Montgomery County Bus Rapid Transit System: The powerpoint presentation of the original proposal developed by Montgomery County Councilmember Marc Elrich.

Video from the Coalition for Smarter Growth

Video on the Costs & Advantages of Bus Rapid Transit

Video on Bus Rapid Transit from the San Franciso County Transit Authority

Video on Bus Rapid Transit from Mercedes Benz

Project Schedule

The Planning Board Draft is to be approved by summer 2013. Key milestones in the Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan include:

Sept. 2011 Planning Board approves draft Scope of Work
Feb. 2012 Planning Board approves revised Network and Methodology Report
Sept. 2012 Planners release preliminary recommendations
Oct. 2012 Planners hold public information meetings
Nov. 2012 Planners release preliminary recommendations
Nov. 2012 Planners hold public information meetings
April 2013 Planners complete public hearing draft
May 2013 Planning Board holds public hearing
Spring 2013 Planning Board holds worksessions
July 2013 Planning Board transmits final draft plan to County Council

Upcoming Events

  • June 25, 2014: Open House at Rockville Library sponsored by Coalition for Smart Growth and The Communities for Transit
  • April 4, 2013: Planners to present public hearing draft to the Planning Board, request public hearing date
  • April 8, 2013, 8 p.m.: Presentation to the Montgomery County Civic Federation at the Council Office Building, Rockville
  • April 10, 2013, 7 pm (time to be confirmed): Presentation to Rockville Planning Commission
  • April 22, 2013, 8 pm (time to be confirmed): Presentation to Rockville Mayor and Council
  • May 14, 2013, 7:30 p.m.- Lead planner Larry Cole to present “Planning for Bus Rapid Transit and MARC Expansion” to the Action Committee for Transit,Silver Spring Regional Center
  • May 16, 2013: Planning Board public hearing
  • June/July 2013: Planning Board worksessions

Corridor Cities TransitwayProject History

March 18, 2014, Should the BRT come on the Rockville Campus?, Greater Greater Washington, Kelly Blynn.  The county is presently considering whether to bring the proposed BRT route onto the Rockville campus, as well as the Germantown Campus.

January 28, 2014. Rockville officials get more details on Montgomery County’s BRT plans

November 26, 2013.  County approves BRT plan.

November 1, 2013.  Countywide Transit Cities Memorandum.  Deputy Council Administrator recommends BRT route come onto the Germantown campus.

August 2013.  State commits funds for Purple Line and Corridor Cities Transitway

July 2013.  Planning Board Draft of the plan is released.

April 4, 2013.  The Montgomery County Planning Board is now comfortable with the language used in the Corridors Cities Transitway plan.

March 19, 2013.  The Montgomery County Planning Board rejected a draft of the master plan of the Bus Rapid Transit system at their meeting Monday night delaying the first public meeting on the transportation initiative.  While there was no objection to the recommendations in the draft, Master Planner Larry Cole said Tuesday morning, the planning board requested some additional language in the plan itself to explain why planners made the decisions they made. He said the objection was to the “language giving transit priority over cars and drivers” and how that should be worded, Cole added.
Video of meeting
Countywide Transit Proposal Staff  (no stop at Silver Spring Campus)
Countywide Transit Proposal Staff Presentation (no stop at Silver Spring Campus)
Proposed Public Hearing Draft  (includes stop at Silver Spring Campus)
Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan, Appendix 13, BRT Station Typology

February 29, 2013. The Maryland House of Delegates voted 76 to 63 to raise taxes on gas to replenish the state transportation fund.  One of the projects to be funded with the added revenue is the Corridor Cities Transitway.

February 14, 2013. On the heels of a report suggesting Montgomery County’s Bus Rapid Transit plans are too ambitious, county planners are recommending reducing the number of lines and using dedicated bus lanes across a smaller portion of the system.

January 2013. Montgomery County Council votes to cut in half the budget requested by the County Executive for the planning of the BRT.  Only $500,000 will be spent.

May 2012. Montgomery County unveils a detailed report from its “Transit Task Force,” a group of officials, advocates and experts who have been meeting for over a year to plan a 160-mile Bus Rapid Transit system.   More information here.

May 2012.  County Task Force recommends special taxing districts to pay for Countywide BRT.

January 2012.  County Executive Legget changes his recommendation for corridors city transitway from light rail to bus rapid transit.  The County Council votes unanimously to approve his recommendation.

Novermber 2011 Montgomery county recieves a $260,000 grant to help fund the planning of the BRT system.

Spring 2009.  Montgomery County Council member Marc Elrich presents BRT proposal to the Rockville and Gaithersburg city mayors and councils.  His webpage has videos of these presentations and a wealth of information about the BRT proposal.

Advertisement