Current Members of the Silver Spring

Current members of the Silver Spring TMD Advisory Committee are listed below.

VOTING

Tom Collins – Atlantech Online
Edward Furgol –  Representing residents of Kemp Mill, Four Corners, Silver Spring East and Takoma Park
Robin Goudy – Social & Scientific Systems
Geoffrey Krieg – Merchant Link
Julian Leidman – Bonanza Coins
Ali Mahmood – Chevy Chase Bank
Suvita Melehy, Esq.  – Zipin & Melehy, LLC
James Polk – Technology Service Corporation
Michael Price – Discovery Communications, Inc.
Charles Segerman – Representing residents of the North and West Silver Spring area
Andrew Wexler – Representing residents of the Central Business District
Cathy Wilde – Solid Waste Association of North America
 

NON-VOTING

Arthur Holmes – Director, Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation
Gary Stith – Director, Silver Spring Regional Services Center
Charles Kines – Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Sgt. Thomas Harmon – Montgomery County Police Department

COMMUTER SERVICES STAFF

Sandra L. Brecher – Administrator, DPWT-Commuter Services
Sheila Wilson – Marketing Specialist, DPWT-Commuter Services
Terrie O’Steen – Marketing Specialist, DPWT-Commuter Services

For information about the Silver Spring TMD, please contact:

Terrie O’Steen, Sheila Wilson, or Sandra L. Brecher
Montgomery County Commuter Services, 301-770-POOL (7665) 
terri.o’steen@montgomerycountymd.gov
sheila.wilson@montgomerycountymd.gov
sandra.brecher@montgomerycountymd.gov

TMD GOALS: Cut traffic congestion Increase transportation capacity Reduce air and noise pollution Promote bicycle and pedestrian access and traffic safety

Area Description:
Bethesda is renowned throughout the greater Washington, D.C. area for its multitude of ethnic restaurants, boutiques, home décor shops, artistic /trendy spots and events. Bethesda is a bustling, urban center during workdays, with more than 400 employers with 25 or more employees, and a lively entertainment, arts, and dining district during evenings and weekends.

The broader Bethesda/Chevy Chase area is also known as the leading global center of healing and the home to internationally known federal institutions such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Naval Medical Center. More than 1,000 health-related businesses are located there. Altogether, more than 33,000 employees comprise the workforce in downtown Bethesda, which offers excellent public transportation and other commuting solutions.

Functions of the Transportation Management District:
The Bethesda Transportation Management District (TMD) is one of four TMDs in Montgomery County. The three others are Friendship Heights, Silver Spring, and North Bethesda. The County has established a fifth TMD in Greater Shady Grove, now in the early stages of planning and implementation. The Bethesda TMD is operated by the Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) under the name Bethesda Transportation Solutions (BTS).

Bethesda Transportation Solutions (BTS) provides free services to employers, employees, residents and visitors in downtown Bethesda.

BTS will help design and carry out a Transportation Benefits Program for your worksite. For more information please call 301-656-0868 and visit www.bethesdatransit.org.

Bethesda Transportation Solutions Staff: Danielle T. Milo, Anne Kaiser, Allison Kemp, Kristen M. Blackmon, Thomas V. Robertson

dmilo@bethesda.org
akaiser@bethesda.org
akemp@bethesda.org
kblackmon@bethesda.org                                                                   trobertson@bethesda.org                                                                                                                        

Commute Options:
On an average weekday, more than 15,000 persons use Metrorail. There are 11 Ride On bus routes, including the popular, free Bethesda Circulator Trolley, six Metrobus routes, taxi service, and opportunities for carpools, vanpools, biking, walking, and teleworking, and flextime.

Traffic Mitigation Plans:
Employers in Downtown Bethesda are encouraged to contact the Bethesda TMD office to obtain assistance with their Traffic Mitigation Plan (TMP). For more information, go to TMD Legislation, Sample TMP, and TMP Fact Sheet.

Also see Downtown Bethesda TMD Presentation for Employers – Working Together to Curb Gridlock.

Under new County legislation, these “TMPs” are required of employers of 25 or more employees in TMDs, to assist with achieving the congestion reduction objectives for the area. With these plans, employers can ensure their employees are aware of their commuting options while discouraging solo driving. TMD staff can show employers how they can offer these benefits at little or no cost, providing assistance to their employees while at the same time helping their bottom line and the community.

