Transportation and Environment Committee Meeting - April 27, 2026
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Transportation and Environment Committee Meeting - April 27, 2026
The Montgomery County Transportation and Environment (T&E) Committee met on April 27, 2026, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. to consider three agenda items. The first two items—a right-of-way abandonment and a supplemental appropriation for the North Bethesda Metro Station—were approved with minor amendments. The bulk of the meeting focused on the FY27 Operating Budget and FY27-32 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for the Division of Transit Services, including expansion of microtransit (Flex) service, all-day Flash service to Burtonsville, and the US 29 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Phase 2 project.
Consent Calendar
- Resolution to approve abandonment of a portion of public rights-of-way at 2nd Avenue and Fenwick Lane (AB 758): Approved as amended. The amendment added the phrase "abandoned in place" to Condition 1, allowing utilities to remain in the ground if no longer in use, following a request from the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC). The committee accepted the staff recommendation after discussion about underground utility inventory and deterioration concerns.
- Resolution to approve Supplemental Appropriation #26-67 ($275,000) for the North Bethesda Metro Station Northern Entrance: Approved. The funds ($250,000 state grant, $25,000 county recordation tax premium) will support community engagement and land-use planning for the project, which is expected to move to design-builder RFP in summer 2026 and construction start in 2027.
Discussion Items
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FY27 Operating Budget (Mass Transit Fund) and CIP Adjustments
- Transit Services Budget Overview: The County Executive recommended a $7 million (3%) increase over the FY26 approved budget. The increase includes $1.157 million in programmatic/staffing additions (to be placed on the Reconciliation List) and $6.8 million for compensation and other cost increases. A $1 million reduction to Transportation Demand Management (TDM) was included due to elimination of TDM fees by Bill 24-25.
- Flex Service Expansion: The Executive proposed adding two new Flex microtransit zones in Poolesville and Damascus ($913,796, starting January 2027) with 10 new FTEs and 5 buses. Council staff presented four options: (1) accept the Executive's proposal; (2) not expand; (3) shift funding from existing Wheaton/Glenmont and Rockville zones; (4) eliminate those zones. After discussion, the committee unanimously chose Option 1. Councilmember Balcombe requested a study of "super-users" in existing Flex zones to understand their needs. Director Conklin noted that fixed-route service already exists to Poolesville and Damascus but with long travel times and limited access. Councilmember Mink supported Option 1, citing lack of services in those communities.
- All-Day Burtonsville Flash Service: The Executive recommended $243,775 to extend the US 29 Flash Route (Blue Route) to operate all day (6 a.m. to 7 p.m.) instead of only peak hours, starting January 2027. The committee approved this addition, noting the revitalization of the Burtonsville Crossing shopping center and growing demand for midday and reverse-commute trips.
- Other Budget Items:
- $70,000 increase for the Ride-On trip planner app (maintenance for existing customized app; committee discussed potential integration with regional apps under DMV Moves).
- $23,000 increase for Washington Suburban Transit Commission (WSTC) contribution; committee requested clarification on cost-sharing with Prince George’s County.
- $109,000 to annualize automated bus lane enforcement pilot (cameras on WMATA buses; expected to be funded by fine revenue).
- Deferred $25.5 million in FY27 bus replacement (hydrogen fuel cell buses) to FY28 due to delays in fueling infrastructure; added $2.4 million for refurbishing diesel Flash buses to extend their life.
- CIP Adjustments: Approved technical adjustments to bus stop improvements and park-and-ride lot projects. Added $500,000 in state aid for the North Bethesda Metro Station project.
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Bus Rapid Transit US 29 Phase 2 Project: The committee reviewed the project description amendment proposed by council staff to evaluate alternative technical concepts for 0, 1, or 2 dedicated transit lanes through Four Corners. Councilmember Mink requested adding an explicit reference to the previously considered managed lane concept. Director Conklin argued that the managed lane concept is already reflected in the zero-lane option within Four Corners and that reopening it would require significant additional engineering (1–2 years, millions of dollars). Councilmember Balcombe and Chair Glass supported the staff-proposed language without the managed lane reference. The committee approved the project description as drafted by staff. Ms. Mink indicated she would raise the managed lane issue at full Council review.
Key Outcomes
- Approved the right-of-way abandonment resolution, as amended (unanimous).
- Approved the supplemental appropriation for the North Bethesda Metro Station Northern Entrance (unanimous).
- Recommended approval of the FY27 Operating Budget for Transit Services and associated CIP adjustments with the following additions placed on the Reconciliation List:
- $913,796 to expand Flex service to Poolesville and Damascus.
