II. THE PLANNING PROCESS

Participants:

Mayor and Council

The Mayor and Council approved this study as part of the Capital Improvements Program (CIP). They are responsible for approving and adopting the plan.

Recreation and Parks Department

This report, is to some extent, an update of the Bicycle Master Plan developed by the City of Rockville in 1981. This earlier plan, although not officially adopted by the City, served as a guiding document for this study.

The Recreation and Parks Department (R&PD) manages fifty parks within the City. The department also provides support and encouragement programs for these facilities, including public information and special events, and has a long-standing policy of promoting bicycling within the City.

Advisory Committee

The Citizen Bicycle Advisory Committee (CBAC) represents a range of user types and has been involved in the development of the Bikeway Master Plan from the earliest stages. A preliminary team meeting with Advisory Committee members confirmed the orientation of the plan - to be comprehensive in its approach to different users and trip types. Transportation and recreational use, integration with transit, and other issues were discussed in this preliminary meeting.

The Advisory Committies comments were integrated into the development of the public involvement tools [brochure and questionnaire]. These served as the basis for obtaining input and support for the project.

Other Departments

There are established links between Public Works, Recreation and Parks, Police, and Community Planning and Development Services Departments that will be essential in developing the working relationship necessary to implement a program which will consider all transportation users.

Other Agencies

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) has developed a 2020 Master Plan for the region. This plan will need to maximize areas of mutual interest to identify priorities and resources for consideration in the next round of planning. The M-NCPPC is also developing a Master Plan of Countywide Trails and Bikeways. The City has met with M-NCPPC staff to coordinate the two plans and the recommendations in this plan are consistent with the countywide trails and bikeways plan.

The Montgomery County Department of Parks has developed a draft of a new master plan of bikeways and trails, while undertaking a number of projects to improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the County. Through the Transportation Emissions Reduction Pilot Program (TERP), the County is concentrating on improving bicycle and pedestrian facilities in North Bethesda to evaluate improvements which will attract new users of these facilities.

The Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation holds monthly "Bicycle Action Group" meetings and works closely with M-NCPPC to implement planned bicycle routes. They are the coordinating agency for the Bethesda Trolley Trail which provides access from Bethesda to the Twinbrook Metrorail Station.

The Maryland State Highway Administration administers projects that directly impact conditions within the City limits. A coordinating function between the City and the State needs to be instituted so that projects of this type have positive outcomes for bicyclists, as well as motorists.

  Public Involvement

Survey distribution and results

A brochure was developed to promote the bicycle planning process and to gather information on the perceptions and preferences of bicyclists in the City. These brochures were mailed to individuals, Civic Association Presidents, Boards and Commission (Chairs). Multiple copies were delivered to five local bicycle retail stores, libraries, Rockville City Hall, and the County Administration Building.

These brochures were prepared to notify the public of the study and obtain public input. A survey questionnaire was included in the brochure which was used to develop a profile of bicycle usage by the citizens.

Charrette Process and Results

A charrette, or interactive workshop, was prepared and delivered by the project team on April 29, 1996. Participants, including citizen advocates, seniors, and City and County representatives, were introduced to key concepts in bicycle network planning and were asked to respond to a brief questionnaire on their current practices and attitudes on bicycling in the City of Rockville.

Participants were divided into five working groups, each moderated by one project team member. Each group worked through a series of questions, indicating their personal trip origins and destinations, current preferred routes, identifiable obstacles or barriers, and opportunities for improvement. Each working group member then marked these locations on a scale map of the City using color-code markers. After each individual completed the exercise, the group discussed the similarities and differences in their responses and developed a set of three "priority issues."

Public Input Process

June 1995	Mayor and Council approved Bikeway Master Plan Study as part of the Capital Improvements Program (CIP).
March 1996	Bikeway Study Committee formed. Surveys mailed to two hundred plus residents and placed at libraries and bike shops in the area. Forty-seven surveys returned.
April 29, 1996	Contractors and staff host a "Charrette" at the Rockville Senior Center to determine the needs to make Rockville "Bicycle friendly".
September 1996	Three drafts of the plan were reviewed by Bikeway Study Committee, Recreation and
March 1997	Park Advisory Board, Traffic and Transportation Commission, and Planning Commission.
April 1997	Third draft of the Bikeways Master Plan presented to the Mayor and Council in televised work session. Bikeway Master Plan is made available to anyone who requests it. More than one hundred copies mailed or distributed to interested residents.
May 1977	Press releases and Open House announcements were developed, including a listing of ALL of the streets identified as bikeways. Flyers distributed to all schools, notification in Rockville Reports and Rockville Gazette.
July 1997	Bikeways Open Houses held at Senior Center, Wootton High School, and Civic Center Social Hall.
October 1997	Proclaimed by Mayor and Council as "BIKE ROCKVILLE" Month. Residents were encouraged to ride the proposed routes and fill out a survey form for each. Sixty-two survey forms returned. More than one hundred fifty packets were mailed which included maps, survey forms, and a summary of the master plan.
October 26, 1997	"BIKE ROCKVILLE" Rally held. Due to inclement weather (Pouring rain!), the event was moved inside to Rockville City Hall. Despite the weather, more than one hundred fifty people attended.
November 1997	All comments received were reviewed by staff and incorporated as enhancements in the Bikeway Master Plan.

