Metro News Release
For immediate release: April 21, 2006
Metro to Host Public Hearing on the Proposed Construction of the Silver Spring Transit Center
Metro officials will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 24, at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery Regional Office Auditorium, 8787 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, MD, to receive public input into the proposed construction of the Silver Spring Transit Center.
The Transit Center proposal consists of a three-level facility. The first level of the Transit Center will feature a direct pedestrian connection to Metrorail, 17 bus bays, a transit store, a transit police office, and ancillary Metro facilities such as an electrical room and equipment storage area. Pedestrians may enter this level of the Transit Center through the public park at Wayne Avenue and Colesville Road, via sidewalks on Colesville Road, or from the Metropolitan Branch Trail. Pedestrians may circulate to higher levels of the Transit Center using a series of escalators, elevators, and stairs located at various points on the first level. The Metropolitan Branch Trail provides primary bicycle access, but bicycles may use the same access points used by pedestrians. Buses enter this level of the Transit Center from Colesville Road.
The second level of the proposed Transit Center contains the MARC and intercity bus ticketing facilities, waiting areas and rest rooms, a direct connection to the MARC platforms, 15 bus bays, and ancillary facilities. Pedestrians may enter this level from stairs or elevators leading from the park, a passageway through the residential building located at the intersection of Wayne and Ramsey Avenues, or sidewalks on either side of a driveway connecting Ramsey Avenue with the proposed Transit Center. Pedestrians may circulate to other levels of the proposed Transit Center using a series of escalators, elevators, and stairs located at various points on the second level. Buses would enter this level of the proposed Transit Center from Ramsey Avenue.
The uppermost level of the proposed Transit Center includes the Kiss & Ride parking area, customer and service entrances for the proposed hotel, a potential pedestrian entrance to the proposed "Tower 2" residential building, a potential entrance to the proposed underground garage serving the joint development project, and landscaping. The 23 Kiss & Ride parking spaces include accommodations for short-term parking, taxis, shared-use cars, and spaces serving the "Tower 2" building.
There is an at-grade pedestrian and vehicle access point at the intersection of Ramsey Avenue and Bonifant Street. A system of stairs and elevators connect this level to the levels below.
During construction, the entire site will be affected by the required construction activity and as such, there will be no space for the present bus operations and Kiss & Ride parking. In order to accommodate these needs the functions will be relocated once to an interim facility which can be operational throughout the entire duration of construction, providing substantially the same services uninterrupted. Bus operations will take place in the block surrounded by Wayne Avenue, Dixon Street, Bonifant Street and Ramsey Street. The ground floor of County Garage 5/55, will serve as the interim Kiss &Ride facility and parking for patrons requiring ADA-accessible parking spaces. This garage will also have available an ADA van-accessible parking space.
The proposed Transit Center Project will be located entirely on Metro and Montgomery County-owned properties and public right-of-way. Consequently, no private property will be required for the project. The existing urban park owned by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission located on the site will be displaced by the transit facilities and relocated within the site.
Persons desiring to be heard with respect to the proposed projects are requested to furnish in writing their name, address, telephone number, and organization affiliation, if any, to the Office of the Secretary, WMATA, 600 Fifth St., NW, Washington, DC 20001, by noon, April 24. Alternatively, requests to speak may be faxed to 202-962-1133 or e-mailed to public-hearing-testimony@wmata.com. Others present at the hearing may be heard after those persons on the witness list have been called and heard.
News release issued on April 21, 2006.