- $243,775 to extend all-day Burtonsville Flash service.
- Defeated a motion to add "managed lanes concept" to the US 29 BRT Phase 2 project description (Ms. Mink's motion).
- Approved the US 29 BRT Phase 2 project with amended project description requiring evaluation of 0, 1, or two dedicated lanes through Four Corners and subsequent committee briefing before construction.
- Directed MCDOT to study super-users of existing Flex zones and report back.
- Requested clarification of the "Travel" budget line item and WSTC cost-sharing details.
- All decisions will be forwarded to the full Council for final action.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. It is Monday, April 27th. Welcome to the Transportation and Environment Committee. We have three items on the agenda today. The last one contains a lot of items. But the first is a resolution to approve the abandonment of a portion of public right-of-way at the corner of 2nd Avenue and Fenwick Lane. Feedback. Turn it over to Mr. Kenny and then I'll turn it over to the district council member. Good afternoon, Director Conklin. And thank you, Councilmember Mink for joining us. I know we'll get to your item of uh on the number the third item on the docker. Thank you. So uh this abandonment um, as you mentioned, um, is sought by the Housing Opportunities Commission and Alexander House Development Corporation to incorporate uh a small portion of this uh land uh intersection of 2nd and and Fenwick. Um this portion is is not currently used for any sort of uh transportation uh right of way, um, although it was originally planned as such. Um all stakeholders uh and DOT most importantly have have testified to the fact that this is not planned to be used for any transportation purposes and is not of uh needed public use. Um page two of the staff report uh documents the February 18th, 2025 public hearing um in which the uh relevant uh stakeholders, um, including Montgomery County Fire and Rescue and WSSC uh had no objection to the abandonment request. I mentioned WSSC specifically because uh they uh have operated uh sewer lines uh in this location in the past, um, but those uh sewer lines were approved for relocation and are our uh WSSC testified to to not needing them uh active any longer. Um C D OT uh recommended based on this public hearing testimony uh recommended approval of the abandonment um subject to several uh conditions. Uh the confirming of those uh utilities and sewer lines as having been moved or lone or no longer needed, um, preserving the existing pedestrian connection at 2nd Avenue and Fenwick and Fenwick and uh addressing the existing uh storm drain system. Um so this was was recommended for approval by MCDOT and transferred uh transmitted uh to the council. Um after uh this transmittal to the council, um the HOC sent a letter uh to the council president um requesting an amendment uh to condition one of the draft resolution, which can be found attached to the staff report um for the purpose of avoiding any misunderstanding as to the requirements for completing the abandonment section. Um this language can be found on page three of the staff report. Um the original language stated that the uh the current language uh before the committee states that the applicant must demonstrate all that all public utilities located within the abandonment area have been removed or relocated outside of the abandonment area. Um has has identified that these uh lines may be in place uh still um but that uh per WSSE's testimony um they can be safely and inadequately abandoned in place in in lieu of specifically being removed or relocated. So this abandonment abandoned in place uh allowance uh is what uh HOC is requesting to be added to its condition uh of abandonment. Um C DOT has reviewed this amendment uh and communicated its support uh based on public hearing testimony to council staff. Um so council staff suggests the committee recommend amending the resolution to add the term abandoned in place to condition one uh as written in the staff report, but uh but otherwise uh recommend supporting the resolution. Director Conklin. Thank you for that. Um we have no objections to that language. Typically um the condition is to ensure that the lines are relocated into a suitable location, but this has already happened, so uh the lines remaining in place, it will no longer be in right of way and they're not gonna be in use. So it seemed acceptable to us. Abandoned in place is a very artful turn of phrase. Um I'll see if the district council member has any comments. No, I just say uh I'm very supportive of the uh proposal in front of us, looking forward to this project moving forward and having this be a piece of realizing the overall potential. And I just want to say thank you to Director Conklin, everyone paying attention. Uh we know from uh the purple line construction that there's a lot under the ground in uh downtown Silver Spring that is not in use or have been abandoned for purposes, and uh making sure that that is all covered in this makes a lot of sense. So thank you for that. That particular area between second and even the Spring Street Bridge, there's there's a lot going on. Yes. Underground. That's right. Uh so with the Yeah, Councilmember Bonco. Yes, I I approve I support this uh completely. Just a question about abandon in place and the comment that uh uh council member mentioned. So do we have an inventory of all this all these things that are underground? I hesitate to use the word all. Um many of these utilities are mapped, but oftentimes there are pipes that predate the mapping or were used at different times that are no not reflected. So we don't have an inventory of everything.
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