Rockville will have a new option for traveling one of the city’s busiest corridors with the arrival of a 7-mile, premium, branded, limited-stop bus rapid transit service along Veirs Mill Road.
The project, which is in the planning stages, will improve transit travel time and connect a significant number of minority and low-income riders to high-density housing and jobs along the highly congested MD 586 corridor.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation presented plans for the project to the Mayor and Council on Nov. 2 after beginning engineering design this fall. The county will apply for federal funding for the project, which will be considered for connections with local bus service, such as Ride On.
The plans call for the purchase of new 60-foot articulated buses and new BRT stations with level boarding. Proposed stations within the city along Veirs Mill Road are Twinbrook Parkway, Atlantic Avenue and Edmonston Drive, in addition to stations at the Rockville Metro Station and Montgomery College.
The project includes queue jumps and Transit Signal Priority technology to give buses priority and aid them through busy intersections. It calls for pedestrian and bicycle improvements, while retaining curbside dedicated lanes as the long-term BRT alternative along Veirs Mill Road.
Find the staff report and video of the presentation with the Nov. 2 agenda at www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter. To stay informed about upcoming public outreach on the project, follow the City of Rockville on Facebook and Twitter or visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-dte/projects/VeirsMillBRT.