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| County Executive Ike Leggett announces his multi-year plan to make Bus Rapid Transit a reality in Montgomery County. Supporting Leggett’s initiative were (left to right) Councilmember Roger Berliner, Councilmember Marc Elrich, Transportation Department director Al Roshdieh, and Councilmember Nancy Navarro. |
County Executive Ike Leggett announced his plan for the Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) system on Wednesday, March 2. The BRT will expand
opportunities for continued economic development, increased job growth and
reduction of traffic congestion.
Leggett sent a formal memo to Council President Nancy Floreen and Council Vice President Roger Berliner which outlined a strategic plan to expeditiously move progressive transit options forward. Leggett’s proposal will initially focus on the heavily traveled Rockville Pike and Route 29 corridors.
The BRT service on US 29 will initiate operations in less than four years and will include specially-branded vehicles and rail-like stations with amenities such as level boarding and real-time bus arrival information. These features will make the BRT an optimum option to move commuters rapidly. The $6.5 million for planning and design of the US 29 BRT service will come from the six-year capital budget and will not require a tax increase.
Leggett sent a formal memo to Council President Nancy Floreen and Council Vice President Roger Berliner which outlined a strategic plan to expeditiously move progressive transit options forward. Leggett’s proposal will initially focus on the heavily traveled Rockville Pike and Route 29 corridors.
The BRT service on US 29 will initiate operations in less than four years and will include specially-branded vehicles and rail-like stations with amenities such as level boarding and real-time bus arrival information. These features will make the BRT an optimum option to move commuters rapidly. The $6.5 million for planning and design of the US 29 BRT service will come from the six-year capital budget and will not require a tax increase.
Leggett’s proposal also includes $5 million of funding for the State to continue BRT planning on the MD 355 corridor. The County Executive has called on the state to match the County’s $5 million funding to continue the BRT planning on MD 355 to a Locally Preferred Alternative. He has also encouraged the State to continue planning and design efforts on the Corridor Cities Transitway and the Veirs Mill Road BRT corridor.
In addition, Leggett has
recommended the initiation of priority bus service in the short term on MD 355
from Lakeforest Transit Center to Medical Center Metrorail Station and express
bus service from Clarksburg to Shady Grove Metro Station. He has also
requested that the State fund MetroExtra priority service along Veirs Mill
Road.
