Residents along the Route 29 corridor view BRT plans at a recent open house. Photo by Mike Diegel.
The county’s proposed Bus Rapid Transit system will be branded with the name “Flash” following a two-month long contest during which residents could vote on three suggested names, or offer one of their own.
The first BRT line is expected to open in 2020 along the U.S. 29 corridor from Burtonsville to downtown Silver Spring.
The County Council has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed route for 7:30 p.m. April 18 in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville, according to a press release.
The hearing follows a series of open houses held to introduce the system and the Route 29 plans earlier this month. The planned U.S. 29 line would run between Burtonsville and Industrial Parkway in a dedicated lane, and from Industrial Parkway to the Silver Spring Transit Center in mixed traffic.
The line is expected to become operational in 2020. The county estimates that the initial ridership will be about 13,000 passengers a day. Current plans call for busses to run every 7.5 minutes during peak periods and every 15 minutes off peak from 5 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.
The 60-foot-long busses will have Wi-Fi connections, USB ports and power outlets for commuters.
County Executive Isiah Leggett announced the winning name of the system in a press release today. Voters in the contest were eligible for random drawing of various prizes. The grand prize was an iPad, won by a resident who was not identified.
Anyone interested in testifying at the public hearing can sign up online or by calling 240-777-7803. The deadline to sign up is 5 p.m. on Monday, April 17.