MCDOT Offers Adult Bike and E-Scooter Classes in April, May and June
MCDOT will offer low-cost adult bike classes in April, May, and June. The classes will include 11 Learn to Ride classes and one Basic Skills class. MCDOT will also offer two free, walk-up e-scooter classes following select bike classes.
Advance registration is required to participate in the bicycle classes, with a cost of $10 for Montgomery County residents. There is no charge for Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) or Capital Bikeshare for All members; however, registration is still required.
Participants in the Learn to Ride bicycle classes will learn how to start and stop, balance, glide, pedal, and steer a bike. Each student will progress at their own pace. Students in the Basic Skills class should be able to ride a bicycle and will continue to practice basic biking skills.
The classes are open to residents 18 and over, are limited to 25 people, and fill up quickly.
Registration for May classes will open on the WABA website at 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 2, and for June classes at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 1.
Adult Learn to Ride bike class schedule:
Adult Basic Skills bike class schedule:
- Saturday, June 13, 9 a.m.-noon. Montgomery College, Parking Lot 13, Rockville.
Residents can drop in anytime during the two-hour adult e-scooter classes immediately following the bike classes on Saturday, April 25 in Rockville and Sunday, June 7 in Bethesda. E-scooter classes do not require pre-registration. Anyone 18 or over with a valid driver’s license or ID can stop by. E-scooters and helmets will be provided.
To register and for future inclement weather cancellations, visit MCDOT’s website or call 240-777-8380.
MCDOT Addresses Potholes from Winter Storm
MCDOT filled 1,543 potholes during a “Pothole Blitz” on Wednesday, Feb. 11, and Thursday, Feb. 12, following the January snowstorm. The two-day blitz was planned to quickly service potholes on 5,400 lane miles of County-maintained roads. More than 125 MCDOT employees were deployed over the two-day period to repair roads damaged in the recent winter storm.
Residents can report potholes on County roads online or by calling 311 or 240-777-0311.
Residents can submit requests for pothole repair on state roads to the Maryland State Highway Administration’s Online Service Request Form or by calling 301-513-7300. State roads are identified by having a road number assigned, such as MD 355 or Route 97/Georgia Avenue.
Residents living within local municipalities, including the City of Rockville and Gaithersburg, should submit pothole repair requests to their municipalities.
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Draft New Hampshire Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Study is Now Available Online
The Montgomery County Planning Board will review and make a recommendation on MCDOT’s Draft New Hampshire Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Study at an upcoming meeting on Thursday, March 12. Public feedback is encouraged. The public can sign up to participate or submit written comments online.
The New Hampshire Avenue corridor also travels through Prince George’s County. At a February 19 meeting, the Prince George’s County Planning Board voted to concur with the report’s recommendation of the Hybrid Alternative as the locally preferred alternative.
MCDOT completed the New Hampshire Avenue Corridor Study, which considered how to implement BRT from Fort Totten in D.C. to Randolph Road in Colesville. The study recommends a BRT concept that includes a combination of curbside bus lanes, queue jumps, and transit signal priority that will deliver faster and more reliable transit on New Hampshire Avenue.
For further information, visit the project website or email [email protected]. The public can sign up to receive project updates via email.
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Montgomery County Increases Impaired Driving Enforcement and Offers Safe Ride Options on St. Patrick’s Day, Tuesday, March 17
MCDOT, Police Department and Alcohol Beverage Services are urging residents who choose to celebrate with alcohol during the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day holiday to drink responsibly and to plan ahead for a safe ride home.
Montgomery County offers the following safe ride home options:
- SoberRide is a free ride home program for adults offered through the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) in partnership with Lyft. A limited number of promotional codes for Lyft will be posted at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, on SoberRide.com and can be used only once during the aforementioned period. The codes are valid for up to $15 off one Lyft ride home taken in Lyft’s Washington, D.C. coverage area nightly from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m., from Wednesday, March 17, through Wednesday, March 18. Participants must be 21+.
- MCDOT’s Ride On bus has zero fare for all riders on all County buses. There are currently over 80 daily routes throughout the County. Download the free regional public transit app Ride On Trip Planner to plan your next trip.
To learn about other year-round safe ride options, visit the County’s Vision Zero Safe Ride home webpage.
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Ride On Bus System Opens Doors to Science and Technology Opportunities for Students
MCDOT Ride On buses are helping a local nonprofit expand opportunities for underrepresented students by providing access to its life sciences career training program.
