Montgomery County’s first protected bike lane on Woodglen Drive in White Flint. Photo Credit: Dan Reed
Good news! The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has endorsed the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide. This guide, produced by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), gives transportation planners and engineers access to state-of-the-practice bikeway designs. It provides innovative tools for growing bicycling such as protected and buffered bike lanes, bike boxes, contraflow bike lanes and other types of infrastructure.
Last fall, MCDOT installed the first protected bike lane in the County on Woodglen Drive in White Flint. The 0.3 mile long protected bike lane extends the Bethesda Trolley Trail from Edson Lane to Nicholson Lane. MCDOT is currently planning protected bike lanes on Woodmont Ave in Bethesda and Nebel Street in White Flint. We anticipate more protected bike lanes coming to the County following the department’s endorsement of the NACTO guide.
From the MCDOT Acting Director Al Roshdieh’s letter:
MCDOT is committed to providing a multi-modal transportation network that incorporates state-of-the-practice bicycle facilities, and endorses the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide as one of several documents to utilize in the design and implementation of new bicycle facilities County-wide. Thank you for your support and we look forward to partnering with you in our efforts to create a more bicycle-friendly Montgomery County.
WABA sent a letter in August requesting MDCOT’s adoption or endorsement of the bikeway guide. MCDOT is now in good company as the transportation department in the District of Columbia, Arlington and Alexandria also endorse the NACTO Guide. You can download the MCDOT letter endorsing the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide. Thank you to Acting Director Al Roshdieh for responding to our request.