Montgomery Parks to present traffic data about the Little Falls Parkway pilot project to the Montgomery Planning Board on March 30, 2023

The public may provide testimony at the meeting or in advance.  

WHEATON, Md. – Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, will present information, including traffic data, related to the Little Falls Parkway pilot project to the Montgomery Planning Board at an evening briefing on March 30, 2023. After the briefing, the Planning Board will hold a public hearing so the public can respond to the data and share input on the project. The exact time for the March 30 briefing and public hearing will be posted on the Planning Board agenda closer to the date of the hearing.  

The public will have an opportunity to provide testimony virtually or in person at the March 30 planning board hearing or in advance via email or mail. Details on how to sign up to testify, provide advance testimony and the procedures for testifying are outlined on the Planning Board “Sign Up to Testify” webpage.  

The Little Falls Parkway pilot project was initiated in June 2022 to address concerns with cut-through traffic in adjacent neighborhoods associated with the weekend closures of Little Falls Parkway for the Open Parkways Program, while retaining space for recreation on the parkway.  Traffic counts were conducted on Little Falls Parkway between Arlington Road and Dorset Avenue during May, July, September, and December of 2022 and showed the parkway functions well with two lanes of traffic and has added benefits consistent with Vision Zero, parks safety and environmental goals. 

WHAT: Planning Board briefing and public hearing on Little Falls Parkway pilot project  

WHEN: Thursday, March 30, 2023, *evening,  
*The time will be listed on the Planning Board agenda closer to the date of the hearing. 

WHERE: The Planning Board Hearing will take place in person at the  
Wheaton Headquarters building, 2^nd Floor Auditorium,  
2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, Md. 20902  

and online via Microsoft Teams.  

After the public hearing, the Planning Board will review the Parks Department’s recommendations and the public testimony and determine whether to proceed with the pilot project in a subsequent meeting on April 13. The exact time will be posted on the Planning Board agenda closer to the date of the meeting.  

The Little Falls Parkway pilot project is currently a 24/7 open parkway for pedestrians and bicyclists for two of the four lanes. This section of Little Falls Parkway, between Arlington Road and Dorset Avenue, was previously part of Montgomery Parks’ Open Parkways program between River Road and Arlington Road (1.3 miles). 

The Open Parkways program launched at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to provide more outdoor space for recreation and exercise by closing portions of three parkways to vehicles on weekends. Since its inception, hundreds of thousands of visitors have used the Open Parkways and the program remains popular. The other two open parkways, Sligo Creek Parkway and Beach Drive, will not be affected by the Little Falls Parkway pilot program.  

Learn more about the pilot project online. 

About Montgomery Parks      
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 420 parks. Montgomery Parks is a department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems. MontgomeryParks.org  

Accessibility     
Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Program Access Office at 301-495-2581 (Voice/TTY), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Accessibility for more information.   

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