The Amherst Avenue Bikeway Project is identified in the Bicycle Master Plan as one of the highest priority bikeways in the Wheaton Central Business District (CBD) in Montgomery County. Located just a block from and parallel to Georgia Avenue (MD 97), the Amherst Avenue Bikeway Project would substantially improve the bicyclist’s safety and connectivity for people of all ages and bicycling abilities biking to and through the Wheaton CBD by installing an on-road bikeway.
On Thursday, May 4, 2023, the Montgomery County Planning Board will conduct a Mandatory Referral Hearing on this project. The meeting is open for public. Interested community members and public are encouraged to listen in, and to provide written and/or oral testimonies regarding this project.
For more information, please visit https://montgomeryplanningboard.org/agendas.
Based on comments received from the community after the previous public meetings, the project team has refined the design option for the block between Prichard Road and Reedie Drive. The community expressed their desire to retain on-street parking on both side of Amherst Avenue. As a result, the recommended design will convert the existing grass buffer into permeable parking bays for residents, which will also treat stormwater during rain events. This recommended design will be presented to the Planning Board during the Mandatory Referral hearing.
On Tuesday, June 28, 2022, Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) hosted a virtual public meeting on the Amherst Avenue Bikeway Project, and presented the current design, including the 2-way cycle track, stormwater management concepts, as well as other intersection improvements within the project limits. All the materials presented have been posted on the project website under the "Project Document" tab.
To access the public hearing recording, please visit the recording link under the “Project Documents” tab for the 2021 June Public Meeting Recording.
Public input is key to the success of a capital improvement project as it helps us to better understand the needs and concerns of the community. Your input is important to us! Though we welcome the public to provide comments and feedback at any point throughout this project, we would greatly appreciate to receive your comments by July 31, 2022.
MCDOT is currently progressing the final design and seeks specific feedback on more detailed aspects of the design. We encourage you to attend the following public engagement events, share your feedback, and provide any suggestions that may better reflect your community’s needs with regard to the project.
June 14, 2022 (Tuesday) at 6:30pm – 7:30pm Wheaton Veterans Urban Park – 11200 Amherst Ave, Wheaton, MD 20902 (At the NW corner of Amherst Avenue and Reedie Drive)
This in-person workshop will discuss specific design of the Amherst Avenue Bikeway pertaining to the block between Prichard Road and Reedie Drive regarding on-street parking and potential changes to the roadway section on Amherst Avenue. There will be a brief presentation on the project, and feedback will be collected from attendees. Registration is not required.
Angel Cheng, P.E. Project Engineer Montgomery County Department of Transportation Division of Transportation Engineering 100 Edison Park Drive, 4th Floor Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878 Phone: 240-777-7274 E-mail: angel.cheng@montgomerycountymd.gov