Media Center

Planners Invite Residents to Open Up at Takoma/Langley Crossroads Open House, Contribute to Community Plan

SILVER SPRING, MD – Planners from Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, developing a plan to improve quality of life in the Takoma/Langley Crossroads through land use, transportation and pedestrian safety improvements, are hosting an open house on Wednesday, May 21 to hear from the community.

The open house at the Langley Park Community Center will provide an opportunity for residents and other interested stakeholders to specify what development they would like to see in the Crossroads area. Planners will provide a short presentation on the sector plan and encourage people to stop by to both learn about the plan’s progress and contribute their good ideas.

The sector plan creates a vision of the community over the next decade or more and makes recommendations on such issues as land use, housing needs, pedestrian safety, transportation, open space and more.

The sector plan is especially timely, considering the transit improvements planned for the Crossroads, including the Purple Line, a 14-mile transit system proposed to connect Metro to Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park and Riverdale Park. Purple Line planners propose two stops within the Takoma/Langley Crossroads community: the intersections of University Boulevard and New Hampshire Avenue and at University Boulevard and Riggs Road.

Moreover, state transportation officials have committed to building a bus transit station that would consolidate area bus stops in a central location on New Hampshire Avenue. Maryland transit officials will be on hand to discuss planned improvements at the May 21 meeting.

The 574-acre planning area runs in a one-half mile circumference around New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard. The sector plan represents a joint effort of the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission – planners from both Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties – with the city of Takoma Park.

Who: Members of the community joining the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the city of Takoma Park

What: The Takoma/Langley Crossroads Sector Plan community open house

When:  4 - 8:30 p.m. Wednesday May 21

Where: Langley Park Community Center, 1500 Merrimac Drive, Langley Park

Planners Track Montgomery County’s Changing Population through Census Update Survey

SILVER SPRING, MD – To help capture – and plan for – the changing face of Montgomery County, planners with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission’s Research and Technology Center will survey some 30,000 randomly selected households during the second week of May.

The 2008 Census Update Survey provides the Montgomery County Planning Board with a detailed picture of the local population. The mailed survey will reach one in 12 households to collect basic demographic data such as age, race, education, employment and housing characteristics. The interim survey fills in the blanks between U.S. Census Bureau reports, issued just once a decade.

As Montgomery County continues to change rapidly, the survey results will inform planners about underlying population characteristics, such as suburbanization patterns as well as the needs of aging baby boomers and new immigrant households. For example, survey responses will help planners suggest appropriate service levels for transportation, schools, housing, social services, libraries and parks. Montgomery County government agencies, as well as private and nonprofit organizations, also rely on the population and housing data compiled from the Census Update Survey. 

Planners urge everyone receiving the forms to complete the survey, which should only take minutes. Cooperation from residents is essential to ensure the statistical reliability of the findings. A prompt reply will save time and expense by eliminating the need for follow-up contact.

The household survey serves to update the federal census conducted in 2000. May marks the third Census Update Survey this decade, and the 2008 survey is the tenth household poll taken since 1974.

For the first time, households chosen to participate in the survey have the option to complete the form online, which is both quicker and saves M-NCPPC the expense of return postage and data entry.

Information gathered through the Census Update Survey is strictly confidential. Researchers use responses only for tabulating statistical summaries for large groups or geographic areas.

Results from the 2005 Census Update Survey are available at www.mcfacts.org.  Survey results are the foundation of the Montgomery County Planning Department’s forecasts of population, household, and transportation, and provide a demographic snapshot for a community’s master plan. Other examples of how planners have used information from past household surveys include:

•    Forecasting needs for parks, libraries and police stations based on population size and planning area characteristics
•    Helping the Montgomery County Public Schools’ staff estimate the number of school-age children in each school district
•    Anticipating and planning for government programs such as services for the elderly and children, and affordable housing by describing the characteristics of population groups.
•    Updating federal census data that is used to obtain various types of federal and state grants.
•    Determining the need for new retail within specific trade areas
•    Facilitating transportation planning by describing current means of travel, commuting patterns, and other indicators of the transportation impacts of increases in housing and jobs.

