MCDOT Seeks Feedback on Trip Planner App Throughout June

On Monday, June 5, MCDOT announced the soft launch of a new Ride On Trip Planner app . The app was launched in partnership with Moovit , a global mobility trip-planning mobile app software company.

The new Ride On Trip Planner app has many features including trip planning across multiple modes including Ride On buses, Metro rail and buses, scooters and Bikeshare. Additionally, the app will have crowdsourcing information for Ride On buses to give live reports on arrival times and ridership levels to alert riders if an incoming bus is at, or near, capacity.

MCDOT Wins National Association of Counties 2023 Achievement Award for Truck Day

The National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards recognize a county’s outstanding commitment to public service in various categories including civic education and public information; community and economic development; children and youth; and arts and entertainment.

This year, NACo recognized the MCDOT Truck Day featuring the “Paint the Plow” Contest in the Children and Youth category for it’s positive impact on the community.

MCDOT Receives $140,000 for Two Technical Assistance Awards from Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Transportation Planning Board

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Transportation Planning Board (TPB) technical assistance award, for $60,000, is part of the TPB Transportation Land-Use Connections (TLC) Program. The funds will be used to study the County’s Ride On Flex service. Flex is an innovative shared ride service, offering on-demand transit service in defined areas of Rockville and Glenmont/Wheaton.

The additional funding, for $80,000, was awarded under the TPB Regional Roadway Safety Program to advance a comprehensive assessment and design study for safety improvements along Bel Pre Road in Aspen Hill. The application was in partnership with the County’s Vision Zero office.

Both projects are slated to begin in FY24 and will last for one year. Learn more here .

MCDOT Awards $800,000 in Grants to Assist Disabled, Senior, Limited-Income Residents with Transportation Needs

Funding will be for 23 community-based nonprofits to expand access to transportation to disabled, senior and limited-income residents through the Targeted and Specialized Mobility (TSM) Grant Program.

The TSM Capital Grant program awarded $640,000 for capital projects to a total of 17 nonprofit organizations that serve priority populations within their communities. The grants will fund capital investments to increase access to transportation services for vulnerable community members.

An additional $160,000 was awarded through the TSM Operating Grant Program to six nonprofit organizations. The funding from these grants will support the day-to-day operating costs associated with increasing access to transportation assistance.

Learn more here .

MCDOT New Hampshire Avenue Flash Bus Corridor Update

MCDOT staff met with residents and bus riders at the recent New Hampshire Avenue Corridor Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting on Thursday, May 18. The Project Team introduced three alternative concepts for implementing Flash Bus Corridor along New Hampshire Avenue and requested input on potential events and locations for engaging with the community. The meeting presentation and summary are now available on the project website for review.

MCDOT encourages the public to explore the online webmap and comment on the Flash Bus Corridor alternatives. Learn more here .

Montgomery County’s University Boulevard to Get a Temporary Bus/Bike Lane, Awaiting Flash Bus Corridor Implementation

MCDOT plans to install temporary combined bus and bicycle lanes on University Boulevard to speed riders and cyclists along and enable data collection for a future redesign. In the longer term, the corridor will get a comprehensive overhaul with the addition of a Flash Bus Corridor. Montgomery County’s Bus Rapid Transit is marketed as Flash. Flash is Montgomery County’s bus rapid transit (BRT) system.

The University Boulevard pilot is the largest of MCDOT’s bus priority projects and will extend over 2 miles from Amherst Avenue to Dennis Avenue with the highest ridership in Maryland and among the top 5 or 6 in the Washington region. Learn more here .

MCDOT Sponsors Last “Free” Electric Scooter Class for Spring, Saturday, June 18

Stop by the Montgomery College parking lot 13 in Rockville between 1-3 p.m. to take a test ride, learn safety tips and get details on basic scooter laws. Residents must be 18 and older with a valid driver’s license or ID.

Keep an eye out for future classes this fall, visit tinyurl.com/cycleclss or call 240-777-8380.

Redland Middle School Named Winner of MCDOT’s “Paint the Plow” Contest to Celebrate Public Works Week

Leading up to Public Works Week, eleven Montgomery County middle schools participated in the “ Paint the Plow ” contest to celebrate the many contributions made by public works employees that keep the County running.

The snowplow entries were showcased during MCDOT’s family-friendly ‘Truck Day’ event that was held on Saturday, May 20. The free event had more than 1,000 attendees who were invited to vote for their favorite snowplow design. The decorated plows will be part of the MCDOT fleet that will be clearing snow from streets this winter.

The middle school winners selected were:

• 1st place (won $500): Redland MS “ Snowkémon .”
• 2nd place (won $300): Westland MS “ Plowser .”
• 3rd place (won $200): John Poole MS “ Winter Warrior .”

MCDOT Announces Winner of Elementary School Pedestrian Safety Art Contest

The contest aimed to raise awareness on the importance of pedestrian safety. MCDOT chose six winners out of nearly 400 art submissions which received a surprise visit from Zeal the Safety Zebra who presented Barnes & Noble gift cards to the K-3 winners and Amazon gift cards to the 4-5 grade winners. View the list of winners and their art entries here .