TMD GOALS: Cut traffic congestion Increase transportation capacity Reduce air and noise pollution Promote bicycle and pedestrian access and traffic safety

Area Description:
North Bethesda is home to major employers, such as Marriott Corporation and Lockheed Martin Corporation and is also a prominent retail center featuring Bloomingdale’s, Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, and other fine shops and restaurants. More employees work in North Bethesda than in any other Montgomery County jurisdiction. Altogether, a total of 70,000 employees are based in North Bethesda, which offers public transportation and other commuting solutions.

Functions of the Transportation Management District:
The North Bethesda Transportation District is one of four TMDS in Montgomery County. The three others are Friendship Heights, Silver Spring, and Bethesda. The County has established a fifth TMD in Greater Shady Grove, now in the early stages of planning and implementation. The North Bethesda TMD is operated by the Transportation Action Partnership (TAP) under the name “North Bethesda Transportation Center” (NBTC).

TMD staffs work primarily with employers and employees within the TMD to promote adoption of commuter benefits programs by employers and to inform employees about their commuting options. Transit subsidy programs such as Super Fare Share offer employers and employees discounted transit passes. TBTC also works to improve transit service in the area, to increase ridership, and to provide transit-friendly amenities.

The North Bethesda Transportation Center provides free services to employers, employees, residents and visitors in Grosvenor, White Flint, Twinbrook, Executive Boulevard, and Rock Spring Park.

The North Bethesda TMD office will help you a Transportation Benefits Program for you worksite. Please contact the TMD staff for more information:

North Bethesda Transportation Center

 

Peggy Schwartz, pschwartz@nbtmd.org

Mirza Donegan, mdonegan@nbtmd.org

Darlene Nader, dnader@nbtmd.org

 

Telephone: 301-770-8108

On the Web: www.nbtc.org

Commute Options:
Three Metro Stations serve the North Bethesda area – Twinbrook, White Flint, and Grosvenor. On an average weekday, more than 25,000 trips are made in and out of these Metrorail stations. There are 13 Ride On bus routes, 6 Metrobus routes, and shuttlebus service to North Bethesda’s 3 Metro Stations, including the popular White Flint shuttle, taxi service, and opportunities for carpools, vanpools, biking, walking, and teleworking. and flextime.

Traffic Mitigation Plans:
Employers in North Bethesda are encouraged to contact the North Bethesda TMD office to obtain assistance with their Traffic Mitigation Plan (TMP). For more information, go to TMD Legislation,Sample TMP, and TMP Fact Sheet.

Also see North Bethesda TMD Presentation for Employers – Working Together to Curb Gridlock.

Under new County legislation, these “TMPs” are required of employers of 25 or more employees in TMDs, to assist with achieving the congestion reduction objectives for the area. With these plans, employers can ensure their employees are aware of their commuting options while discouraging solo driving. TMD staff can show employers how they can offer these benefits at little or no cost, providing assistance to their employees while at the same time helping their bottom line and the community.

TMD LAW 32-02 AIMS TO REDUCE GRIDLOCK

An important Montgomery County law affects employers with 25 or more full- or part-time employees in Downtown Bethesda, North Bethesda, Downtown Silver Spring, and Friendship Heights. These are the County’s Transportation Management Districts (TMDs).

The law’s purpose is to reduce traffic congestion and encourage use of commuting options for more than 100,000 employees in business districts.

The law requires that these employers:

• Implement a Traffic Mitigation Plan (TMP)
• Participate in the County’s Annual Commuter Survey
• Submit an Annual Report of Activities.

Watch for Notification by Mail –

50 or more employees in a TMD
If you are an employer with 50 or more employees, you will receive a letter of notification from Arthur Holmes, Jr., Director, Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT).

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett     

Once you receive your notification letter, you have 90 days to submit a Traffic Mitigation Plan (TMP). The TMD Staff for your area is available to assist you in preparing your TMP.

25-49 employees in a TMD
If you are an employer with 25-49 employees, expect to receive a letter of notification from Arthur Holmes, Jr., Director, Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT).

Once you receive your notification letter, you have 90 days to submit a Traffic Mitigation Plan (TMP). The TMD staff for your area can assist you in preparing your TMP—please be sure to contact them.

