The Montgomery County Department of Transportation is moving ahead on a wave of bicycle infrastructure projects designed to make roads safer and better connect residents to the county’s bikeway and transit networks.
Crews are currently at work on several major routes, including segments of the Capital Crescent Trail linking Bethesda and Silver Spring, the Metropolitan Branch Trail in Silver Spring, and safety upgrades along McComas Avenue in Wheaton, where a new neighborhood greenway is taking shape.
Together, these active projects will add more than two miles of new bike pathways. Another 20 projects are in the planning pipeline, promising nearly 18 miles of additional bike-friendly routes.
County Executive Marc Elrich said the effort reflects a big push to redesign roadways for multiple modes of transportation. He notes the county has built more than 17 miles of bike-friendly pathways since 2022, including protected bikeways tied to the Purple Line project.
Montgomery County now has 112 miles of bike lanes, shoulders, and cycle tracks in total.
MCDOT is also building a secure bike parking facility in Downtown Silver Spring, at the base of Garage 5 near Dixon Avenue and Bonifant Street, expected to open this fall.
MCDOT Director Chris Conklin emphasized projects like the Metropolitan Branch Trail will link cyclists and pedestrians to the Silver Spring Transit Center, while future Flash Bus Rapid Transit stations will also include dedicated pedestrian and cyclist access.
Other notable projects nearing construction include the MacArthur Boulevard Bikeway in Bethesda, the Piney Branch Road separated bike facilities in Silver Spring, and the Amherst Avenue Bikeway in Wheaton.
