Montgomery County Department of Transportation (DOT) needs at least “a sliver” of land from 125 properties along Viers Mill Road to create bus and pedestrian areas for the upcoming Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.
The BRT is proposed along a 7-mile route along from the Wheaton Metro Station to Route 355 in Rockville. There will be 12 stations.
This month, 30 property owners received letters from the DOT letting them know some of their property will be needed, either just during construction or for the entire project, according to Emily DeTitta, Montgomery County DOT Strategic Communications Manager.
The county currently is having the properties evaluated by independent appraisers to determine the fair market rate. After that, the county will make an offer to the landowners about how much they will receive in compensation. That should happen within the next year.
There are no plans to take over anyone’s entire property, DeTitta said.
Those who received the letter were told that this note marks the start of discussions. Those whose property is purchased will receive “just compensation based on the fair market value of the property,” according to the letter.
Utility work will begin in the late fall. Design work is still being completed.
“A lot of this project is making this corridor walkable, which is really nice,” she said. There will be a pedestrian path on the north side.
“They are getting something for it. It’s really going to change the corridor.”
The project includes using zero emission buses to “provide a fast and reliable public transit alternative connecting riders to commercial and employment centers,” according to the letter residents received.
