Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass introduced legislation on Tuesday that will increase pedestrian safety by making it easier to build sidewalks and pedestrian paths in residential neighborhoods. All 10 of Councilmember Glass’s colleagues have joined as cosponsors of the legislation, making it a unanimous, Council-wide effort that underscores the importance of the measure.
“Residents of all ages want to feel safe when walking around their neighborhoods. Building sidewalks is one of the most effective ways to keep pedestrians safe and make progress on our Vision Zero goals,” said Councilmember Glass, Chair of the Transportation and Environment Committee. “We have to make it easier for communities to request and build sidewalks, which this legislation aims to do by removing unnecessary administrative hurdles.”
During the first nine months of this year, 335 pedestrians were struck by vehicles, with 41 serious injuries and 17 fatal crashes. Pedestrian-involved crashes are up 10 percent from last year. By Sept. 30, 2026, Montgomery County had already exceeded the number of pedestrian deaths from all of calendar year 2025, underscoring the need for additional road safety measures.
This legislation removes bureaucratic hurdles and expedites project approval by removing the public hearing requirement for certain projects. Specifically, the bill would waive a public hearing requirement if:
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- The proposed sidewalk or path does not require the acquisition or use of private property;
- The project will not materially impair access to private property; or,
- A petition supporting the project is filed with the County Executive signed by at least 25 percent of property owners located along the route.
Currently, County Code requires a majority of property owners on a proposed route to sign a petition in order to waive a public hearing. By lowering the petition threshold, the bill aims to streamline the process for approving projects that will improve community safety.
A public hearing on Bill 51-26, Streets and Roads – Public Hearing Requirements – Amendments is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 10 at 1:30 p.m.
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