******Gaithersburg Development Thread****** (Silver Spring, Germantown, Bethesda: living, prices, to move)

[btsilver]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

They are going to build a complete street grid from the fairgrounds through the shopping center with CVS through Burlington Coat factory to Lakeforest mall. This is a complete makeover of this area. Think downtown Bethesda. The new development isn't just going to be built with the same infrastructure.

I just read this. Downtown Bethesda traffic sucks. That is not an improvement.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by btsilver

I just read this. Downtown Bethesda traffic sucks. That is not an improvement.

Traffic is expected for a CBD in most cities around the country. The point is to have people living in the downtown area walk, bike, or use mass transit to get around. The CBD will probably be littered with capital bikeshare when they redevelop it.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

“Bus Rapid Transit can be built sooner and at a significantly lower cost while complementing our master plan,” he said in the statement....


...The project would cost $828 million and could be completed by 2035, according to figures provided by the transit administration. The agency will submit the project for Federal Transit Administration funds this summer for construction as early as 2018.
.

2035!!! That's way too long!

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by dkf747

2035!!! That's way too long!

That was a typo. They meant to say the ridership will be up to 47,500 by 2035. Service through the first phase to Watkins Mill Town Center from shady grove metro station will be up and running by 2020.

http://www.mdot.maryland.gov/News/20...ve_as_BRT.html

[btsilver]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

Traffic is expected for a CBD in most cities around the country. The point is to have people living in the downtown area walk, bike, or use mass transit to get around. The CBD will probably be littered with capital bikeshare when they redevelop it.

And all the people surrounding it that have to get through that area? I live like 2 miles from those intersections I do not see any rapid buses coming my way. That area is going to be a nightmare traffic wise. Also most of the people are not going to be in a situation where using public transportation is the best method for them to get to and fro.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by btsilver

And all the people surrounding it that have to get through that area? I live like 2 miles from those intersections I do not see any rapid buses coming my way. That area is going to be a nightmare traffic wise. Also most of the people are not going to be in a situation where using public transportation is the best method for them to get to and fro.

When it comes to urban development, no CBD is designed for through traffic. It's designed for people to live there and have ammenties in their neighborhood they can get to by transportation options outside of the automobile. This is true for all of 355 really. The redevelopment of White Flint, Twinbrook, Downtown Rockville, and Downtown Gaithersburg will make traffic a lot slower on the route as density increases. The BRT line on 355 with grade separated lanes will move people much faster than cars and beginning at Shady Grove, you have the metro to move people. Montgomery County is building a 16 line BRT system which will operate in place of a subway system for the county. Ridership is expected to be close to 250,000 people a day. This area is changing and many people don't like change but that is life. Density is coming to the area and your grandfathers suburbs are headed for the outskirts of the county. Living in the center of the county from Bethesda-Germantown is not recommended if you don't like dense urban living and everything that comes with it going forward.

[btsilver]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

When it comes to urban development, no CBD is designed for through traffic. It's designed for people to live there and have ammenties in their neighborhood they can get to by transportation options outside of the automobile. This is true for all of 355 really. The redevelopment of White Flint, Twinbrook, Downtown Rockville, and Downtown Gaithersburg will make traffic a lot slower on the route as density increases. The BRT line on 355 with grade separated lanes will move people much faster than cars and beginning at Shady Grove, you have the metro to move people. Montgomery County is building a 16 line BRT system which will operate in place of a subway system for the county. Ridership is expected to be close to 250,000 people a day. This area is changing and many people don't like change but that is life. Density is coming to the area and your grandfathers suburbs are headed for the outskirts of the county. Living in the center of the county from Bethesda-Germantown is not recommended if you don't like dense urban living and everything that comes with it going forward.

Don't you think it would be a good idea to account for through traffic when the majority of the people living in that area will not be working in that area? I mean that is the crux of the transportation issue in the DMV area. I don't have a problem with "dense urban growth" or whatever, but there needs to be a real plan for transportation in place especially if they are expecting increases in pop and density. Now you are saying this thing is going to be complete in 2018 or 2020 right? So what is going to account for all the pop that is going to move in the next 3 years? I see developments popping up all over the gaithersburg area. Wont that be a huge issue of inconvenience? But, i'll wait and see. I'm still skeptical of the Silver line.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by btsilver

Don't you think it would be a good idea to account for through traffic when the majority of the people living in that area will not be working in that area? I mean that is the crux of the transportation issue in the DMV area. I don't have a problem with "dense urban growth" or whatever, but there needs to be a real plan for transportation in place especially if they are expecting increases in pop and density. Now you are saying this thing is going to be complete in 2018 or 2020 right? So what is going to account for all the pop that is going to move in the next 3 years? I see developments popping up all over the gaithersburg area. Wont that be a huge issue of inconvenience? But, i'll wait and see. I'm still skeptical of the Silver line.

The point is to make it more convenient to take rapid mass transit instead of driving. Moving cars is not the priority which is probably the hardest thing for people to grasp. This is the argument people don't understand when it comes to dense cities around the country. The transportation we use to get around cities in the suburbs is the real problem. Changing the transportation mode share is the goal here.

Washington D.C. has a goal to be at 75% non-auto commuting by 2032. DC is at 52% right now which includes metro rail, metro bus and DC circulator buses, capital bike share, and walking. The suburbs will never be that high but as they densify, the corridor cities can defiantly have a high share of non-auto commuters. Density allows people to live without cars. Gaithersburg and Rockville are headed in that direction. People who work in other area's will have the new BRT system as a faster option to travel. Capital Bikeshare is going to engulf the corridor cities soon and that offers a great last segment option to jobs in the region when you get off the BRT system. If you scroll through this thread, you can see that the Gaithersburg you are used to will be no more when this all gets built in the future.

[btsilver]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

The point is to make it more convenient to take rapid mass transit instead of driving. Moving cars is not the priority which is probably the hardest thing for people to grasp. This is the argument people don't understand when it comes to dense cities around the country. The transportation we use to get around cities in the suburbs is the real problem. Changing the transportation mode share is the goal here.

Washington D.C. has a goal to be at 75% non-auto commuting by 2032. DC is at 52% right now which includes metro rail, metro bus and DC circulator buses, capital bike share, and walking. The suburbs will never be that high but as they densify, the corridor cities can defiantly have a high share of non-auto commuters. Density allows people to live without cars. Gaithersburg and Rockville are headed in that direction. People who work in other area's will have the new BRT system as a faster option to travel. Capital Bikeshare is going to engulf the corridor cities soon and that offers a great last segment option to jobs in the region when you get off the BRT system. If you scroll through this thread, you can see that the Gaithersburg you are used to will be no more when this all gets built in the future.

So do you think the BRT was a better idea than LRT? Also I assume they are dumping all these people eventually at shady grove right? What overall impact and stress do you think that will add to the metro system that is already having issue operating at its current "efficiency".

Oh what would make it more convient to travel with out a car is having an "express" track and a local track. Otherwise, it would be just like sitting in traffic except you would be sitting there sharing the same intimate space with about 100 other people.

[ay jayy]

The BRT is supposed to have a dedicated right of way. Hopefully they dont skimp out on it, otherwise it will fail.

Most transit nuts would prefer LRT, but BRT is cheaper initially, It also probably makes more sense in this case, again as long as they dont skimp on the dedicated ROW.