Montgomery County Honors Veterans with Operation Green Light Ride On Bus Wrap and Ceremony
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, County Council President Natali Fani-González, members of the County Council, and MCDOT officials joined the County Commission on Veterans Affairs and community leaders on Friday, Nov. 6 for the launch of the Ride On “Operation Green Light” bus at a ceremony to honor veterans.
Operation Green Light, an initiative sponsored by the National Association of Counties, honors veterans for their immeasurable sacrifices to preserve freedom. The initiative asks for displays of green light, from Nov. 4-11, in business and residential windows to honor veterans. The campaign also aims to highlight resources available to veterans for support.
The Ride On bus is wrapped in a design featuring the U.S. flag, a silhouette of veterans, and highlighting Operation Green Light. The bus also features a neon sign reading “Operation Green Light” to illuminate the bus at night. The County Commission on Veterans Affairs website and resource line are printed on the back of the bus. The design was conceptualized by DOT and chosen by the Commission on Veterans Affairs.
In addition, all Ride On buses will have printed information cards on board with QR codes and a phone number for information on veterans' resources and services. Those services can be accessed by calling Serving Together at 855-738-7176 or visiting the Commission on Veterans Affairs website. View photos of the press event online.
The Operation Green Light bus will be deployed on bus routes throughout the County. Riders hoping to catch the Operation Green Light bus can follow @MCDOTNow on social media to see where the bus is scheduled to run or follow the #OperationGreenLight hashtag. Riders are encouraged to post and share their bus photos in support.
 MCDOT to Participate in Thanksgiving Parade at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring on Saturday, Nov. 21
The Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade will usher in the holiday season in Downtown Silver Spring. The parade kicks off at 10 a.m. for one mile along Ellsworth Drive to Georgia Avenue, ending at Spring Street (rain or shine).
Come out and enjoy the marching bands, dancing groups, glittering floats, and special appearances by Santa and his elves. Be sure to watch out for MCDOT’s decorated Flash bus and Zeal the Zebra, MCDOT’s pedestrian safety mascot.
The Thanksgiving Parade marks the annual debut of the Flash Lights holiday buses. The lighted buses will begin circulating on the US 29 route in late November.
Attendees are encouraged to take the Metro Red Line to the Silver Spring Station for easy access to the parade route, or use Ride On bus service. Use the Ride On Trip Planning app to plan your route.
Learn more at silverspringdowntown.com/events/thanksgiving-parade.
MCDOT Reminds Residents to Plan A Safe Ride Home Over the Thanksgiving Holiday
During Thanksgiving weekend, millions will hit our nation's roads, eager to gather with family and friends. It’s one of the busiest and most dangerous travel times of the year. More people on the roadways mean a higher risk of vehicle crashes. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Eve, has also been known as one of the deadliest nights of the year due to heavy consumption of alcohol.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2024, 164 people died in drunk-driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday, with 37% of those drivers being 21-34 years old.
If you plan on celebrating with alcohol, plan to have a designated driver, use public transportation, a taxi, or a rideshare service. Never let family or friends drive if they have had too much to drink.
Visit Montgomery County’s Safe Ride Home webpage for more resources. If you see a suspected drunk driver on the road, call 9-1-1 to report it.
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MCDOT Plants Record Number of Right-of-Way Trees This Year
MCDOT is on track to plant a record 3,264 trees by the end of 2026.
MCDOT plants approximately 2,000 trees annually along County-owned right-of-way as part of its roadside tree planting program. This year, MCDOT also partnered with Casey Trees to plant an additional 1,200 trees within equity emphasis areas in the County.
Casey Trees, a local nonprofit founded in 2001, received funding from the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Urban Trees Program to pay for the trees and planting, as part of the 5 Million Trees for Maryland initiative. MCDOT arborists selected locations and tree species and provide ongoing care and maintenance.
MCDOT arborists are responsible for overseeing the maintenance of the County’s more than 300,000 trees, most of which are located along streets in the right-of-way.
The right-of-way is the area that the County owns and maintains, typically located adjacent to a public street, sidewalk, alley, waterway, or utility easement.
Residents may request that MCDOT plant a tree in the County right-of-way or schedule an existing tree for removal or pruning by visiting the Tree Maintenance webpage, and submitting a service request online or by calling 311 from within the County or dialing 240-777-0311, from 7 a.m.—7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
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Leaf Vacuum Collection Began Monday, Nov. 9 in Designated Areas of Montgomery County
MCDOT began its annual leaf vacuuming program on Monday, Nov. 9. It will continue into December, with two collections planned for each neighborhood within the leafing district. Prior to those pickups, MCDOT will post signs along neighborhood streets with the upcoming date.