K-3 Grade Winners:

• 1st Place: Jingyi (Ann) Y., Beverly Farms ES
• 2nd Place: Abigail J., William B. Gibbs ES
• 3rd Place: Annabelle G., Wayside ES

4-5 Grade Winners:

• 1st Place: Katie W., Burning Tree ES
• 2nd Place: Fiorella R., Fox Chapel ES
• 3rd Place: Leah W., Candlewood ES

MCDOT Announces Winner for Middle School Online Art Contest as Part of the Vision Zero Youth Ambassador Program

As part of MCDOT’s Vision Zero Youth Ambassador program , MCDOT announced the first-ever online art contest for middle school students in grades 6-8. The contest allowed students to showcase their artistic skills while also educating others on the importance of pedestrian safety.

Students that submitted quality submissions received two Student Service Learning Hours, as well as the chance to win additional prizes for placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd ($100, $50 and $25 Amazon Gift Cards respectively.)

• 1st place : Aditi Thankur, 7th grade, Parkland Magnet MS
• 2nd place : Caitlyn M., 6th grade, Cabin John MS
• 3rd place : Joyce F., 8th grade, Cabin John MS

Governor Wes Moore Visits Wheaton for a Safety Walk on Georgia Avenue

Montgomery County officials hosted Governor Wes Moore for a safety walk on Georgia Avenue on Wednesday, May 31, from 3 – 4 p.m. The walk showed off the high-speed, multilane road that is hazardous to pedestrians and the need for a transformation into an urban boulevard that is safe for alternate modes and will support a vibrant downtown community.

As a next step, the County is asking the Governor to fund a planning study that would consider the elements of a boulevard.

County Executive Marc Elrich, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld, County Council members including Council President Evan Glass and Councilmember Natali Fani-Gonzalez, MCDOT Director, Chris Conklin, and other State and County officials participated. View related pictures on MCDOT’s Twitter post here .

SoberRide Offers Free Lyft Rides Home on Independence Day

The Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s (WRAP) SoberRide program will offer codes for free Lyft rides up to $15. If you choose to celebrate Independence Day with alcohol plan ahead to arrange a sober ride home.

Visit soberride.com in a few weeks to get the code and additional details.

Residents can also visit Montgomery County’s Vision Zero website for sober ride options here .

WMATA to Launch New Reduced Fare Program ‘Metro Lift’ to Create More Equitable, Affordable Access to Transit Across the Region on Tuesday, June 20

For the first time, Metro will offer reduced fares to assist low-income customers. Customers in DC, Maryland and Virginia who qualify for the US Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) are eligible to enroll.

Customers enrolled in Metro Lift will receive a 50 percent discount for any travel on Metrorail and Metrobus.

Online enrollment and appointment scheduling will begin on Tuesday, June 20, at wmata.com/MetroLift . In-person enrollment will begin at three sites starting on Monday, June 26. Learn more here .

Red Line Service Improvements Began Monday, June 12

Red Line trains are now operating every six minutes until 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and every 10 minutes 9:30 p.m. to close. On weekends, Red Line trains will continue operating every eight minutes until 9:30 p.m., where frequencies will slow to every 10 minutes. Learn more here .

Call For Public Feedback on Metro’s Better Bus System Redesign

Metro’s Better Bus network is a big deal for riders in Maryland and Virginia. View the highlights of the proposed bus system redesign, and give Metro your feedback before the comment period ends Monday, June 18, visit betterbus.wmata.com .

Phase Three of Glenmont Metro Station Bus Bay Closures to Begin Monday, June 26

On Monday, September. 12, 2022, Metro began replacing the glass canopies at the Glenmont Station. During the glass canopy construction, some bus bays have been closed in phases and the associated bus routes have been temporarily relocated. Phase Three is projected to begin on Monday, June 26 with the closing of Bays E and F. Learn more here .

Capital Bikeshare Hits Highest Monthly Use Ever, Showing Gains out of the Pandemic

Bikeshare officials attribute the record to tourism returning, good weather, their new fleet of e-bikes, and the increasing number of protected bike lanes across D.C. and the region. Read the DCist article here .

DID YOU KNOW? 90 Bikeshare stations are available throughout Montgomery County. Find a station near you at capitalbikeshare.com/map .

Shared Micromobility Boosts Job Access When Linked with Public Transit: Report

The study found that, compared with cars, micromobility provided similar access to jobs for trips under 15 minutes and, in large metro areas with good public transit, 30-minute trips. Read the Smart Cities Dive article here .

One of the Best Transit Tools of the Future is an Old Friend – The Bus

Bus rapid transit is the fastest growing mode of transit in the U.S. and is leading how the nation prioritizes its mobility landscape.

During this time of rapidly emerging technologies and high automation deployed on the nation’s roadways, the transit world is making one of the most significant impacts to the future of mobility with an old friend – the bus. Read the Mass Transit article here .

Maryland Mobile ID Launches on Google Wallet

Maryland is the first state to offer digital licenses and IDs in Google Wallet. Gov. Wes Moore announced that the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration launched Maryland Mobile ID in Google Wallet. Learn more here .