The city’s Department of Public Works installed flashing beacons at the intersection of Great Falls Road and Monument Avenue in August, to provide a safer crossing for schoolchildren and community members along a heavily traveled road.
The pedestrian-activated flashing beacons accompany new concrete pedestrian ramps at the key crossing for children walking to and from Julius West Middle School.
Category: Transportation (Page 1 of 9)
Replaces MobileNOW! App, Which Stopped Operating in May
Motorists will be able to use the ParkMobile app to pay for parking at the more than 500 publicly metered spaces throughout the City of Rockville, beginning this month.
ParkMobile, the leading provider of smart parking and mobility solutions in the U.S., is an option for paying for parking at over 21,000 spaces in in Montgomery County, as well as in Washington, D.C.; Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia; and over 400 cities across the U.S.
Comment Period Extended to Nov. 9
The I-495 and I-270 Managed Lanes Study Draft Environmental Impact Statement, released in July, is available for public comment until Monday, Nov. 9, after the state in late August extended the comment period by 30 days to allow the public and agencies more time to review the lengthy document.
The state should put the brakes on a project to widen interstates 270 and 495, Rockville’s Mayor and Council said in a letter to the Maryland Department of Transportation.
“The City of Rockville requests that MDOT put a pause on the project and process,” the letter states. “It is not responsible to continue spending taxpayers’ money on preliminary design, environmental studies, and hiring a developer while the country is facing significant economic changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also predicted that teleworking will be more acceptable and widely implemented in the future, which will likely lower traffic volumes on I-495 and I-270. Therefore, it only makes sense to hold off on next steps for this project until a new purpose and need is defined.”
Nearly 50 pedestrian signals, accounting for all the signals operated by the city on Rockville streets, are now automated as part of the city’s response to the COVID-19 emergency.
City signal technicians automated the 48 signals by revising the timing plan that controls the traffic signal timing and sequence. The traffic signals were reprogrammed to be on automated pedestrian recall, which means that the signal controlling software assumes that a pedestrian is pushing the button at every cycle. This will allow the pedestrian to get a “WALK” signal without the need to push the button.
The Mayor and Council are expected to put Rockville on a course for zero traffic-related deaths or serious injuries with a vote Monday, July 6 on the city’s Vision Zero Action Plan.
The plan, which the Mayor and Council discussed June 22, includes steps to create safer streets through policies promoting improved design, traffic law enforcement and education. While there are ongoing city efforts in these areas, the plan lays out a coordinated and systematic approach to explore ways to reach the goal. It included input from the Rockville Pedestrian Advocacy Committee, Rockville Bicycle Advisory Committee, the Traffic and Transportation Commission, and the Senior Citizens Commission.
Up 2 Us Foundation will once again give away fresh produce to neighbors in need beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 20 in Lot 13 of Montgomery College’s Rockville campus, at 51 Mannakee St. The event, which was also held June 13, will return to the Rockville campus at the same time on Saturday, June 27.
Vehicles may begin lining up as early as 9:30 a.m.
The giveaway is first come, first served, and one box per vehicle and will mean traffic impacts beginning before 11 a.m. and continuing until all boxes are distributed. Rockville and Montgomery County police will direct traffic in the area.
A Christ for Justice peace rally will be held at noon June 20 in the parking lot of the Carver Educational Services Center (the Montgomery County Public Schools/Board of Education building) at 850 Hungerford Drive, across from the Montgomery College campus. Participants are expected to gather for the rally beginning at 10 a.m.
Motorists may experience heavy traffic on:
A planned demonstration is scheduled to take place in downtown Rockville at 1 p.m. Friday, June 5 at 1 p.m.
The protest will begin in front of the Montgomery County Judicial Center (Montgomery County Circuit Court), 50 Maryland Ave., and is expected to continue onto area roads. The Rockville City Police Department will be providing support in an effort to keep both protesters and drivers safe.
Portions of roadways surrounding the area maybe closed to traffic for several hours. Expect significant delays related to the event and plan accordingly.
Pepco has powered up three new electric vehicle charging stations at the city’s Thomas Farm Community Center, 700 Fallsgrove Drive.
The charging stations are part of a statewide initiative to combat air pollution and the effects of climate change and provide communities with new, cleaner transportation options. Drivers will be able to charge their vehicles at competitive rates at our first DC Fast Charging station or two Level 2 smart chargers – both of which are fueled by 100% carbon-free energy.
Meters Accept Quarters Only; City Exploring Other Vendors
MobileNOW!, the City of Rockville’s mobile parking payment app, ceased operations on May 18 and is no longer an option for parking payments at city-owned on-street meters.
