Montgomery County’s Department of Transportation (MCDOT) held a launch event on September 9 to celebrate the Great Seneca Transit Network (GSTN) expansion of Ride On Montgomery County Transit. The highly anticipated addition includes the opening of two new bus routes—the Lime Line and the Pink Line—designed to enhance transit accessibility and convenience for riders in this rapidly growing suburb of Washington, DC. VHB led the planning and design process that elevated connectivity for these high-frequency, limited-stop routes to support economic development, community livability, and enhanced mobility.
At Monday’s launch event with local leaders, transportation officials, and community members, MCDOT officials emphasized the importance of the two new routes in supporting the area’s transit needs and connecting people to key destinations, including residential neighborhoods, employment hubs, and healthcare facilities. The two new express routes connect key destinations and transit hubs, including the Great Seneca Science Corridor (GSSC) Life Sciences Center, a globally recognized hub for science and technology that will offer a variety of jobs, housing options, and amenities.
“There is so much good that comes from this expansion,” said Dan Lovas, PE, VHB Director of Multimodal Engineering in Metro DC. “Not only does this become the transit backbone to reduce our reliance on single-occupant vehicles and cut down on congestion in the rapidly growing Life Sciences Center, but residents are now better connected to jobs, education, and healthcare.”
By leveraging data and technology, VHB’s transit planners were able to propose routes and stations for the new service lines and develop a ridership forecast for the proposed routes. The ridership forecast was used to predict changes in how people travel to the GSSC master plan area. VHB managed the vision plan and produced a Basis of Concept for 24 new bus stops, made Transit Signal Priority (TSP) upgrades to reduce delays at eight intersections, and implemented over two miles of dedicated bus lanes along the routes. VHB also facilitated public and stakeholder outreach to refine route alignments, identify stop locations, and publicize the new routes.
The launch of the Lime and Pink Lines is part of the first phase of the GSTN. The planned future expansion for the GSTN will include two additional routes and an extension of the Lime Line. Visit the project website for more information.
Contact Dan Lovas to learn how VHB can elevate multimodal connections in your community.
