Projects in this program are intended to enhance mobility by providing convenient and affordable mass transit alternatives to single occupancy vehicle travel and to reduce traffic congestion and vehicle emissions.The County's Mass Transit/WMATA Capital Program provides an essential alternative to single occupant vehicle travel and contributes to the reduction of traffic congestion. The goal of the County's Mass Transit/WMATA Capital Program is to provide infrastructure, equipment, and supporting facilities for the operation of safe, reliable, convenient, and affordable public transportation systems to the residents of Montgomery County. The infrastructure, equipment, and supporting facilities for these transit systems...

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

Projects in this program are intended to enhance mobility by providing convenient and affordable mass transit alternatives to single occupancy vehicle travel and to reduce traffic congestion and vehicle emissions.

The County's Mass Transit/WMATA Capital Program provides an essential alternative to single occupant vehicle travel and contributes to the reduction of traffic congestion. The goal of the County's Mass Transit/WMATA Capital Program is to provide infrastructure, equipment, and supporting facilities for the operation of safe, reliable, convenient, and affordable public transportation systems to the residents of Montgomery County. The infrastructure, equipment, and supporting facilities for these transit systems must be constructed, maintained, rehabilitated, and replaced to ensure safety and operational effectiveness.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Construct south entrance for the Bethesda Metrorail Station in coordination with the Purple Line project.
• Provide oversight and financial support for the Purple Line project which will provide significant economic and mobility benefits.
• Continue preliminary engineering on MD 355 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) with completion in FY23.
• Continue preliminary engineering on Veirs Mill Road Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) with completion in FY21.
• Begin planning for the New Hampshire Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor and the North Bethesda Transitway.
• Replace 22 Ride On buses in Fiscal Year 2021.
• Continue efforts to improve the condition of Ride On bus stops.
• Design and construct a new bus loop and parking lot at the Boyds MARC Station.
• Construct access improvements to the White Flint Metro Station.

PROGRAM CONTACTS

Contact Samuel Oji of the Department of Transportation at 240.777.5895, or Brady Goldsmith of the Office of Management and Budget at 240.777.2793 for more information regarding this department's capital budget.

CAPITAL PROGRAM REVIEW

The FY21-26 Mass Transit/WMATA component of the Transportation capital budget includes eleven active projects. The program totals $194.0 million over the six year period. This represents a decrease of $103.4 million, a 34.8 percent decrease from the $297.4 million in the Amended FY19-24 program. This decrease is largely due to substantial completion of two large projects, Bethesda Metro Station South Entrance and Bus Rapid Transit: US 29 as well as the CAD/AVL component of the Intelligent Transit System. There are also fewer buses due for replacement in the six year period.

STATE TRANSIT PROGRAM/PURPLE LINE

In addition to transit projects programmed by Montgomery County, the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) develops and provides transit services within the County on the Brunswick MARC rail line from Brunswick to Silver Spring, providing convenient connection to the Washington regional Metrorail system.

The State's Draft Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP) is released each October. Final action on the Statewide CTP is taken by the General Assembly. The County continues to work with the State and the Concessionaire under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the 16-mile Purple Line light rail project. In addition to completing the design and construction of the project, the Concessionaire will operate and maintain the light rail corridor for a period of 30 years.

The Purple Line project is included to provide oversight and financial support to this State project. As with any large infrastructure project, significant impacts to the community - both residents and business along the corridor - are anticipated during the construction period. The County expects to be actively engaged with the community throughout the various project stages. The County will also provide technical review and oversight of both the County-funded projects (Bethesda Metro Station South Entrance, Silver Spring Green Trail, and Capital Crescent Trail) and the overall Purple Line project to ensure that they are in keeping with County standards.

BUS RAPID TRANSIT

MCDOT continues to advance three Bus Rapid Transit (FLASH) corridors from the adopted Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan - US 29, Veirs Mill Road, and MD 355. The US29 FLASH line is currently under construction and is scheduled to be operational in 2020. The project is being partially funded with a $10 million Federal TIGER grant. The MD 355 FLASH project is advancing into Preliminary Engineering, with that phase expected to be complete in FY23. The Veirs Mill Road FLASH line is entering the Preliminary Engineering phase, which is anticipated to be complete in FY21. Planning for the New Hampshire Avenue corridor will begin in FY22 and planning for the North Bethesda Transitway will commence in FY24. The FLASH will provide a new high-quality transit option in the county making efficient use of existing roadways to provide a more robust and reliable system that will increase transit ridership.

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