The Montgomery County Department of Transportation will host a public meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss improvements to the existing Flash Bus Rapid Transit service.
The in-person meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, in the Montgomery Blair High School cafeteria at 51 University Blvd. East in Silver Spring’s Four Corners neighborhood.
MCDOT officials will present the project plans at 6:30 p.m. and again at 7:30 p.m.
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a limited-stop bus service that is gaining traction in cities across the U.S. and globally. Designed for frequent operation, BRT offers enhanced amenities for passengers and improves travel efficiency by using priority traffic light signaling and dedicated lanes wherever possible.
The Colesville Road/Old Columbia Pike (U.S. 29) Flash BRT has been operating since October 2020, providing service between downtown Silver Spring and Briggs Chaney, with additional weekday rush hour service to Burtonsville.
An expansion of the U.S. 29 Flash BRT to Howard County is planned for 2026.
MCDOT says the upcoming improvements are part of “Phase II,” designed to enhance travel times and service reliability. The planned enhancements include the addition of dedicated bus lanes, bus priority at traffic signals, and improvements to pedestrian and bicycle safety.
Attendees at the meeting on Tuesday evening will have the opportunity to view project maps, share their comments, and ask questions of subject matter experts. Public input is encouraged as it may influence the project’s final design.
MCDOT invites the public to visit the project website to share their feedback using the online comment form or emailing US29BRT@montgomerycountymd.gov by 6 p.m. on Monday, May 26. Written comments carry the same weight as oral comments, and all submitted information will be included in the public record.
Photo: “14a.BusStop.SSMD.20October2020” by Elvert Barnes is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.