Each group then presented its findings to the other groups with their responses being recorded for reference. The "priority issues" for the groups were noticeably similar, resulting in the development of the priorities and goals section of this report. Informal surveys of participants found enthusiastic support for both the process and its result.

Trip Generators

Input generated by the charrette and other public input processes was compared to known development and land use patterns. Residential land uses are generally regarded as trip generation areas, and commercial, civic, and recreational uses as trip attractors. The following were identified as major generators for bicycles:

Schools

Children are an important part of the transportation mix. Trips to school by bus are creating a stressed demand on Montgomery County Public Schools’ Transportation Department. Alternatives to private auto and public school bus should be promoted wherever possible. These also inherently generate many trips in concentrated areas.

Recreation areas

With the cooperation of the City Recreation and Parks Department, the project team identified local and regional recreation areas and the transportation corridors that provide access to them. Priority must be placed on access to local park resources, but a significant number of charrette participants identified a desire to access Rock Creek Park and the C&O Canal pathway systems.

Civic and cultural centers

Municipal centers, City and county buildings, social service centers, and libraries must be made accessible by all modes, including bicycles. It is the right of all citizens to access these services whether or not they own a car.

Employment areas

Commute trips constitute about twenty percent of all trips and are a focal point in normal transportation planning. Consideration of bicycle commuters must be factored into planning and design of roadways and trip-end facilities.

Retail Services

Many participants identified both the lower Rockville Pike corridor and Town Center as key destinations, yet there is only impaired access in parts of each of these areas. Participants expressed frustration in their inability to access the MD 355 corridor with any convenience or comfort.

It is also important to note that any measures to improve access for bicycles to these services will not impede business. In fact, improving the flow of all modes invites more active business.

Transit Centers

Access to, from, and parking at the Rockville, Twinbrook, and Shady Grove Metrorail stations were discussed. These fall along general desire lines in East-West access. Key elements will be identifying access points along MD 355 and through the downtown areas.

Barriers/Obstacles

With much of Rockville currently "built-out," many constraints exist throughout the City. Some obstructions that were known going in to the study were emphasized during the charrette process. These include:

• Crossings along I-270 and Rockville Pike (MD 355);
• Access to downtown;
• Access to Rock Creek bike path;
• East-west access throughout the City; and
• Additional roadways that were identified as being barriers/obstacles are shown in Figure 2.2 and include:

• Veirs Mill Road;
• Norbeck Road;
• West Montgomery Avenue;
• East Gude Drive;
• Southlawn Lane;
• Glen Mill Road; and
• Falls Road.

Specific intersections identified as being barriers/obstacles are also shown on Figure 2.2 and include:

• Gude Drive at Rockville Pike;
• West Middle Lane at Washington Street;
• Middle Lane at Route 355;
• Veirs Mill Road at Rockville Pike (mixing bowl);
• First Street/Wootton Parkway at Rockville Pike;
• Edmonston Drive at Rockville Pike;
• Baltimore Road at Norbeck Road;
• Veirs Mill Road at First Street;
• West Montgomery Avenue at I-270; and
• Great Falls Road at I-270.

Although it is not the intent of this plan to provide a bike path or lane to each and every part of the City, it is intended to provide a safe, efficient bikeway system that would allow access to each part of the City. Those barriers or problem routes identified above will either need to be improved or alternate routes will need to be designated. By providing the bike route lanes and paths along key roadways, and completing bicycle improvements at other key locations throughout the City, access along local, low volume and, low speed roadways can be achieved.

Opportunities

Through the redevelopment process, opportunities exist for the City of Rockville to provide for adequate bicycle facilities. By making bikeways a condition of approval of development during the subdivision and redevelopment processes, bikeways can be added along several key corridors. Routes that are identified as part of the Bikeway Master Plan can be identified during the site plan development process and can be coordinated with other planned facilities to provide for a continuous bikeway network.

Several key locations that should be included:

• The extension of Jefferson Street pathway to provide for a parallel connection to MD 355;
• Redevelopment that occurs along MD 355 and other commercial areas; and 
• As conditions of development at various locations throughout the City will require roadway improvements/upgrades (signals, addition of lanes, etc.), bicycle compatibility should be integrated into the design process.

New development that will occur in the Thomas and King Farms, and Tower Oaks will also provide excellent opportunities to provide bicycle facilities.