This project provides for the design and construction of the Lakeforest Transit Center, including bus bays, stations and shelters, bus circulation areas, and staff support spaces. The project will also include a shared-use path on Russell Avenue along the site's frontage.

The existing Transit Center site, located at the intersection of Lost Knife Road and Odenhal Avenue in Gaithersburg, Maryland, is owned by the Lakeforest developer and will be integrated into the new mixed-use residential and commercial redevelopment. The proposed Lakeforest Transit Center facility will replace this transit center and will serve local Ride On and future MD355 BRT services.

The site acquisition deposit to be paid in FY26 ($600,000), and planning and preliminary design ($1.4 million), are funded in the BRT: MD 355 Central project (P502005). This project includes the remaining funds necessary to acquire the site, complete the design, and construct the facility. The County will apply for a Federal FY2026 BUILD grant of $11.9 million. The grant program requires a minimum local match of 20 percent; $2 million for planning, design, and supervision and $1 million for construction funds, totaling $3 million programmed in this project, will serve as the local match.

A pedestrian impact analysis will be performed during design or is in progress. The County Executive asserts that this project conforms to the requirement of relevant local plans, as required by the Maryland Economic Growth, Resource Protection and Planning Act.

City of Gaithersburg, Washington Gas, Pepco, Verizon, Comcast, Federal Transit Administration, Commission on People with Disabilities, Neighborhood and Civic Associations, MD 355 BRT Corridor Advisory Committee, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission