Montgomery Bus Rapid Transit - Coalition For Smarter Growth

In 2013, the Montgomery County Council unanimously approved an 81-mile bus rapid transit system – which may be the most ambitious bus rapid transit plan for any suburban jurisdiction in the United States. Once built, the approved corridors will connect Montgomery County’s major neighborhoods, employment centers, and commercial corridors. Montgomery County is currently doing studies for the first three BRT routes: MD355, Veirs Mill Rd, and RT.29.

As of May 2017, the Montgomery County Council has signed off on $7.5 million to design the Rt. 29 BRT line and to continuing studying BRT along MD 355. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation has also been awarded $10 million in TIGER grant funds to construct the Rt. 29 BRT line, named “Flash.” It is set to open in 2020. The route is planned from the Burtonsville Park and Ride to Downtown Silver Spring in both dedicated shoulder lanes and mixed traffic. Plans for more dedicated space in the southern portion of the corridor are underway. This will be the first BRT line in Montgomery County.

Resources

Here are some additional great resources to learn more about our work for BRT in Montgomery County:

Montgomery says it can’t build BRT, but there’s money for new roads (February 2, 2016 – Greater Greater Washington)
Press release: CSG supports rapid transit funding in CIP (January 21, 2016)
Report: Best Practices in Rapid Transit System Design (August 2015)
Montgomery County’s Rapid Transit System official page
Montgomery County RTS details at Communities for Transit

Latest Happenings

Public forum: Modern transit for Upcounty Montgomery

acustis | October 21, 2015

Event materials MTA PowerPoint Coalition for Smarter Growth PowerPoint Event description Wednesday, October 21, 2015 | 7:00-9:00 PM Neelsville Middle School | 11700 Neelsville Church Rd, Germantown Interested in learning about transportation solutions for Upcounty? Come out to Neelsville Middle School on Wednesday, October 21 to hear local advocacy organizations

White Flint: Suburban Sprawl to a Walkable Win

acustis | September 26, 2015

White Flint was once known as a suburban mall, but today it’s evolving into Montgomery County’s newest walkable district. How did we get from suburban sprawl to such a bright future?

Questions remain on bus-rapid transit in Montgomery Co.

Will Reckley | September 2, 2015

SILVER SPRING, Md. — As the Purple Line gets closer to construction next year, transit advocates are pushing for a bus-rapid transit network to relieve congestion in Montgomery County. The Coalition for Smarter Growth and Communities for Transit have released a guide that examines how other cities have successfully built such networks. Montgomery County

Bus Rapid Transit Boosters Unveil Wish List for Unfunded Montgomery County System

Will Reckley | September 1, 2015

Two of the groups pushing hard for bus rapid transit in Montgomery County don't want officials weighing difficult funding questions to forget the features that could make the system a success. The Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG), a Washington, D.C.-based smart growth advocacy organization, and the Communities for Transit on Tuesday released

RELEASE: New report identifies key ways to make Montgomery County’s bus rapid transit succeed

acustis | September 1, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 1, 2015 CONTACT Pete Tomao, Coalition for Smarter Growth 202-675-0016 pete@smartergrowth.net MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD -- In 2013, the Montgomery County Council unanimously approved a plan for an 81-mile Rapid Transit network based on modern bus rapid transit. Today, appointed citizen task forces are working with county and state