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MCDOT Grant Submissions

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation applies for multiple competitive grants each year to assist in funding projects involving infrastructure, transportation and safety.
 
Even with the second-largest County budget, next to schools, MCDOT has many unfunded projects that compete for funding. Transportation and infrastructure projects are complicated in that they require a process that includes a study to determine needs, a planning period, a community input and engagement period, a plan development period and approvals before they can begin. Additionally, projects are often approved through the County’s annual financial approval process in pieces and rely on the priorities of elected officials, which are sometimes subject to change. With multiple projects at different stages and with different funding levels allocated, grant funds can assist in moving projects forward. These applications work to serve public benefit and reduce the amount of County dollars spent.
 
Recently, grant funding has helped pay for free transit fares during the pandemic, bridge rehabilitation projects and purchasing zero-emission buses. 
 
Select grant submissions are posted below.

2024 Grant Awards Received

Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA)

MCDOT was granted a competitive Regional Infrastructure Accelerator award of $2 million to form AccelerateMC, a partnership designed to accelerate the County's Flash Bus Rapid Transit Network. This effort will evaluate and develop innovative strategies to provide additional funding sources and support the long-term sustainability of BRT projects.

Safe Streets and Roads for All
 
MCDOT was granted a competitive Safe Streets for All grant for $520,000 to update the County’s Vision Zero 2030 Action Plan with community input and to implement the Safe Turns Demonstration Project, which will test the use of temporary, quick-build materials to sharpen driver turns to reduce unsafe turning speeds at 100 crash-prone intersections. 
 
Congressionally Directed Spending/Consolidated Appropriation Act 
 
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $5,000,000 for the North Bethesda Metro Station Entrance. 
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $500,000 for Goshen Raos Safety Improvements. 

2023 Grant Awards Received

Congressionally Directed Spending/Consolidated Appropriation Act 
 
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $8,134,600 for the Veirs Mill Road Flash Bus Rapid Transit Project Development.
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $3,350,000 for the extension of the US 29 Flash Bus Rapid Transit to Howard County. 
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $427,000 for secure bike parking facilities in Silver Spring and Bethesda. 
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $400,000 for family e-cargo bike lending.

Received in 2023: Maryland Board of Public Works 2022 Bond Bill Funding 

Additional funding from the 2021 bond bill will support:  

 Learn more here. 

2022 Grant Awards Received

Zero Emission Buses 

MCDOT won a competitive grant award of nearly $15 million from the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the purchase of 13 new hydrogen fuel cell buses and the construction of a green hydrogen fueling site at the David F. Bone Equipment Maintenance Transit Operations Center in Gaithersburg. The project will be the first public transit application of green hydrogen on the East Coast. 
The award, from FTA’s Low or No Emission Vehicle Program, makes the County a leading adopter of this clean technology. Learn more here. 

Trees in Urban Communities to Reduce Heat Island Effect 

The Chesapeake Bay Trust awarded MCDOT a $362,740 grant to plant 1200 trees in underserved, low canopy neighborhoods. Urban trees have significant benefits to human health, climate, the economy, and the environment. Learn more here.  

Bus Driving Simulators and Training 

MCDOT was awarded a $263,000 Transit Innovation Grant from the Maryland Department of Transportation to purchase bus driving simulators and develop a five-week bus operator training program that prepares bus operators to better handle challenging traffic and road conditions to improve safety. Learn more here. 

Bethesda Trolley Trail Connection to Twinbrook 

MCDOT was awarded $52,000 from the Kim Lamphier Bikeways Network Program for advancing the design of the Bethesda Trolley Trail connection to the Twinbrook Metrorail station. Learn more here.  

Montgomery County Streetlight Standards 

A $50,000 grant will help provide an upgrade to Montgomery County’s existing Streetlight Standards to advance the County’s Vision Zero Initiative and its Complete Streets Design Guidelines principles. The County needs the upgrades to effectively convert existing lighting infrastructure to create safer, properly illuminated walking and cycling areas in line with a Safe Streets context. This is one of five grants the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) awarded to Montgomery County jurisdictions through its Transportation Land-use Connections (TLC) program. Learn more here. 
 

Congressionally Directed Spending/Consolidated Appropriation Act 
 
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $2,000,000 for the Downtown Bethesda Metro Station Enterance, related to the Purple Line.

2021 Grant Awards Received 

Walter Johnson Road Shared-Use Path in Germantown 

MCDOT was granted $85,000 in funding from the Transportation Planning Board for the design of the Walter Johnson Road shared-use path connection to the Germantown MARC station as part of the Transportation Planning Board’s Transit Within Reach Technical Assistance program. Learn more here.  

Real-Time Ride On Crowd Sourcing App   

MCDOT was awarded a $450,000 grant by the Federal Transit Administration to create a crowd-sourcing system application that provides real-time bus status and passenger counts for Ride On routes to the public and MCDOT’s central dispatch. The new technology is the first to coordinate with strategically placed buses to assist routes nearing capacity and offer “How Full Is My Bus?” trip planning services. Additional local public transportation modes will be incorporated for trip planning. Learn more here.  

New Hampshire Avenue Safety Study 

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) awarded MCDOT a grant for a safety study along New Hampshire Avenue (MD 650) from Oakview Drive to Southampton Drive. The grant, totaling $60,000, was a joint submittal with the Prince George’s Department of Public Works and Transportation. A portion of New Hampshire Avenue, from Northampton Drive to Southampton Drive, is within Prince George’s County. Learn more here.  

River Falls Drainage Assessment  

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources awarded MCDOT a $85,000 grant to study drainage issues in the River Falls neighborhood and identify solutions to address current flood hazards as well as future hazards exacerbated by the impacts of climate change. Learn more here.