Residents are asked to pile leaves at the edge of their yard or curb, not in the street, bike lanes, or on sidewalks. Leaves in these areas can disrupt traffic, pose safety hazards to cyclists and pedestrians, negatively affect stormwater drainage, and pose a fire hazard to automobiles parked over them.
Residents who miss the two scheduled vacuum collections in their neighborhood, or who do not live within the leaf vacuuming area, can have their leaves collected by placing them in paper yard trim bags or reusable containers for pickup on their regular recycling and yard trim collection day. Another option is to mow fallen leaves into the yard to allow them to compost naturally or to compost them in a bin on your property.
Leaves placed in plastic bags will not be accepted. Residents may also bring properly bagged leaves to the Shady Grove Transfer Station. Free compost bins are available on the My Green Montgomery webpage.
To determine if a property is within the boundaries of the leaf vacuum collection district or to view the collection schedule, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/leafing.
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MCDOT’s Bike Match Program Surpasses 1,000 Bikes
The MCDOT Bike Match program has matched more than 1,000 Montgomery County residents with donated bikes, providing more transportation options for residents in need.
MCDOT’s Bike Match MoCo is a year-round County program that provides residents with bikes donated by community members. To date, 1,005 residents have received bikes through the program, including 143 children.
Residents who wish to donate or receive a bike can do so by filling out the Bike Match form on MCDOT’s website. Donated bikes must be in good working condition. Applicants are matched with bikes in the order their requests are received.
MCDOT hosted its annual bike donation drive on Friday, Oct. 16, in Rockville where 129 bikes were collected.
The bike drive is in partnership with Rockville Bike Hub, whose volunteers inspect and refurbish the bikes. The bikes are then distributed to the BikeMatchMoCo program, the Rockville Terrific Kids program, and Bikes for the World. Bikes that are not salvageable are recycled.
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Street Smart Fall Kickoff Event; Darker Days Ahead Bring Increased Risk of Traffic Fatalities
Daylight saving time ended on Sunday, Nov. 1, turning clocks back an hour and bringing earlier sunsets and heightened traffic safety risks across the metropolitan Washington region. With darkness falling during peak travel hours, drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists face increased dangers on regional roadways. Officials from the State of Maryland and Montgomery County joined the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) for COG’s fall Street Smart campaign on Thursday, Nov. 5, in downtown Silver Spring. The campaign educates drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists on safe roadway practices. The campaign supports the region's Vision Zero goal of eliminating all traffic deaths and serious injuries.
The earlier sunsets each fall bring a well-documented spike in pedestrian and cyclist crashes across the region. Officials are calling on all road users to take personal responsibility for safety, while reinforcing the importance of education and enforcement.
For more information, visit bestreetsmart.net.
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Black Friday Parking Discount in Silver Spring's Fenton Village
Beginning Friday, Nov. 27, use the ParkMobile promo code 2FORSS to save up to $2 per parking session when visiting and shopping in Silver Spring’s Fenton Village.
Due to Purple Line construction, 900 parking sessions will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The promo code may be used in Thayer-Silver Spring Garage 3, Fenton Village Garage 4, Bonifant Easley Lot 29, and at surrounding on-street parking meters (East of Georgia Avenue and South of Bonifant Street).
FREE PARKING in Montgomery County Public Garages and Lots in Bethesda, Silver Spring, and Wheaton
MCDOT is offering free parking in all County-operated garages and lots on Saturday, Nov. 28, known as Small Business Saturday, and Saturday, Dec. 19, for Super Saturday. Parking fees at on-street meters will still be enforced on those days to facilitate turnover for access to businesses.
The free parking days support local small businesses during high-demand shopping days.
Small Business Saturday is a nationally recognized annual event that encourages in-person shopping to support local shops and restaurants. Super Saturday is the last major shopping day of the year before the winter holidays and typically falls on the Saturday before Christmas.
Parking in County garages, lots, and on-street meters are free on Sundays and on County holidays. Visit the Parking Facilities Information webpage for more details.
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Public Meetings for MD 355 Central Flash Bus Rapid Transit Project to Be Held in November
MCDOT is hosting three public meetings in November to share information and collect public feedback on the MD 355 Central Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Flash is Montgomery County's bus rapid transit service. Public input will be considered and may influence the final design of the project.
MD 355 Central Flash BRT is a planned transit service that will deliver fast, reliable, and frequent transit service along the central section of MD 355/Rockville Pike between Rockville and Germantown. The County is beginning with the central portion of a larger MD 355 Flash BRT project. The northern and southern portions are not yet funded. The central project will include dedicated bus lanes and other bus-priority treatments to facilitate faster travel. The project also includes infrastructure to provide safe pedestrian and bicycle connections to the modern, covered stations.
MD 355 Central Flash will connect key destinations including two Metrorail Red Line stations at Rockville and Shady Grove, Montgomery College’s Rockville and Germantown campuses, and the Lakeforest and Germantown Transit Centers, helping more people reach jobs, schools, healthcare, and other essential services.
The public is invited to attend the following meetings:
- Virtual Meeting - Thursday, Nov. 12 | 2 – 3 p.m.
Online registration is required to attend.
- In-Person Meeting - Tuesday, Nov. 17 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Presentation at 7 p.m.
Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Avenue, Rockville.
- In-Person Meeting - Thursday, Nov. 19 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Presentation at 7 p.m.
Activity Center at Bohrer Park, 506 South Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg.
Visit MD355Flash.com to learn about the project and submit feedback by email to MD355BRT@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov by Friday, Dec. 11. All information provided will become a matter of public record. Sign up to receive project updates by email.
In-Person Public Information Workshop on the Proposed US 29 Flash BRT Four Corners Station Sidewalk Proposal to Be Held Wednesday, Nov. 18
On Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m., MCDOT will hold an in-person public workshop to discuss the sidewalk proposal at the Four Corners Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) station along US 29/Colesville Road. The project includes bicycle and pedestrian improvements surrounding the Flash BRT station to improve accessibility. The meeting will be held at the Montgomery Blair High School’s Cafeteria Room, 51 University Boulevard E, Silver Spring.
MCDOT will present the engineered concept plans, obtain public comments, and answer questions. Public input is encouraged and may influence the final design of the project.
The US 29 Mobility & Reliability Study recommended pedestrian and bicyclist safety improvements on roadways within the one mile “walkshed” surrounding the US 29 Flash BRT stations on Colesville Road/US 29 from the Four Corners Station to the Tech Road Station. In line with these recommendations, pedestrian and bicycle improvements at the Flash BRT Four Corners Station (No. 3) sidewalk proposal proposes installing new 5-foot-wide sidewalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps, crosswalks, and other upgrades to make walking safer and more secure. These improvements will help connect residential neighborhoods to high-quality public transit, promote active transportation (i.e., walking and biking), and reduce reliance on single occupancy vehicles.
The public is encouraged to visit the project website and provide feedback via the online comment form or by email to the Project Manager, Khursheed “KB” Bilgrami, at DTE.Sidewalk@montgomerycountymd.gov by Friday, Dec. 18. All information provided will become a matter of public record.
In-Person Public Meeting on the Purple Line Sidewalk Proposal for the Northside of Dale Drive in Silver Spring on Tuesday, Dec. 8
On Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2026, starting at 6 p.m., MCDOT will hold an in-person public meeting to discuss the sidewalk installations under the Purple Line Bicycle and Pedestrian Priority Area (BiPPA) sidewalk proposal for the Northside Dale Drive area in Silver Spring. The meeting will be held at the Silver Spring Civic Center’s Great Hall, 1 Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring.
MCDOT will provide project updates, and attendees will be able to submit comments and ask questions. Public input is encouraged and may influence the project's design.
The Purple Line BiPPA sidewalk proposal for the Dale Drive station calls for the installation of ADA-compliant sidewalks along roadways within a half mile of the new station in Silver Spring. By enhancing walking facilities while emphasizing safety and accessibility, the new sidewalks and connections to existing infrastructure will help Purple Line users better connect with communities throughout Montgomery County.
A recording of the presentation will be posted on the project website the following day. Another public meeting will soon be held for the Southside Dale Drive Purple Line Sidewalks.
The public is encouraged to visit the project website and provide feedback via the online comment form or by email to the Project Manager, Jessica Brunson, at Jessica.brunson@montgomerycountymd.gov by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8. All information provided will become a matter of public record.
More Than 2,100 Free Rides Provided Across D.C. Region During Halloween Weekend, Second-Highest Total Ever
More than 2,100 people across the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area took advantage of free rides home during Halloween weekend, helping reduce the number of potentially impaired drivers on local roads by offering residents free Lyft rides home valued at up to $15.
According to the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), its SoberRide program provided 2,175 free Lyft rides between Friday, Oct. 30 and Sunday, Nov. 1, marking the second-highest Halloween ridership total since the program launched in 1991.
Read the Moco Show article.
Gaithersburg to Begin Stop Sign Compliance Study at Six Intersections Near Schools
The Gaithersburg Police Department will begin a stop sign compliance study at six intersections within school zones throughout the city between Nov. 9 and 23.
As part of the study, police will install data-collection devices at selected intersections to evaluate how often drivers comply with stop signs and assess overall traffic safety conditions. The information gathered will help city officials determine whether additional traffic safety measures should be considered in the future.
The devices will be used strictly for data collection and not for enforcement. No warnings or citations will be issued as part of the study.
Read the MoCo Show article.
 For information on MCDOT programs and services, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on X, Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook and subscribe to receive the latest MCDOT news by phone or email.
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