Transit, Wheaton, Pedestrian Safety on Council’s Sept. 24 Agenda

The Montgomery County Council will hold a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24 on the Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan. The primary purpose of the master plan is to identify the specific lines and approximate station locations for the proposed bus rapid transit lines within Montgomery County, as well as the minimum rights-of-way required for the segments in each line.

The public hearing will conclude a full day for the Council, with its weekly general session beginning at 9:30 a.m., in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The morning and afternoon sessions—including two public hearings scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.—will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon). The broadcast also will be streamed through the County Web site at www.montgomerycountymd.gov. It will be repeated starting at 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27.

The transit corridors master plan also proposes establishment of several Bicycle-Pedestrian Priority Areas and the addition of a third track on the CSX Metropolitan Branch between Metropolitan Grove and Frederick County to allow for the potential for MARC rail service during other than weekday peak periods.

The Council’s Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee is scheduled to hold as many as five worksessions on the plan. The tentative dates for the worksessions are Oct. 7, 11, 14, 18 and 21.

At approximately 11 a.m. Tuesday, the Council will hold its annual worksession to update progress on the County’s pedestrian safety program. Statistics in the report, dating to 2005 averages, show that collisions involving pedestrians continue to be significantly higher in October, November and December than at any other time of the year.

At approximately 11:30 a.m., the Council will receive an update from the Executive Branch on proposed redevelopment in Wheaton.

The morning session also will include the expected adoption of a resolution sponsored by Council President Nancy Navarro calling for creation of a task force that will review and offer recommendations to improve the election processes in Montgomery County. The resolution, which is co-sponsored by the other eight members of the County Council, also calls for Congress to strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Council President Navarro said her “Right to Vote” resolution would “affirm the Council’s commitment to expanding participation in elections and protecting voting rights for all of our residents.”

At 1:45 p.m., the Council will continue its discussions on the proposed Long Branch Sector Plan. This worksession will address the Executive Branch’s fiscal and economic impact analyses and the transportation elements in the Planning Board’s recommended plan for Long Branch.

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