County Executive Ike Leggett joined local transportation and transit officials to mark the opening of the new David F. Bone Equipment Maintenance and Transit Operations Center (EMTOC) in Rockville.
The EMTOC is named for the late David F. Bone, Ride On’s senior planner from its creation in 1973 until 2000. He was the chief architect of Ride On’s service philosophy, route design and structure, creating the concept of Ride On as a neighborhood feeder system to Metrorail and Metrobus. Bone’s widow and two daughters were also present to help open the building.
This is another of the Executive’s Smart Growth Initiative (SGI) projects that is revitalizing an old industrial area by creating an urban village near the Shady Grove Metro station. Leggett’s SGI is a cost-neutral strategy that will provide substantial economic opportunities for future growth while implementing the goals of the Shady Grove Sector Plan.
The collection of 12 buildings serves the Department of Transportation’s divisions of Transit Services and Highway Services and the Department of General Services’ Division of Fleet Management. The onsite facilities include administrative buildings; parking for 200 buses; bus service lanes; bus wash facility; fare collection area; bus service maintenance bays; parts room; heavy equipment storage shed; soil/gravel storage area; salt barn; Highway Services bays; compressed natural gas fast-fill, gasoline and diesel fueling stations; and employee and visitor parking.
The Shady Grove Sector Plan, approved by the County Council in 2005, calls for transitioning the area around the Shady Grove Metro station from light industrial uses to transit-oriented development, including affordable and workforce housing.
To accomplish this goal, the County Service Park facilities, which are located in the heart of the planning area along Crabbs Branch Way, must be relocated. The facilities being moved include the former Equipment and Maintenance Operations Center, which contains the Highway Maintenance Depot; the Department of Liquor Control Headquarters and Warehouse; Montgomery County Public Schools Food Distribution Center, Bus Depot and Facilities Maintenance Depot; County Radio Shop; and Park and Planning Facilities Maintenance Depot.
The departments of Police and Fire and Rescue and the Office of Homeland Security have already moved to the Public Safety Headquarters building, which is also home to the divisions of Highway Services and Traffic Engineering in the Department of Transportation.
Read more in the news release.