initiative. Read the Mass Transit article here. Silver Line Extension is Operationally Ready to Open for Passengers by Thanksgiving After successfully completing two weeks of simulated service, Metro leaders said that they will be able to open the extension to Dulles Airport Station in time for the start of busy Thanksgiving travel, subject to approvals this week from the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission. |
MDOT Projects & Road Work The State Has Begun Bicycle Safety Improvements on Old Georgetown Road (MD 187) in North Bethesda The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) has started a project to significantly improve safety for bicyclists and motorists on nearly two miles of MD 187 (Old Georgetown Road) in North Bethesda. The improvements on MD 187, between south of I-495 (Capital Beltway) and Nicholson Lane, will convert one travel lane in each direction in order to add buffered bicycle lanes and the installation of flex posts to outline the new bicycle lanes. The new buffered bike lane will include green pavement markings as well. TRAFFIC ALERT: There is a single-lane closure on MD 187 (Old Georgetown Road) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday and multiple-lane closures nightly between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., Sunday nights through Friday mornings. Motorists will be guided through the work zone with cones, barrels and arrow boards MDOT SHA Begins Safety and Resurfacing Project on 3.7 Miles of MD 108 in Olney MDOT SHA has begun a $3.7 million safety and resurfacing project on MD 108 between Olney Mill Road and Brooke Road in Olney and is expected to be complete by late summer 2023. TRAFFIC ALERT: There are single lane closures on MD 108 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, and multiple lane closures overnight, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sundays through Thursdays. Drivers should reduce speed, be aware of changing traffic patterns and avoid using side streets as detours. For questions contact David Coleman, Project Engineer, at 202-924-6994. MDOT Launches Anti-Litter Campaign to Eliminate Trash on State Roadways Litter on Maryland roadways can take many different shapes and forms (food wrappers, cigarette butts, plastic bags, etc.) but they all waste money and resources and threaten the health of our environment. During the past eight years, MDOT has spent $60 million – averaging more than $7 million annually – to clean up 14 million pounds of litter along state roadways. That money could have been spent to improve pedestrian and bicyclist facilities, augment transit connections or undertake other critical transportation projects to make our roadways safer and more accessible for all users. Learn more here. |
  First National "Do Not Disturb While Driving" Day is Thursday, Oct. 20The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that driver distraction is a factor in nearly 5 million crashes, resulting in more than 34,000 fatalities. The National Distracted Driving Coalition is promoting the first ever National Do Not Disturb While Driving Day to highlight the continuing danger of using a cell phone while driving and to educate on the Do Not Disturb (DND) settings available on phones to block incoming notifications when a car is moving. The life-saving setting is vastly underused. Watch the PSA here. |
 This Week is National Teen Driver Safety Week, Oct. 16-22Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens (15-18 years old) in the United States. Parents should have conversations with their teens about the important rules they need to follow to stay safe behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Learn more here. |
 States Urge FHWA to Finalize Greenhouse Gas Reduction ProposalA coalition of 13 attorneys general have urged the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to finalize a proposal to require state and local planning agencies to collect data on greenhouse gas emissions and set targets to reduce the emissions associated with the federal highway transportation system. Read the Transportation Today’s article 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. Interested in receiving MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter? Subscribe here. |