Sections of Capital Crescent Trail Closed During First Two Weeks of June as Department of Parks Makes Safety Improvements to Trail

BETHESDA, MD—Sections of the Capital Crescent Trail will be closed Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, June 2 – 13, 2008 as the Montgomery County Department of Parks makes significant improvements to the trail.

“We expect these changes will improve safety and provide a better experience for all trail users,” said Department of Parks Southern Region Division Chief Brian Woodward.

For up to two weeks, June 2 – 13, sections of the Montgomery County portion of the Capital Crescent Trail, about 5.5 miles of paved surface trail from Bethesda Avenue to the District line, will be closed to public access as the department’s contractor adds a center line to the trail, marks trail intersections and crosswalks and installs and marks speed limit signage along the trail. The 15 mile speed limit signage will be the first time a speed limit has been posted on the trail. The work is anticipated to proceed as follows:

- The first section to be improved on or about June 2: Bethesda Avenue to Little Falls Parkway
- Next section: Little Falls Parkway to Dorset Avenue
- Third section: Dorset Avenue to River Road
- Fourth section: River Road to Massachusetts Avenue
- Last section improved, no later than June 13: Massachusetts Avenue to the District line

“Our contractor will work as quickly as possible to finish before June 13, weather permitting,” added Woodward. “We appreciate trails users’ patience as we get this important work completed.”

The Capital Crescent Trail will remain open for use on weekends, Saturday and Sunday, during the project and at peak bicycle commuter times during the week, before 9:00 am and after 3:00 pm, to minimize service disruption. Park Police officers will also be stationed along section endpoints during project work hours to ensure the expeditious completion of the work. 

“It is unfortunate that the trail has to be closed for any amount of time, but we are pleased that this work is being done in that it will enhance the safe use of the trail for all types of users,” said Coalition for the Capital Crescent Trail Board Chair Peter Gray. “We also are appreciative of the consideration given to bikers who use the trail to commute to and from work.”

For more information or updates on the project, please call 301-299-0024 or visit www.MontgomeryTrails.org.   

# # #

Contact:   
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Making Summer Vacation Plans on a Budget? Montgomery County Parks Offers Top 10 List of Affordable Summer Solutions

SILVER SPRING, MD—With gas and food prices soaring, families might consider spending this summer a little closer to home. Today, the Montgomery County Department of Parks offers its top 10 list of affordable summer solutions in the county’s parks system for families making summer vacation plans this year on a budget. 

“Families can still ‘get away from it all’ this summer right here in Montgomery Parks,” said Director of Parks Mary Bradford. “And it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg!”

The Department of Parks top 10 list of affordable summer getaways:

1. Camp at Little Bennett Campground: The campground at Little Bennett Regional Park offers 91 private, wooded campsites. Tent sites are only $21 per night and electric sites are $29 per night. Activities for all registered campers include FREE family film nights, hayrides, ice cream socials and more. “Camper-ready” camping for first time or novice campers is also available—for just $25 per night (two-night minimum) plus the site fee, campground staff will set up your campsite with a four-person tent, two camp chairs, propane stove and lantern. See www.LittleBennettCampground.com.
2. Spend Summer on the Lakes: At Lake Needwood at Rock Creek Regional Park and Little Seneca Lake at Black Hill Regional Park, rent canoes, kayaks, rowboats and pedal boats; take guided nature tours on pontoon boats; and fish for bass, catfish, bluegill, crappie or trout. Most boat rentals are $7 per hour or $24 for the day, plus tax. See www.BlackHillBoats.com and www.LakeNeedwoodBoats.com.
3. Swing and Splash at South Germantown Recreational Park: The South Germantown Splash Playground is the place or kids of all ages all summer long with a 36-foot, computer-choreographed water maze, massive waterfall, splashing animals and more. Admission is just $4.50 for the day. There are also two championship 18-hole miniature golf courses, with putting greens, challenging sand traps, rough turf and natural obstacles. Mini-golf is $4.50 per round per person. Group rates and birthday party rentals are also available. For more, check out www.SplashandGolf.com.
4. Send the Kids to Camp: The Department of Parks offers dozens of summer camps at its nature facilities, ice skating rinks, tennis facilities and public gardens, including the signature Week in the Park summer day camp at Wheaton Regional Park. New camps this summer include Camping Camp and Outdoor Adventure Camp at Little Bennett Regional Park, Tennis and Ice Skating Camp at Cabin John Regional Park and Yesterday and Today on the Farm camp at the Agricultural History Farm Park. Quantity discounts, for multiple children or multiple weeks are available for all these new parks summer camps and Week in the Park. Visit www.ParkPASS.org for more and to register.
5. Go Wild in Montgomery: A countywide program, Wild Montgomery, identifies 14 of the county’s great green getaways, including Black Hill Regional Park (great butterfly watching); McKee Beshers Wildlife Area (the place to go see wildlife); and Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park (a great urban surprise with its network of trails). FREE Wild Montgomery-themed classes and programs are also being offered this summer through the department’s four nature centers. Visit www.WildMontgomery.org for a map of the county’s great green getaways and for more on the summer nature center programs. 
6. Summer Concerts in the Gardens: Brookside Gardens offers FREE summer twilight concerts in its beautiful Gude Garden, Tuesday evenings in June from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm. Visitors can bring chairs or blankets to enjoy this summer’s artists: the Maryland Community Band, Ruthie & the Wranglers, LEA and Incendio. Visit www.BrooksideGardens.org for more.
7. Hit the Trail! Hikers, bikers and equestrians will enjoy more than 200 miles of paved and natural surface trails in the county’s parks this summer. Hikers and history buffs alike can take the FREE 2-mile natural surface guided Underground Railroad Experience Trail hike every Saturday at 10:00 am now and through November 3. The Saturday hikes begin at the stone barn at Woodlawn Manor Park.  Discover all the trails this summer, visit www.MontgomeryTrails.org.
8. Explore the Past: Several of the department’s historic sites, including the Bussard Farm at the Agricultural History Farm Park, Woodlawn Manor House and Oakley Cabin will be open FREE of charge during the county’s Heritage Days weekend this summer, June 28 and 29 from 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm. Visit www.ParksCulturalResources.org for a complete listing of all the historic sites in the county’s parks and more.
9. All Aboard! The Cabin John Miniature Train opens daily May 24 and the Wheaton Miniature Train and Carousel is open daily now. Hop aboard for a ride through either park for only $1.50. Both parks feature plenty of other amenities to make a day of it. Visit www.CabinJohnTrain.com and www.WheatonTrainandCarousel.com.
10. Give a Helping Hand: The department’s Volunteer Services Office just launched a new interactive user-friendly website for current and potential parks volunteers to learn how to start volunteering in the parks, check for openings, apply online and track volunteer activity. There are dozens of summer volunteer opportunities in parks to earn Student Service Learning hours, develop new skills, network and make new friends.  Check out www.ParksVolunteers.org to get involved.

“For additional cost savings, we offer qualifying county residents a 50 percent fee reduction for several of our facilities and programs,” added Bradford. “Just call our ParkPASS Help Desk at 301-495-2580 or visit us online at www.ParkPASS.org to find out if you’re eligible.”

# # #

Contact:   
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Where Do Montgomery County Motorists Idle Longest? Traffic Planners to Present Congestion Report, Recommend Future Traffic Fixes

SILVER SPRING, MD – On Thursday, the Montgomery County Planning Board will review the 2008 Highway Mobility Report, which provides a comprehensive view of traffic conditions in the county and recommends strategies to ease travel.

The annual update focuses on both current congestion and forecasts future traffic conditions, measuring traffic flow through intersections and corridors throughout the 496-square-mile county.

The report identifies the county’s 10 most congested intersections, such as the daily snarl at Great Seneca Highway (MD 119) at Muddy Branch Road, but also suggests traffic relief projects – such as intersection improvements, grade separations, and road widenings – to be considered by the Planning Board and County Council as they review the county’s bi-annual growth policy and recommend capital project priorities to the state. Among the relief projects, planners recommend bringing bus rapid transit to chronically congested corridors. Bus rapid transit provides a dedicated lane for express buses, allowing them to bypass traffic jams.

To identify the county’s most troublesome intersections, transportation planners performed Critical Lane Volume (CLV) analyses for 422 intersections. The CLV analysis relies on calculations involving traffic movement, traffic signal phasing and other factors. Intersections landing on the list, ranked from most to least congested, include:

 

1. Great Seneca Highway (MD 119) at Muddy Branch Road

2. Georgia Avenue (MD 97) at Randolph Road

3. Frederick Road (MD 355) at King Farm Boulevard

4. Connecticut Avenue (MD 185) at Jones Bridge Road

5. Rockville Pike (MD 355) at W. Cedar Lane

6. Shady Grove Road at Midcounty Highway

7. Norbeck Road (MD 28) at Bel Pre Road

8. Connecticut Avenue (MD 185) at East-West Highway (MD 410)

9. Norbeck Road (MD 28) at Avery Road

10. New Hampshire Avenue (MD 650) at Randolph Road

 
Planners report some good news for the top 10, however. Improvements at two intersections that made the 2006 most-congested list – Georgia Ave (MD 97)/Forest Glen Rd and

Frederick Rd (MD 355)/Ridge Rd (MD 27) have reduced congestion levels intersections by 26 percent and 47 percent, respectively. Analyzing which intersections improved helps justify the need for infrastructure improvements, planners say.

Two intersections on the 2008 list will likely be improved as part of the National Naval Medical Center base realignment project along Wisconsin Avenue, while two others along MD 28 are slated for less traffic when the Intercounty Connector opens.

The report also identifies roadways, or corridors, with high levels of traffic congestion. Planners identified those corridors using lane analysis as well as Global Positioning System (GPS)-based travel time and speed surveys. Congested corridors include:

•  Rockville Pike/Frederick Rd (MD 355)
• Georgia Ave (MD 97)
•  Norbeck Rd (MD 28)
• Columbia Pike (US 29)
• Connecticut Ave (MD 185)

The future transportation snapshot is partly based on an analysis of traffic within policy areas – which divide the county in 21 regions – and looks ahead to the year 2012. Called Policy Area Mobility Review (PAMR), the method forecasts future transportation demand and compares auto to transit travel. PAMR was recently adopted by the County Council as part of the 2007 Growth Policy, which is updated every two years. The traffic report recommends adoption of 2009 policy area traffic mitigation requirements that would take effect July 1.

 

The policy area analysis indicates that four areas – Germantown East, Gaithersburg City, Montgomery Village/Airpark and North Potomac – will require full trip mitigation, or actions that offset the impact of new vehicles on the road network. The growth policy requires traffic mitigation in policy areas that tip the congestion threshold before new development can be approved. In the report, transportation planners also compiled a list of active or planned projects intended to relieve congestion along some of those congested corridors.

Copies of the Highway Mobility Report are available at Park and Planning Headquarters, 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, or access it online at
 www.mc-mncppc.org/transportation/hmr/hmr2008.shtm. The report includes a map of the 10 most congested intersections.

WHO:  Montgomery County Planning Board

WHAT:  Consideration of draft highway mobility report

WHEN:   Thursday, May 15, approximately 10:30 a.m.

WHERE:  Park and Planning Headquarters, 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD

Pine Lake Remains Closed as Department of Parks and MCDEP Work to Finish this First-Ever Major Rehab of the Lake

WHEATON, MD—Construction began on Pine Lake in Wheaton Regional Park at the beginning of this year, however permitting delays and periodic rain events have pushed the anticipated completion date of this project back to later this summer.

“The original schedule anticipated the construction phase of the project to be complete in late spring,” said Department of Parks Project Manager Andy Frank.

The Montgomery County Department of Parks and the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection began this major rehabilitation of Pine Lake in late February, which includes installing new outlet structures, improving dam safety and stormwater management control, along with dredging sediment accumulated within the lake to improve water quality and aquatic habitat.

“We are working closely with our contractor to ensure this project is completed as quickly as possible without compromising quality results,” said Department of Environmental Protection Senior Engineer Gene Gopenko.

Pine Lake remains closed to public access, with fencing and signage up around the lake. Constructed in the early 1960s, Pine Lake has never previously been dredged and this is the first major rehabilitation of the lake since its initial construction. The 5-acre Pine Lake provides significant recreational opportunities to park users, such as fishing, bird watching, picnicking and hiking along the nearby park trails. The lake also offers water quality benefits to the tributary stream of the Northwest Branch.

“We know park patrons will be eager to get back to Pine Lake later this summer and we are working with our partner DEP in earnest to finish this important work,” added Frank.

The other two premier lakes in the Montgomery County parks system—Lake Needwood at Rock Creek Regional Park and Little Seneca Lake at Black Hill Regional Park—opened for the season, May 3.  Both offer fishing and boat rentals.  For more on opportunities at Lake Needwood and Little Seneca Lake visit www.LakeNeedwoodBoats.com and www.BlackHillBoats.com.

# # #

Contact:   
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Want to Go Green? Montgomery Planning Department Offers Environmentally Sound Strategies for Homeowners

 

SILVER SPRING, MD – To help local residents design energy-saving, environmentally friendly homes and gardens, the Montgomery County Planning Department has launched a series of free educational programs as part of the Going Green at Home program.

The speaker series will focus on ways homeowners can reduce energy costs and lessen negative impacts on the environment. The 2008 series is the fourth year the department has run the popular program.

Those interested in a healthier, more nature-friendly yard might attend the greenscaping program to learn about plant selection, maintaining healthy soil and other strategies. Homeowners planning to remodel kitchens or bathrooms can learn ways to use good design, take advantage of natural lighting, and use recycled materials and resource-conserving appliances.

Educators come from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and representatives from private “green” industries.

Learn more about the series at www.GoingGreenAtHome.org.

What/When/Where:  

GreenScapes educational program - 7 p.m. Wednesday May 21, Kensington Park Library, 4201 Knowles Ave., Kensington, MD  20895 and 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 4, Gaithersburg Library, 18330 Montgomery Village Ave., Gaithersburg, MD  20879. Presenter: Virginia Fornillo, GreenScape specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Green Kitchens and Bathrooms - 2 p.m. Saturday, June 14, Kensington Park Library, 4201 Knowles Ave., Kensington, MD  20895 and 7 p.m. Monday, June 30, Gaithersburg Library, 18330 Montgomery Village Ave., Gaithersburg, MD  20879. Presenters: Jason Holstine, President, Amicus Green Building Center, and Lisa Rigazio AIA, LEED, AP

Local Housing Analyst to Address Montgomery Planing Board as Part of Expert Speaker Series

 

SILVER SPRING, MD – A local analyst of urban planning issues who co-authored a report assessing housing options and services available to the elderly, disabled and homeless in the region, will address the Montgomery County Planning Board Thursday as part of the board’s focus on housing this spring.

Margery Austin Turner, director of the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center at the Urban Institute, will speak about “Housing in the Nation’s Capital,” the latest presentation to help guide the board’s review of housing policy. Turner is one of a number of experts to speak about housing and its connection to a variety of planning issues as the board considers updates to the housing section of the General Plan, the board’s first since 1993.

Turner regularly contributes to an annual report about housing in the Washington metropolitan region that assembles and analyzes housing conditions and trends in the District of Columbia and the surrounding counties. The 2007 report took a regional perspective, examining how the District, Montgomery County and other areas address housing for special needs populations.

Learn more about the speaker series at www.mcparkandplanning.org/development/agp/speaker_series.shtm.

WHO:
Margery Austin Turner, director of the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center at the Urban Institute

WHAT:
“Housing in the Nation's Capital” presentation to the Montgomery County Planning Board

WHEN:
7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 8

WHERE:
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Ave.
Silver Spring, MD

Sligo Creek Parkway Gets a Facelift, DPWT Works on Parkway in Cooperation with Department of Parks

SILVER SPRING, MD—This week, the Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT) in cooperation with the Montgomery County Department of Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) began reconstructing the section of Sligo Creek Parkway from New Hampshire Avenue to Maple Avenue in Takoma Park. The project includes:

Milling areas along existing curb and at tie in points to side streets to provide a smooth transition;
Full depth patching of deteriorated sections of the roadway; and
Placing two inches of new surface asphalt on the road and new reflective striping, including yellow centerlines, white road edge lines and white crosswalks. 

New signage and marking will also be included on Sligo Creek Parkway by DPWT, as recommended in the 2002 M-NCPPC pedestrian safety traffic study.

For more on the Sligo Creek Parkway project, contact DPWT Construction Supervisor Donald Noble at 240-777-6000.

# # #