Thursday, May 2, 2013
Residents are asked to weigh in on a 79-mile, 10-route bus rapid transit system that aims to relieve congestion for commuters.
Would dedicating one lane of traffic on major thoroughfares like Rockville Pike and Colesville Road for buses reduce overall traffic? Planners proposing a 79-mile, 10-route bus rapid transit system think so. Now, members of the Montgomery County Planning Board want to hear what you think. A public hearing is planned for Thursday, May 16, at 6 p.m. at the Park and Planning Headquarters auditorium, 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. To sign up to speak, visit the planning board's website. Bus Rapid Transit would focus on highly traveled routes within the county and provide connections to Metrorail, MARC and the planned Purple Line. Recommendations included some dedicated lanes with high-speed buses, along routes that include Rockville Pike/…
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Taking out two travel lanes from the Beltway to Western Avenue could add six minutes of travel time on the stretch for motorists by 2040.
Montgomery County planners are recommending that two travel lanes of Route 355 from the Capital Beltway to Western Avenue be re-purposed as dedicated rapid transit bus lanes. Planners say the rapid transit route would draw high ridership, but drivers could see their afternoon rush trip increase by nearly six minutes from Western Avenue to Cedar Lane by 2040. The recommendation is part of a staff draft of a Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan presented to the Montgomery County Planning Board Monday evening. The master plan includes a proposal for a 79-mile bus rapid transit system using 10 routes across the county. The draft will undergo an extensive public hearing process before it’s submitted to the Montgomery County …
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The county planning staff will make recommendations to the board about future bus rapid transit systems at the meeting on Thursday.
Discussion about the implementation of dedicated bus lanes or bus rapid transit systems in Montgomery County will continue at the Montgomery County Planning Board's next meeting, on Thursday, Feb. 21. The county planning staff will update the board on its recent work on the Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan. A public hearing for the plan will be held on May 2, according to a planning department briefing. The planning staff recommends that Maryland State Route 355 "is the best candidate for pursuing a high-quality BRT treatment to serve future planned growth," and that U.S. Route 29 "is the best candidate for implementing dedicated bus lanes in the near term," according to the briefing. There is a concern, however, that …
Friday, January 25, 2013
Notable outcomes include county residents speaking out against a proposed smoking ban, Council cutting funding for a bus study in half, and the approval of a controversial apartment complex in Bethesda.
The Montgomery County Council met Tuesday, Jan. 22. Notable outcomes from the meeting include: County Residents Speak Out Against Proposed Smoking Ban A bill, introduced by Councilwoman Nancy M. Floreen, intending to ban smoking on any property owned or leased by county government was met with negative feedback from county residents during a public hearing, The Washington Examiner reported. One resident said the ban was comparable to making it "illegal to consume on county property food containing trans fats ... genetically modified corn snacks ... and sugary sodas more than 12 ounces," adding, "It should also be illegal to wear inadequate clothing in the wintertime," according to the report. Others testified that the ban could hurt …
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett says the county cannot afford to build a 10-route bus rapid transit system.
The bus rapid transit system proposed by Montgomery County planners for major county routes received a blow on Monday: Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett said the system would be too expensive to build, The (Washington) Examiner reported. "Instead, Leggett suggested a significantly smaller system with fewer bells and whistles than the proposed high-end bus rapid transit, or BRT, system," The Examiner added. The planners' proposal was for a 10-route system, which would have cost less than the 23-route bus rapid transit system proposed by the all-volunteer Transit Task Force last spring. The task force put its system's price tag at $1.8 billion, while Montgomery County Master Planner Larry Cole figured the 23-route system would have…
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Whether to reserve existing lanes for buses is among the issue for planners.
On Monday, Patch gave you a chance to “Speak Out” on bus rapid transit in Montgomery County. Meanwhile, County Executive Isiah Leggett told The Washington Examiner the proposed system is too expensive. Now, planners from the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission want to hear from you. Planners will present their preliminary plans for a BRT system on the county’s main roads and hear public input on the plan at three meetings around the county beginning Tuesday evening. One of the topics: Should existing travel lanes be used or are new lanes needed for the network of high-speed buses? Exhibits will be on display between 6:30 and 9 p.m., with a formal presentation at 7 p.m. each night as follows: Click here for more …
Will Montgomery's proposed rapid-bus network put drivers in a pinch?
If transportation planners have their way, drivers in some of Montgomery County’s most congested corridors could start losing some of their traffic lanes. The reason: a sprawling network of high-speed buses that will need dedicated lanes, particularly in Germantown, Silver Spring, Bethesda and White Oak. Unlike decades-old proposals for mass transit lines like the Corridor Cities Transitway—which has nearly all of its 15-mile right-of-way already set aside—the Bus Rapid Transit network would have to find room along county roadways. That has raised concerns of even more crowded roadways and increased commute times for those who can’t—or won’t—shake their driving habits, reported The Washington Post. “Is there a risk here? Yes,” Mark Winston…
Monday, November 12, 2012
It could be a tight squeeze to dedicate traffic lanes for a proposed rapid bus network along some of the county's most congested corridors.
If transportation planners have their way, drivers in some of Montgomery County’s most congested corridors could start losing some of their traffic lanes. The reason: a sprawling network of high-speed buses that will need dedicated lanes, particularly in Silver Spring, Bethesda, Germantown and White Oak. Unlike decades-old proposals for mass transit lines like the Corridor Cities Transitway—which has nearly all of its 15-mile right-of-way already set aside—the Bus Rapid Transit network would have to find room along county roadways. That has raised concerns of even more crowded roadways and increased commute times for those who can’t—or won’t—shake their driving habits, reported The Washington Post. “Is there a risk here? Yes,” Mark Winston…
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The task force's 150-page report was unveiled Tuesday.
A county-commissioned task force Tuesday called for a “comprehensive” bus rapid transit network across Montgomery County that would span 160 miles, providing an alternative to congested roads. A bus rapid transit network was first envisioned four years ago by County Councilman Marc Elrich (D-At Large) of Takoma Park, The Gazette reports. The task force unveiled a detailed report Tuesday outlining their vision for the transit system. The group refined the vision over a period of 15 months, meeting more than 30 times to create the 150-page report, The Washington Post reports. Officials have touted the system as the “future of transportation” in Montgomery County, according to The Gazette. In a statement Tuesday, Elrich called the group’s …
Transportation officials will field questions about Veirs Mill Road project on Wednesday.
An open house on Wednesday in Wheaton will give residents a chance to learn more about a planned bus rapid transit system along Veirs Mill Road, the State Highway Administration announced in a news release. SHA will present information about the planned transit project between the Wheaton and Rockville Metro stations. There will be no formal presentations. Attendees will be able to view displays about the project from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Multi Purpose Room of the Holiday Park Senior Center. Representatives from SHA, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation and the Maryland Transit Authority will discuss a BRT planning study. They will explain the system’s operations and the need for the project and will compare it to other …
Bill Redmond
3:20 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
355 is already a mess. I never use Wisconsin Ave. to get into the city, I'll go out of my way to avoid it. more ›