Learning Undefeated provides advanced scientific coursework, hands-on lab experience, and career counseling to high school and college students interested in science careers. Montgomery County has provided Learning Undefeated with more than $250,000 in grant funding since 2021.
Because many students enrolled in the program do not have a private vehicle, Learning Undefeated prioritizes access to public transportation.
Grace Chi, a sophomore in Global Ecology Magnet Program at Poolesville High School, relied on Ride On bus service as a member of the 2025 Emerging Leaders program.
“I used Ride On every day to go to the lab facility at Montgomery College,” said Chi. “My mom uses the car to get to her job during the day, and I needed another mode of transport. I took two buses, the 56 Lakeforest, and then I transferred to the 55 Rockville, and that bus took me to Montgomery College in Rockville. The timing, it might sound like a while, but it was convenient because the buses come so frequently.”
MCDOT’s Ride On bus service offers students a reliable transportation option to the research laboratory facilities at the Montgomery College Rockville campus, where they receive hands-on technical training, as well as to employers in the biotechnology industry, which hosts student mentoring and networking events.
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Elementary School (K-5) Students Invited to Participate in Annual Pedestrian Safety Art Contest
MCDOT’s Safe Routes to School Program is hosting its sixth annual Pedestrian Safety Art Contest that is open to all Montgomery County Elementary Schools (k-5). Students are encouraged to use their creative thinking and unique artwork to educate themselves and others about pedestrian safety. The goal of the contest is to educate students and encourage them to practice safe walking behaviors to and from school.
The winning artwork should reflect the best ways to stay safe and the things to avoid while walking. It should also highlight road safety measures.
The contest will open on Monday, March 16, and run through Friday, April 17. Students are encouraged to use creative thinking to educate about pedestrian safety.
See the 2025 art winners on the contest website.
MCDOT Seeking Feedback on the Redwing Road Sidewalk Proposal in Bethesda
The Redwing Road Sidewalk Proposal will provide a five-foot-wide concrete sidewalk on the west side of Redwing Road between Stardust Lane and Goldsboro Road (MD 614) in Bethesda. Public input is encouraged and may influence the final design and the decision on installing all or a portion of the project.
The public is encouraged to visit the project website and provide feedback via the online comment form or by email to Planning Specialist Lori Main at [email protected] by Wednesday, March 11.
In all public meetings and hearings, written comments carry the same weight as oral comments and information provided will become a matter of public record.
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MCPD Focusing on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Initiative Through Saturday, March 14
The Montgomery County Police Department’s (MCPD) Traffic Operations Division is participating in Montgomery County’s Vision Zero “Wave” initiative through Saturday, March 14.
MCPD officers will conduct education and outreach focusing on pedestrian safety behaviors that contribute to serious and fatal crashes, including speeding, distracted driving, failure to yield, and other traffic violations that put pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers at risk.
The goal of this effort is to improve roadway safety, raise awareness of traffic laws, and support the County’s Vision Zero goal of reducing serious and fatal crashes.
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RIDE ON SEVICE UPDATES
Closure of Medical Center Bus Loop in Bethesda to Impact Ride On Bus Routes 34 and 46 on Select Sundays Through Spring 2026
Due to Metrorail construction, the bus loop at the Medical Center Metro Station will be closed on select Sundays through Spring 2026, which will impact MCDOT’s Ride On Bus Routes 34 and 46.
As depicted in the map above, Ride On Bus Routes 34 to Wheaton and 46 to Montgomery College Rockville will use Bus Bay H (stop #25504) and Bus Routes 34 to Bethesda and 46 to Medical Center will use Bus Bay G (stop #25646) on Rockville Pike during the closures. Ride On Routes 30, 33, 70, and Ride On extRa 101, which use the loop during weekday service, will not be impacted as they do not operate on Sundays.
Construction work will take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 3.
Ride On Discontinues a Route 38 Bus Stop on Veirs Mill Road in Silver Spring Beginning Friday, March 13
Beginning Friday, March 13, Ride On bus route 38 will discontinue service at the bus stop on Veirs Mill Road at Gail Street (number 26828), just outside Rockville in Silver Spring. The stop will be replaced by a new bus stop further west (towards Rockville) on Veirs Mill Road at Centerhill Street (number 26826). Metrobus will continue to use the original bus stop.
For real-time bus arrival and departure information, download the Ride On Trip Planner app from the Apple Store or Google Play to plan your rides, or use the online trip planner website from your desktop/laptop browser.
