US29 BUS RAPID TRANSIT

Flash on US 29 started service in October 2020. Learn more at RidetheFlash.com.

MCDOT is looking at ways to make Flash on US 29 even better as part of the US 29 Mobility Study.

 

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is constructing a new transit line, called FLASH, along US 29 (Colesville Rd). FLASH is a bus-based rapid transit system with features that improve reliability, so you can get where you need to go quickly. US 29 FLASH will operate between Burtonsville and Silver Spring and open in 2020.

 

US 29 FLASH will:

  • Use existing bus-on-shoulder lanes on US 29 in the northern section of the corridor.
  • Operate in mixed traffic in the southern section of US 29 and along Lockwood Drive, Stewart Lane, Briggs Chaney Road, and Castle Boulevard.

Service plans include:

  • Running every 7.5 minutes during the peak period  (AM and PM rush hours) and every 15 minutes during the off-peak.
  • Span of service from 5 am to midnight, 7 days/week.
  • Transit signal priority installed at 15 intersections along the corridor to provide traffic signal benefits to BRT vehicles where appropriate, reducing travel time and increasing reliability.
    Service plans are subject to change.

FLASH features and amenities include:

  • Frequent, reliable service
  • New, enhanced vehicles are equipped with WiFi and USB ports and accommodate bicycles onboard
  • New, comfortable stations provide weather protection, pre-payment stations, and real-time transit information (via message boards)
  • Community-friendly design provides enhanced pedestrian walkways, bike facilities and bikeshare stations
  • Level boarding allows for easy on, easy off

Additional project information:

Flash on US 29 started service in October 2020. Learn more at RidetheFlash.com.

MCDOT is looking at ways to make Flash on US 29 even better as part of the US 29 Mobility Study.

Resources

Presentations

Additional Information

Open Houses

Fall 2017 Outreach Memos:

TIGER Funding for FLASH on US29

Description

Montgomery County was selected by the United States Department of Transportation for a $10 million TIGER grant (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) to help fund a 14-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system along US 29. The TIGER program is merit-based and highly competitive.

The FLASH on US 29 project will transform mobility options with the implementation of a 14-mile BRT service on the eastern edge of Montgomery County, Maryland. This project will improve transit reliability and opportunities for low-income and minority populations, enhance planned mixed-use redevelopment transforming an auto-oriented single-purpose development into vibrant, mixed-use urban centers, provide access to a fast-growing jobs corridor, and enhance the quality of life for over 120,000 people who live within a half-mile of this highly congested suburban corridor.

TIGER Project Information

Corridor Advisery Committee (CAC) Documents

US29 Corridor Advisory Committee

Corridor Advisory Committees (CACs) were created in 2015 as part of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s (MCDOT) planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service on US 29 from the Burtonsville to downtown Silver Spring. The committee is made up of residents, business owners, and other stakeholders along the corridor. The CAC meetings allow MCDOT to both give updates on the project to members of the community and to gather feedback from stakeholders along this portion of the corridor.

For more information on this corridor, see the Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan.

Meeting Documents

US29 South
CAC Meeting #17 (Tuesday, October 16th 2018)
CAC Meeting #16 (Wednesday, June 6th 2018)
CAC Meeting #15 (Wednesday, March 7th 2018)
CAC Meeting #14 (Wednesday, November 1st 2017)
CAC Meeting #13 (Tuesday, September 19th 2017)
CAC Meeting #12 (Monday, July 10th 2017)
CAC Meeting #11 (Tuesday, May 23rd 2017)
CAC Meeting #10 (Monday, April 3rd 2017)
CAC Meeting #9 (Tuesday, January 31st 2017)
CAC Meeting #8 (Monday, September 26 th 2016)
CAC Meeting #7 (Thursday, July 14 th 2016)
CAC Meeting #6 (Tuesday, May 24 th 2016)
CAC Open House (Monday, February 1 st, 2016)
  • FAQ (document that compiled common questions (with answers) occurring in member comments leading up to the open house)
  • Draft Preliminary Purpose and Need Document (while this document was not distributed at the meeting due to its length, it was the subject of the meeting, so for the reader’s convenience it is linked here for reference)

CAC Meeting #5 (Thursday, December 2 th, 2015)
CAC Meeting #4 (optional) (Thursday, September 10 th, 2015)
CAC Meeting #3 (Tuesday, June 2 nd 2015)
CAC Meeting #2 (Tuesday, March 31 st 2015)
  • Agenda
  • Presentation
  • Map of existing transit operations (high resolution: 1 MB)
  • Map of existing typical sections (high resolution: 0.9 MB)
  • Map of existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities (high resolution: 0.9 MB)
  • Meeting summary

CAC Meeting #1 (February 28 th 2015)

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

To get involved and stay informed about the project, you can:

Contact Us
Project Manager: Andrew Young
Division of Transportation Engineering
100 Edison Park, 4th Floor
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
240-777-7262 (office)