When you receive your notification letter –

Your local Transportation Management District – staff will be ready to help you design and carry out your Traffic Mitigation Plan (TMP). After submission, your TMP will be reviewed by the TMD staff and the TMD Advisory Committee. Recommendations will be made for approval or for additional strategies to be included in your TMP. The Director of DPWT has final approval authority.

For information and assistance contact your local TMD office –

Friendship Heights TMD 

Montgomery County Commuter Services
301-770-POOL (7665)
Jim Carlson, Mark Sofman

 

www.montgomerycountymd.gov/commute

 

james.carlson@montgomerycountymd.gov
mark.sofman@montgomerycountymd.gov

 

Downtown Silver Spring

Montgomery County Commuter Services
301-770-POOL (7665)
Terrie O’Steen, Sheila Wilson

www.montgomerycountymd.gov/commute

terri.o’steen@montgomerycountymd.gov
sheila.wilson@montgomerycountymd.gov

Downtown Bethesda

Bethesda Transportation Solutions

301-656-0868

www.bethesdatransit.org

 

Danielle Milo, dmilo@bethesda.org

Anne Kaiser, akaiser@bethesda.org

Allison Kemp, akemp@bethesda.org

Thomas V. Robertson, trobertson@bethesda.org

North Bethesda

North Bethesda Transportation Center (NBTC)
Grosvenor, White Flint, Twinbrook, Executive Boulevard, and Rock Creek Spring Park
301-770-8108
www.nbtc.org

Peggy Schwartz, pschwartz@nbtmd.org

Mirza Donegan, mdonegan@nbtmd.org

Darlene Nader, dnader@nbtmd.org

Your TMD office will help you prepare a Traffic Mitigation Plan that is custom-tailored to your needs and those of your employees.  Here is a sample Traffic Mitigation Plan.

IMPORTANT TIPS about your TMP

• The TMP form is easy to fill out. Be sure to work with your TMD staff to complete your TMP.
• You may already be offering alternative transportation options to your employees.
• You can custom-tailor your TMP to the needs of your organization.
• The 2-page TMP form lists traffic mitigation strategies employers may adopt.
• Many strategies can be provided at little or no cost.

Required strategies
Also see Sample TMP

• Contact person
• Post transit/pooling options
• Permanent display for TMD transit
• TMD presentations to employees
• Guaranteed Ride Home promotion
• ADA information provided
• Annual Commuter Survey

Elective strategies
Also see Sample TMP

• Attend workshops about commuting options
• Inform new employees
  A New Employees Guide is available to distribute to your employees.
• Free/reduced carpool/vanpool parking
• Preferred/reserved carpool/vanpool parking
• Alternative work schedules
• Flextime
  Compressed Work Week
  Telework
• Job Sharing
• Tax-free monthly transit subsidies
  Fare Share
  Super Fare Share
• Pre-tax transit deductions
• MD Commuter Choice Tax Credits
• Bike Amenities
• Transit/Pedestrian Amenities
• Carpool matching
• Car sharing
• Air Quality Action Days

Plus, you can recommend other strategies to implement.

• See Commmuter Benefits for Employers and Employees.
• See Commuter Services Guide.
• See How Employers Implement TMPs

Annual Commuter Survey

Employers receive the Annual Commuter Surveys from Commuter Services for distribution to their employees.

Employers are required to circulate the Commuter Surveys to their employees within 45 days for their completion.

The completed Annual Commuter Surveys are submitted to the Employers’ TMDs. The North Bethesda Transportation Center issues surveys in the fall. All others issue surveys in the spring.

These surveys are used to create a database of employee commuting patterns in the TMD and to monitor progress toward reaching any commuting goals set in the County’s Annual Growth Policy. They help DPWT determine what changes to programs and services are necessary.

Employers are asked to make a good faith effort to achieve at least an 80% response rate from their employees.

Annual Report of Activities
Once a year, employers are asked to summarize the activities they have undertaken to implement their plans. Employers who successfully encourage “better ways to work” are eligible for local and national recognition and awards.

Enforcement
An employer or owner that does not submit a traffic mitigation plan or provide survey data within 30 days after a second notice has committed a Class C violation. See County Law 32-02