County Planning Separated Bike Lanes for Silver Spring

Separated lanes on both sides of Spring and Cedar streets would provide connections to planned Silver Spring Green Trail and Capital Crescent Trail

By Aaron Kraut

Via MCDOT

Montgomery County transportation officials are planning separated bicycle lanes along the northern edge of downtown Silver Spring, in part to connect two bicycle trails planned as part of the Purple Line light-rail project.

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will host a public meeting on the proposed bicycle lanes from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Silver Spring Civic Building.

The proposed one-way lanes would be installed on both sides of a nearly mile-long stretch of Spring and Cedar streets between Wayne and 2nd avenues.

The Silver Spring Green Trail is planned for along the Purple Line route as it travels along Wayne Avenue on the east side of the central business district. The extension of the Capital Crescent Trail has long been planned for next to the Purple Line on the west side of the central business district.

Matt Johnson, the project manager, said county transportation planners will be looking for feedback on the proposal at the Feb. 2 meeting. He said MCDOT expects a cost estimate soon.

It would be the second separated bike lane project in Montgomery County, following a two-way separated bike lane that was installed in late 2014 on Woodglen Drive in White Flint.

The lanes on Spring and Cedar streets would include a buffer, possibly flex posts, between the bike lane and vehicle traffic.