Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich announced today that the Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) approved more than $87 million in funding for pedestrian improvement projects and advancing the Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network in Montgomery County.

The State funds were allocated to the County through a General Assembly Bond Bill passed in 2022.

An additional $6 million was allocated to the MD355 Flash BRT corridor in a Fiscal Year 2021 bond bill.

The funding also will be used as a local match for two Federal transportation grants including the Federal Small Starts Capital Investment grant for Veirs Mill Road Flash BRT and the Federal New Starts grant for MD 355 Flash BRT.

Flash is Montgomery County’s BRT service. BRT is a limited-stop bus service that is gaining popularity in metropolitan areas across the U.S. and worldwide. BRT systems such as Flash are designed to arrive every few minutes, have upgraded amenities, pre-boarding payment, priority traffic light signaling and dedicated lanes where possible.

“I want to thank the Maryland Board of Public Works – Governor Wes Moore, Treasurer Dereck Davis and Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman – for their unanimous approval of over $87 million dollars funding for the County’s Flash Bus Rapid Transit network as well as pedestrian improvement projects,” said County Executive Elrich in his remarks at the BPW meeting. “These funds will allow us to invest in infrastructure that will be more equitable, efficient and reliable. Building out the Flash Bus Rapid Transit Network will help alleviate congestion while helping us achieve our Climate Action Plan goals of reducing 100% greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. Flash is also important to our economic development and job growth efforts. If we want to see the kind of economic growth that Northern Virginia has experienced over the last decade, then improving our infrastructure is the key.”

On Jan. 16, County Executive Elrich released his recommended FY25-30 Capital Improvements Program and FY25 Capital Budget. The Capital Budget contains $1.7 billion for transportation projects including the completion of the Flash BRT corridors along Route 355 and Veirs Mill Road.

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation has one Flash corridor operating, along US 29 Colesville Road connecting Downtown Silver Spring to Burtonsville. The US 29 Flash is one of the County’s most popular bus routes, typically ranking among the top three for ridership.

The completed Flash network will include nine routes (including a US 29 extension to Howard County) with more than 100 stops. Flash fare is the same as other County buses. The fare is $1 per ride. Seniors 65-and-over, persons with disabilities and youth 18-and-under ride County buses free using specialized SmarTrip cards.

“I am thrilled that the Board of Public Works has approved this essential funding to advance Flash and improve pedestrian safety in Montgomery County,” said Montgomery County Department of Transportation Director Chris Conklin. “Funding from our State and Federal partners will move forward our goal of advancing BRT, will allow us to purchase zero-emission buses and advance a number of pedestrian safety infrastructure projects. This transportation investment will move more people through central areas to help drive growth and vibrancy.”

The funds from the 2022 bond bill will support transportation projects in Montgomery County, including:

• $63.4 million General Bus Rapid Transit
• $8.8 million Zero Emission Buses
• $6 million Norwood Road Bike Path
• $4 million Cherry Hill Road Bike Facility
• $2.5 million Great Seneca Science Corridor Transit Network
• $1.5 million Bowie Mill Bike Trail
• $1 million Oak Drive & MD 27 Pedestrian Upgrades

Additional funding from the 2021 bond bill will support: