Traffic incidents have caused major delays on both I-270 and I-495 in Montgomery County on Monday morning. (more…)

Per the Maryland State Police: “Maryland State Police arrested a Montgomery County man recently following an assault that occurred in October.

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Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to northbound I-270 at approximately 2:30am prior to RT121(Clarksburg) for an injured person after a 25′ fall over jersey wall, according to assistant Chief David Pazos.

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Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to the scene of a crash that involved a vehicle being driven into the woods at the I-270 S ramp to Sam Eig Highway (exit 9) at approximately 7:25am on Thursday morning.

According to Assistant MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, the crash involved just the single vehicle and two occupants were extricated from the car. Both occupants were transported to an area hospital– one with life -threatening injuries, and another with less serious injuries. Pazos tweeted, “It appears Driver had medical emergency (likely pressing on gas while passenger was trying to steer car to avoid to other cars) consequently they lost control on ramp & ended up in wooded area.”

Montgomery County Police tweeted the following on Thursday, November 9 at 7:38am: “TRAFFIC ADVISORY: A traffic collision has southbound 270 closed at Exit 9A (370 ramp). Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route. Expect significant delays. #MCPNews #MCPD #Traffic”. Fox 5 reports that  a vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a wooded area.

~725am- MCFRS units were dispatched to S270-skyramp to E370 for a single vehicle collision with a car in the woods. 2 occupants were transported to area hospitals with 1 having traumatic injuries.@DavidPazos15 @mcfrsPIO pic.twitter.com/scbOtT0J1f

— Pazos@mcfrsPIO (@DavidPazos15) November 9, 2023

Montgomery County Police tweeted the following on Thursday, November 9 at 7:38am: “TRAFFIC ADVISORY: A traffic collision has southbound 270 closed at Exit 9A (370 ramp). Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route. Expect significant delays. #MCPNews #MCPD #Traffic”. Fox 5 reports that  a vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a wooded area. It is unclear if anyone involved in the crash was injured. The cause of the crash remains unknown.

We’ll provide an update if additional information becomes available. Featured image courtesy of Google Maps. 

TRAFFIC ADVISORY: A traffic collision has southbound 270 closed at Exit 9A (370 ramp).

Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route.

Expect significant delays. #MCPNews #MCPD #Traffic pic.twitter.com/az5Qa9vAps

— Montgomery County Department of Police (@mcpnews) November 9, 2023

Update: All lanes are now open on I-270 at Montrose Road.
According to the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, a traffic incident has closed I-270 Southbound past Exit 4A (Montrose Road). Drivers should expect significant delays and seek an alternate route. We will provide an update if additional information becomes available. Featured image courtesy of Google Maps. 

Traffic incident closes I-270 Southbound past Exit 4A (Montrose Road).  Expect significant delays. Seek alternate route.

— Montgomery Co OEMHS (@ReadyMontgomery) November 1, 2023

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a call for a crash on northbound I-270 between exit 6B W. Montgomery Avenue and exit 8 Shady Grove Rd at approximately 10:30pm on Tuesday night.

According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer the crash involving at least one vehicle blocked some lanes. A dog riding in the car escaped from the vehicle, but was safely secured firefighters. There were no other injuries. Featured photo by @youcancallmenate on Instagram.

(~1030p) IAO NB I270 between Exit 6B Rt28 & Exit 8 Shady Grove Rd,collision, vehicle, some lanes blocked, dog riding in car got out of car, FFs safely secured runaway dog, otherwise no injuries

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) November 1, 2023

The Maryland Department of Transportation announces the addition of a fourth open house meeting this fall to engage the public on the American Legion Bridge and 270 Corridor Program and gather community feedback as the program advances. The meetings provide the opportunity for corridor travelers, project neighbors and other stakeholders to directly engage with the program team on potential multimodal transportation solutions for the corridor. The newly announced open house is centrally located in the program corridor:

• Saturday, December 2, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Thomas S. Wootton High School, 2100 Wootton Parkway, Rockville. Transit Accessible: Ride On routes 56, 301.

The series of open houses follow Governor Wes Moore’s August 21 announcement of the path forward for the future of the I-495 and I-270 corridors with a comprehensive program to improve access, opportunity, and quality of life in the Washington region through multimodal enhancements along the I-495 and I-270 corridors, including replacement of the aging American Legion Bridge. The previously announced open houses will take place at three venues along the program corridor:

• Monday, November 13, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, 4301 East-West Highway, Bethesda. Transit Accessible: WMATA Red Line, Bethesda Station; Metrobus J2; Ride On routes 29, 32, 34, 47, 70.
• Wednesday, November 15, 6:30-8:30 p.m., DoubleTree Hotel, 620 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg. Transit Accessible: Ride On routes 54, 55, 56, 59, 61.
• Thursday, November 16, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Frederick High School, 650 Carroll Parkway, Frederick. Transit Accessible: Connector routes 40, 50, 51.

​The same information will be available at each meeting at stations staffed by program team members. There will not be a formal presentation. Meeting materials will be available beginning on November 6 at www.americanlegionbridge270.com. The public is strongly encouraged to participate in the open house meetings. The Maryland Department of Transportation is committed to a collaborative approach to developing transportation solutions for the region.

As part of the American Legion Bridge and 270 Corridor Program, the Maryland Department of Transportation is advancing the following transportation solutions alongside stakeholder engagement:

• Transit and Ridesharing. Maryland will advance transit options and transportation demand management enhancements along the American Legion Bridge, I-495 and I-270 corridors. The program will implement strategies such as express bus options in Maryland and connections to Virginia, ridesharing incentives and parallel transportation improvements including MARC Brunswick Line enhancements and Bus Rapid Transit.

• Transit-Oriented Development. The Maryland Department of Transportation will advance Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) opportunities throughout the corridors. Maryland has previously supported TOD planning and implementation efforts throughout the WMATA Metrorail system. As part of this program, Maryland will look to accelerate investment in key corridor TOD projects to unlock new developments that create sustainable and inclusive communities.
• Phased Approach to Managed Lanes.Implementation of managed lanes will be phased, with the American Legion Bridge, I-495 to the I-270 West Spur, and the I-270 West Spur being the focus for initial implementation. The section from the I-270 West Spur to I-370, including through the City of Rockville, will be addressed in a later phase. This phasing will allow for a rational and fiscally prudent phased development
• A Comprehensive Planning Strategy for I-270. Maryland will launch a formal environmental study to identify the transportation needs of I-270 North of the Intercounty Connector/MD 200, consider a range of concepts including transit and transportation demand management, and evaluate multimodal approaches for near-term implementation and construction.
• Engagement on Delivery Method.Maryland will engage the public on the potential implementation of the managed lanes as a publicly funded and delivered project.

Those requiring assistance to participate in the open houses, such as a need for an interpreter for hearing/speech difficulties or assistance with the English language, should send an email in advance to [email protected]. Please indicate the desired language in the subject line. The Maryland Relay Service can assist teletype users at 7-1-1.

Featured photo courtesy of Montgomery Planning

The Montgomery County Planning Department has won a prestigious Award of Excellence in the Small Area Planning category for Corridor Forward: The I-270 Transit Plan by the American Planning Association (APA) County Planning Division and the National Association of County Planners.

Approved by the Montgomery County Council in April 2022, The Corridor Forward Plan conducted detailed analysis to deliver near-term and long-term transit recommendations focused on improving access to transit options as well as advancing the county’s equity, environmental, and economic development goals along the I-270 corridor.

“We are so honored to be recognized nationally by our planning peers for the cutting-edge Corridor Forward Plan,” said Montgomery Planning Acting Director Tanya Stern. “Our data-driven approach that also applied an equity lens during the planning process informed recommendations to deliver a transit vision that will benefit residents and visitors who travel along the I-270 corridor.” The Corridor Forward Plan was jointly led by staff from the Midcounty Planning Division and the Countywide Planning and Policy Division.

“This award recognizes how the plan was developed with forward-thinking technical expertise and a focus on equity to build consensus with the community on what could be possible for providing needed transit to connect the communities along this important corridor,” said Midcounty Planning Chief Carrie Sanders. “Corridor Forward provides the framework for equitable transit connections that promote a more sustainable future for communities along a vital county corridor,” said Countywide Planning and Policy Chief Jason Sartori. “This award recognizes the importance of these connections and the plan’s approach to ensuring they are achieved.” Read more about the awards.

According to the APA County Planning Division and the National Association of County Planners, The Corridor Forward Planincluded key elements making it worthy for the Award of Excellence category:

• The plan relies on detailed technical analysis but strives to communicate ideas in plain language. The executive summary of the plan was translated into frequently spoken languages in Montgomery County, and a two-page explainer document seeks to summarize the key recommendations of the plan.
• Corridor Forward aims to advance transit beyond talk and into action by developing a lasting, achievable transit vision for the I-270 corridor.
• The plan employs a scenario-planning approach to help decisionmakers understand the different purposes, benefits, constraints, and costs of various transit options; how components of different options can fit together to create a complementary transit network, and the potential order of implementation for the recommended network.
• The plan presents recommendations that improve transit access along the corridor as well as advance the county’s goals related to equity, environment, and economy.

About Corridor Forward: The I-270 Transit Plan
Corridor Forward proposes a near-term transit network and a long-term transit vision to expand transit access for communities along the I-270 corridor.

• Near-Term Transit Network: Implement the MD 355 and Veirs Mill Road Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects. Then implement new dedicated bus lanes, referred to as the Corridor Connectors, to connect communities and employment centers along the I-270 corridor to the county’s primary transit lines, Metrorail and MARC Rail.
• Long-Term Transit Vision: Extend the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Metrorail Red Line to Germantown Town Center and complete enhancements to the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) Brunswick Line.

The Corridor Forward Plan reimagines the previously master-planned Corridor Cities Transitway as the Corridor Connectors, a network of more buildable dedicated bus lanes, which connect I-270 corridor communities to the county’s existing and planned rapid transit network. The plan also includes supporting recommendations and regional opportunities, which seek to support the transit network and strengthen the potential to advance local and regional transit connectivity. Before approval, the County Council’s Transportation and Environment Committee refined recommendations to ensure the final plan best met the interests of the community. To create the plan, Montgomery Planning worked with state and county agencies, neighboring jurisdictions, county municipalities, advocacy groups, and community members to analyze and prioritize transit options to develop recommendations. Montgomery Planning also engaged community members about their needs and values related to transit through the Corridor Forward Plan’s Transit Values Questionnaire and Transit Stories campaign.  The Corridor Forward Plan was a separate effort from the State of Maryland’s proposed New American Legion Bridge I-270 Traffic Relief Plan.

• View the Corridor Forward: The I-270 Transit Plan

Per Montgomery County Police: “The following is a brief summary of events regarding a collision involving a Montgomery County Police Officer. At approximately 3:48 a.m., Montgomery County Police officers were attempting to stop the driver of a vehicle believed to be driving under the influence on I-270 NB near Watkins Mill.

A male officer exited his patrol car to deploy stop sticks, used to deflate tires of suspect vehicles on the roadway. As the officer was in the process of deploying the stop sticks, the driver of the suspect vehicle collided with the officer. The suspect vehicle continued northbound on I-270, where a second officer successfully deployed stop sticks, eventually bringing the vehicle to a stop.

Two people inside of the car were taken into custody. The officer suffered very serious injuries and was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. This is an ongoing investigation, and more information will be released when it is available.”

As of 6:27am, NB I-270 is closed at Clopper Road (MD-117) due to the crash investigation. All northbound traffic is being diverted to the NB local lanes. Expect significant delays. Seek alternate route.

Update Per Montgomery County Police: “The following is a brief summary of events regarding a collision involving a Montgomery County Police Officer. At approximately 3:48 a.m., Montgomery County Police officers were attempting to stop the driver of a vehicle believed to be driving under the influence on I-270 NB near Watkins Mill.

A male officer exited his patrol car to deploy stop sticks, used to deflate tires of suspect vehicles on the roadway. As the officer was in the process of deploying the stop sticks, the driver of the suspect vehicle collided with the officer. The suspect vehicle continued northbound on I-270, where a second officer successfully deployed stop sticks, eventually bringing the vehicle to a stop.

Two people inside of the car were taken into custody. The officer suffered very serious injuries and was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. This is an ongoing investigation, and more information will be released when it is available.”

Original Report: Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a “collision involving a pedestrian” that took place at approximately 4am on Wednesday morning on northbound I-270 between exits 12 (Watkins Mill Rd) and 13 (Middlebrook Rd). WTOP has reported that the person that was struck by the vehicle is a police officer and that two people are in custody, including the driver of the vehicle.

According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, the police officer was evaluated and treated for a priority 1, life threatening injury. As of 5am, the patient was “stable with serious life threatening injury, and being transported by Medevac helicopter.”

As of 6:27am, NB I-270 is closed at Clopper Road (MD-117) due to the crash investigation. All northbound traffic is being diverted to the NB local lanes. Expect significant delays. Seek alternate route.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY: I-270 NB north of Watkins Mill is completely shut down following a collision involving an officer.
Drivers should seek an alternate route and expect significant delays. #MCPD #MCPNews #RoadClosure

— Montgomery County Department of Police (@mcpnews) October 18, 2023