PARTNER NEWS
WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY (WMATA) METRO
Regional Lawmakers Propose $460M Metro Funding Plan
Maryland and Virginia lawmakers are advancing funding proposals aimed at stabilizing the region’s bus and rail system. It’s a transit network that has 11 Metrorail stations in Montgomery County, in addition to hundreds of bus stops, that thousands of residents rely on as a critical part of their daily commutes.
Regional leaders have endorsed recommendations that include adding about $460 million in new annual capital funding for Metro. The plan calls for the funding to increase about 3% each year to keep pace with inflation and support long-term infrastructure needs.
Read MCMYMedia article.
Metro Begins Tap. Ride. Go. Parking Upgrades Across System, Expanding Contactless Payments
Metro announces the launch of Tap. Ride. Go. parking upgrades at Metro-owned parking facilities, beginning with Addison Road station, which will become the first location to accept contactless payment.
As installations progress across the service area, Metro will update an online tracker at wmata.com/tapridego showing which parking facilities accept Tap. Ride. Go. payments. The tracker will be updated regularly as additional parking facilities come online.
Metro Ready to Move Big Crowds During the National Cherry Blossom Festival
Metro is the official transit partner of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, a celebration that runs from Friday, March 20 to Sunday, April 12 and kicks off the Spring and tourist season in the DMV.
Bright blue, pink, fuchsia, and white cherry blossom-themed Metro vehicles will hit the tracks and streets on March 20. One train, three buses, and one Metro Access vehicle will be wrapped for cherry blossom season through the end of April.
Customers can find their location by visiting wmata.com/live and clicking on “special edition” when the vehicles go out later this month.
Metro is also partnering with the National Cherry Blossom Festival on the annual release of a commemorative Smart Trip card that will be available at seven stations on Friday, March 20.
WMATA Board of Directors Approves Expansion of U-Pass Program to Reach More Students Across the Region
On Thursday, Feb. 26, the Metro Board of Directors voted to approve a major expansion and modernization of Metro’s University Pass (U-Pass) program, an initiative designed to give more college students affordable, unlimited access to transit while supporting ridership growth and institutional partnerships.
MARYLAND STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION (MDOT SHA)
MDOT SHA Makes Ramp Metering Signals Fully Operational Along Northbound I-270; Operation Expected to Save Drivers Up to 30 Minutes on Morning Commute
Last month, SHA made new ramp meters fully operational on 16 ramps on northbound I-270 in Frederick and Montgomery counties.
Ramp metering is a part of the I-270 Innovative Congestion Management (ICM) Project, an effort to reduce recurring congestion and improve travel time reliability along the heavily traveled 34.4-mile corridor between I-70 in Frederick County and I-495 (Capital Beltway) in Montgomery County.
When ramp metering is in operation, motorists will encounter advance warning signs with flashing beacons indicating the signals are active. Drivers merging onto I-270 from ramps should be prepared to stop at the marked stop line on the ramp. When the signal turns green, motorists may proceed and merge onto I-270.
The ramp metering signals are intended to release one vehicle at a time from each lane, improving overall traffic flow. They are anticipated to be active during peak travel periods or when congestion is present on I-270. Once fully operational, the ramp meters are expected to save some drivers up to 30 minutes during the morning commute.
MDOT SHA Improves Several State Roads in Montgomery County; Drivers Can Expect Lane Closures During Work Hours
MDOT SHA will begin a series of pavement improvement projects at various locations in Montgomery County beginning in early March. Drivers can expect off-peak single-lane closures from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and nighttime operations from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. The exact work hours may be adjusted based on traffic conditions at specific locations and will include flagging operations and single- or double-lane closures, as needed.
State roads to be improved are listed online.
AMTRAK
Amtrak Launching Express Bus Service Between Metro Richmond and D.C. During Construction
A new express bus service connecting Metro Richmond and Washington, D.C. will launch March 7, providing additional travel options for passengers during ongoing rail construction tied to the Long Bridge Project.
Read the Henrico Citizen article.
IN THE NEWS
Why Full Buses Are a Car Commuter’s Dream
Even a 5-10% drop in cars on the road can dramatically ease congestion, making healthy transit systems a win-win for transit users and drivers alike.
Read the Planetizen article.
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For information on MCDOT programs and services, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on X, Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook and subscribe to receive the latest MCDOT news by phone or email.
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