MCDOT Working to Prevent Spread of Tree-Killing Invasive Beetle

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation's Highway Services Division is fighting the spread of the emerald ash borer, the invasive beetle that has already killed hundreds of ash trees in local parks. View a video about the efforts. 

An emerald ash borer larva found in a tree along Rock Creek Trail in Kensington January 2015.

Evidence of tree damage.

Montgomery County Named 2015 Tree City USA for 20th Consecutive Year

In recognition of its commitment to effective urban forest management, Montgomery County has been named a 2015 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation.

The County earned the recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements of having a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, and is celebrating its 40^th anniversary this year.

County Executive Ike Leggett said, “I am proud that Montgomery County is also celebrating an anniversary – 20 years of being selected as a Tree City USA. As our population continues to grow, ensuring that we maintain the trees we have and plant even more is critical to the health of our environment. Trees reduce air and water pollution, help fight climate change, provide wildlife habitat, reduce home cooling requirements and greatly enhance our community’s quality of life. Montgomery County is committed to protecting our tree canopy for current and future generations.”

“Tree City USA communities see the impact an urban forest has in a community first hand,” said Dan Lambe, president, Arbor Day Foundation. “Additionally, recognition brings residents together and creates a sense of community pride, whether it’s through volunteer engagement or public education.”

Montgomery County has a Forest Preservation Strategy and a number of laws designed to protect and increase the number of County trees. A 2014 Tree Canopy Law requires property owners to plant new trees during development to help offset impacts on the natural environment.

More information about the County’s tree laws and programs is available online.

To learn more about the Tree City USA program, visit the Arbor Day Foundation website.

Green Streets Drive Runoff in the Right Direction

Through a partnership between the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), MCDOT has helped DEP create green streets to minimize rain and snow runoff—and the pollution that can result. Runoff, especially on roads and parking lots, pick up pollutants on their way to storm drains that eventually end up reaching our waterways. Read more

This is a beautiful green street project in Silver Spring - green Streets use a variety of techniques to treat and filter stormwater close to the source. 

Highway Services Road Improvement Projects Ahead

The Division of Highway Services will begin several projects to resurface roads. Staff will make full depth patches, mill the pavement, repave roads with hot mix asphalt and replace lane markings. Schedules are dependent on weather conditions.  Projects include:

• Greenwood Knolls neighborhood in Silver Spring.  The project will take four to six weeks to
  

  

  complete. Work hours will be weekdays between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Some work may be required on Saturdays.
• Second Avenue, between Spring Street and Colesville Road (US 29), in Silver Spring.  Second Avenue will take about five weeks to complete with work hours on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and at night between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Some work may be required on Saturdays.
• Norton Road, between Glen Road and River Road, in Potomac. Work hours will be between weekdays 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Some work may be required on Saturdays.
• Cheltenham Drive in Bethesda from Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) to Tilbury Street. The project will take about five days. Work hours will be during week nights from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• Spring Garden Estates, Damascus. The project will take about four weeks to complete with work hours between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Some work may be required on Saturdays.
• Montgomery Industrial Park in Silver Spring. The project will take five to eight weeks to complete, weather permitting. Work will take place during the week between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and at night between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Some work on Saturdays may be required.

A permanent paving patching project on Riggs Road in Gaithersburg will take about four weeks, weather permitting, with work hours 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Some work on Saturdays may also be required. Staff will identify areas of pavement that need to be replaced and make full depth patches followed by resurfacing with hot mix asphalt.

Two pavement preservation projects to restore roadway structural integrity will begin on Decoverly Drive, from Great Seneca Highway to Diamondback Drive, in Gaithersburg and the Fox Hills West neighborhood in Potomac. The projects include full depth patching, utility adjustments, crack sealing, micro surfacing and replacement of lane markings.

Decoverly Drive will take about six to eight weeks to complete and work hours will be weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Work in Fox Hills West will take about four weeks to complete. Work hours from Monday through Friday will be 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Highway Services will begin an emergency storm drain improvement project on the right-of-way in front of 402 Ellsworth Drive near the intersection of Bennington Drive in Silver Spring. The project will involve removal of a tree that is on top of the failing storm drain pipe and replacement of the pipe. The project will take about 15 days to complete, weather permitting. Work hours are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Road Rehabilitation Project in Damascus to Begin in Late Summer

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation's (MCDOT) Division of Highway Services will rehabilitate roads, sidewalks and curbs in the Chesney community in Damascus. This type of project rebuilds community infrastructure while protecting its trees and preserving the character of the neighborhood.

Residents will have an opportunity to take advantage of MCDOT’s lead walk and driveway apron repair program that allows homeowners to make repairs at the County’s competitively bid contract prices.  Learn more about the program online.

The project should take about two months. Work hours will be weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some Saturday work may be necessary.

Highway Services Responds to Severe Thunderstorm on June 23

Montgomery County Department of Transportation Highway Services crews were activated on the evening of June 23 when a severe storm moved through the area. The resulting heavy rain and strong wind gusts up to 45 mph caused high water and left storm debris on several roadways. Most of the storm damage was isolated to the northern and western portions of the County.

Crews removed downed trees and limbs from about 30 blocked roadways and removed debris from right-of-ways well into the following day. 

Division of Highway Services (DHS) Manages Tree Maintenance Program

 

DHS has on-staff arborists who help care for the thousands of trees that are located in the County’s right-of-way. DHS inspects, prunes, removes and, most importantly, plants trees to enhance the tree canopy and ensure that the trees we have are healthy and pose no safety hazards.

From January through November of this year, DHS inspected nearly 3,200 trees, pruned about 1,750 trees, removed 600 trees and 795 stumps, and planted nearly 1,000 trees.

Residents with questions about street trees in the right-of-way can call 311 or send a request for service online

 

Highway Services Responds to Aftermath of Derecho

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett visited Silver Spring to survey damage caused by Friday’s storm. He thanked the crews who have been working non-stop since then to clear roads of trees, limbs and debris.

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s Division of Highway Services (DHS) provided special storm tree debris collections on County maintained roads in the the aftermath of the destructive derecho that occurred on June 29. The one-time collection was a special service provided to help residents with the massive clean up resulting from the storm.
 
DHS crews systematically followed the County’s 217 snow plow routes, picking up tree debris located within the County right-of-way. DHS’s storm operations map listed closed roads and allowed residents to track the progress of crews collecting debris.
 
Immediately following the storm, DHS sprang into action to clear blocked roads, but some streets remained closed for several days until PEPCO could remove power lines entangled in fallen trees.
 
Residents who still have tree debris to dispose may continue to bundle branches and tree limbs for County-provided trash and yard trim curbside collection or drop off items at the County’s Transfer Station. For information on cleanup instructions for fallen tree limbs, visit the Division of Solid Waste Services website.