Mayor and Council to Discuss Unsafe Streets in Rockville
At its Monday, January 22, 2024 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss police pension. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are contracts for equipment or services related to building construction and repair ($140K); security enhancements to the water treatment plant ($136K), equipment and support for the Data Center ($1.9M); and playground maintenance and repair ($850K), among others. The Mayor and Council will also receive reports on Bus Rapid Transit on MD 355; Environment Commission; Vision Zero; Bikeway and Pedestrian Master Plan; Procurement; and the outreach program for minority, female, disabled, and veteran-owned businesses.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation has been considering Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) throughout the county, including Viers Mill Road (MD 586) and the Rockville Pike (MD 355) in Rockville, to provide fast and reliable public transportation using dedicated lanes on the busiest streets (Agenda page 5+). In July 2019, the County Council stated they preferred two dedicated lanes in the median (one lane in each direction in the center of the street) for MD 355, however, design has become more complicated for the area near College Parkway. Furthermore, the project will affect Rockville’s Vision Zero, Bikeway, and Rockville Pike plans. To help pay for the project, the County has requested a $1 million contribution from Rockville’s portion of the Montgomery County Transportation Impact Tax.
In July 2020, the Mayor and Council adopted the Vision Zero Action Plan (page 28+). Vision Zero is a multidisciplinary traffic safety program with the overarching goal to wholly eliminate deaths and serious injuries that result from traffic crashes. This program is designed for all roadway users: motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users. This program departs from past roadway safety programs by explicitly rejecting any traffic death or serious injury as acceptable and recognizing that people will often make mistakes while traveling, but mistakes should not result in death or serious injury. A recent study revealed six roads in Rockville as “High Injury Network” segments, which means there have been at least four fatal or serious injuries crashes: Rockville Pike (from Veirs Mill Road to Bouic Avenue); West Montgomery Avenue (from Research Blved to Mannakee Street); Norbeck Road (from First Street to Avery Road); Frederick Road (from Ridgemont Ave to Watkins Pond Blvd); Veirs Mill Road (from Rockville Pike to Twinbrook Parkway); and North Washington Street (from Hungerford to W. Jefferson St.). Unfortunately, most of these highways are controlled by the State of Maryland (N. Washington Street is the only City-maintained roadway among those listed). Time to contact your State Senator and Delegates to light a fire under the State Highway Administration!
The Mayor and Council are conducting hybrid meetings. If you wish to submit comments in writing for Community Forum or Public Hearings, please email the comments to MayorAndCouncil@RockvilleMD.gov by no later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of the meeting.
More details in the 455-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01222024-7097.
Meanwhile, in the State of Maryland
The 90-day legislative session has begun! Taxes and cost shifts are on the table for the General Assembly session as Gov. Wes Moore (D) and lawmakers look to solve both a structural budget shortfall and massive cuts to transportation projects. In November, legislative budget analysts told the joint Spending Affordability Committee that the state faces a structural gap of $322 million in the coming legislative session. Projections show the gap continuing to grow in fiscal 2026 and 2027 to $376 million and $436 million respectively. More at MarylandMatters.org.
State Delegate Joe Vogel (District 17) is among the seven state lawmakers who are currently running for Congress in either the 3rd or 6th districts, with the primaries fast approaching on May 14.
The FBI arrested Carlos Ayala of Salisbury, a State Board of Elections member, for participating in the January 6 insurrection. He resigned from the Board of Elections on January 11. Ayala was appointed to the state Board of Elections last year by Gov. Wes Moore (D) following a recommendation by the Maryland Republican Party. Looks like they need to do a deeper background check before appointing people to public office.
Who Will Fill This Empty Seat? Jim Gilchrist Elects Not to Be Re-elected
Jim Gilchrist, one of three Delegates representing District 17 to the State of Maryland, has decided not to run for election in 2022. Serving as a member of the House of Delegates since January 2007, he’s unfortunately been one of the least effective of our elected representatives. He rarely introduces legislation and he’s hardly made any effort to bring state funds to support community projects. He makes no effort to keep voters informed—he has a stagnant website, no newsletters, and a Facebook page with only five posts this year (three for the same event). Most recently, he failed to take a stand for or against the widening of 270. Everyone has an opinion on this major construction project that cuts through Rockville but incredibly, not Gilchrist. If you’re elected to office, politicians have to make tough decisions so voters know where you stand.
Becoming a state Delegate is a relatively easy campaign compared to running for city or county council. With three seats available, you only need to capture enough votes to be in the top three. If you’re an incumbent, you typically campaign with the other incumbents, making it even easier. The downside it’s a job that requires you to be in Annapolis three months out of the year when the legislature is in session, so anyone with a typical full time job can’t serve.
It’s an important position that has immense opportunities to make a difference in Rockville and Maryland, but with the complications of serving, who will make an ideal candidate? So far, only one person has announced an interest: Joe Vogel.
Yesterday, Vogel announced his candidacy to represent Gaithersburg and Rockville as a Delegate in the Maryland General Assembly. He launched his campaign with videos in English and Spanish, sharing his story and vision. As a young Marylander, a Latino immigrant, and an openly gay man; Joe states he will bring a new perspective to Annapolis and the ability to build strong coalitions.
Joe’s family immigrated to Rockville, Maryland when he was three years old. At 15, Joe volunteered on President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign and later worked for Senator Cheryl Kagan during her 2014 campaign. In 2015, Joe was nominated and confirmed by the Governor of Maryland to serve as a member of the Maryland Youth Advisory Council. Joe has been an active volunteer in community organizations working to address the ongoing economic and public health crises facing the community.
Before running for office Joe worked as a policy fellow for Montgomery County-based Interfaith Works; started Learn It Together, a non-profit to support children of essential workers in their transition to remote learning during the pandemic; worked on the Presidential campaign staffs of Senator Cory Booker and Secretary Hillary Clinton; and was a consultant for the March for Our Lives, NARAL’s campaign against Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, and President Joe Biden’s general election campaign. Joe is finishing a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University and received his Bachelor’s Degree from The George Washington University.
More at Bethesda Magazine and at HillRag.
Max for Rockville 