The Traffic and Transportation Division, which is part of the Public Works Department, strives to improve the quality of life for residents by facilitating the development of exceptional infrastructure.
The division works with residents and businesses to ensure the safety and efficiency of all modes of transportation. It is responsible for planning, designing, operating and maintaining roads, bridges, sidewalks, selected bike paths, traffic signals and streetlights.
Traffic and Transportation staff plan new sidewalks to complete the pedestrian network; respond to resident concerns about traffic volume and speed on neighborhood streets; plan improvements on existing roads, perform traffic studies to ensure safe and efficient roadway operations; and retrofit areas of the community to accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians.
The Division also reviews traffic impact studies submitted by developers, coordinates with other local governments on traffic funding and planning, and works with the Traffic and Transportation Commission. The Traffic and Transportation Division has six main goals outlined to achieve its mission of facilitating all modes of transportation. Each fiscal year, the Division outlines objectives for the team based on its goals. The Fiscal year 2010 begins July 1, 2009.
- Improve pedestrian and bicycle connections between neighborhoods and connect the existing street network
- Improve pedestrian and bicycle safety
- Improve lighting on streets
Project Examples - Detectable warning strips at sidewalk ramps—These yellow plates with raised surfaces are placed at sidewalk ramps to assist the visually impaired transition from walking on the sidewalk to crossing the street.
- Countdown signals—These new pedestrian crossing signals are installed at signalized intersections with crosswalks. The signal visually shows pedestrians how much time is remaining as they cross the street.
- Sidewalk Prioritization—Staff identify project sites with missing sidewalks at the beginning of each fiscal year through a standardized ranking system.
- Safe Routes to School program (grant funded)—A national program that is aimed at allowing children to safely walk and bike to school. The grant helps to equip Safe Routes to School programs with information to implement safe and successful strategies. The City uses these funds to construct new sidewalks near schools.
- Upgrade and improve infrastructure, such as bridges, roads, sidewalks and paths.
- Construct transportation improvements to support the impacts of development and ensure access to new development.
Project Examples - Baltimore Road project—This 2-1/3 mile long project will improve accessibility and connectivity of the intermodal system by connecting the Baltimore Road corridor to Town Center. Multimodal upgrades are planned on Baltimore Road to allow people to drive, walk, bike, or take transit between several existing and planned landmarks, transportation facilities, community facilities, religious centers, shopping centers, and residential areas.
- Comprehensive Transportation Review Methodology (CTR)—This document is utilized by staff in the development review process to identify and mitigate impacts of new development projects on existing transportation infrastructure.
- Maintain traffic controls at City intersections and streets.
- Maintain and upgrade City streetlights.
- Maximize incentives to Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies—When new developments come into the City, the division mitigates new congestion through enhanced transportation services to the City.
Project Examples - FY 2009 Pedestrian Safety and Accessibility evaluation—The division initiated a third party study of all signalized intersections and a selected number of uncontrolled crossings within the City to identify improvements necessary to bring pedestrian crossings to current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
- Install battery back-up systems at City owned and maintained intersections. This project will ensure continued traffic operation through a power outage.
- The City mitigates new congestion by enhancing transportation services to City residents through TDM programs such as the King Farm shuttle, Zip Car and the Commuter Challenge program.
- Work to minimize regional traffic, transportation noise and heavy truck use on neighborhood streets.
- Reduce travel time to activity centers by building a grid for the road network and minimize congestion.
- Bike to Work Day—This event highlights bicycle commuting as a safe, non-polluting, fun way to get to work. The City of Rockville hosts two "pit stops" for this event annually at the Fallsgrove Transit Center and Rockville Town Center. In 2009, nearly 200 cyclists participated. This event is coordinated with The Metropolitan Council of Governments and is free to the public.
- Minimize impacts on the natural, cultural and socio-economic environments.
- Construct sidewalks identified in the City’s Sidewalk Prioritization program (Provide link)
Project Examples
The City completed two sidewalk projects near David Scull Park and Welsh Park in FY09 to connect neighborhoods to their local parks. - Beall Avenue Sidewalk Phase II: The final phase of a multi-year sidewalk project, this project utilized Safe Routes to School funding to construct new sidewalk along the south side of Beall Avenue, between Mannakee Street and Lynch Street. This project also upgraded an existing asphalt path on the north side of this segment and along the east side of Lynch Street.
- Evans Street: This segment extended an existing sidewalk on the east side of Evans Street with sidewalk along Great Falls Road. Staff programmed and constructed this project in response to a neighborhood sidewalk petition.
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