On November 19, the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) approved three projects to receive funding through the FY 2026-2027 Transit Within Reach Program. Transit Within Reach funds projects that make it easier to walk or bike to high-capacity transit, increase transit ridership, improve access for low-income communities, and demonstrate collaboration among agencies and jurisdictions.

The transit-focused local technical assistance program is similar to the TPB's Transportation Land-Use Connections (TLC) program in that the funding supports short-term consultant services for periods of nine to 10 months. A key difference between the two programs is that TWR is only for preliminary engineering and design (up to 30%), not planning.

The three approved projects will receive a total of $250,000.

Sunrise Valley Drive Protected Bicycle Infrastructure (30% Design)
Fairfax County, Virginia
$84,000

This project will fund 30% design for approximately 1.5 miles of on-street protected bicycle infrastructure on Sunrise Valley Drive between the Innovation Center Metro Station entrance and Frying Pan Road. The project will provide bicycle connections and improve walkability between Innovation Center Metro and numerous medium and high-density housing developments, restaurants, shops, hotels, parks, and trails. Final products will include a traffic study to evaluate impacts of travel lane removal on vehicular traffic, conceptual 30% designs of pavement markings, signage plans, and signal modification plans, and a cost estimate to implement the project.

Lockwood Drive Shared Use Path (30% Design)
Montgomery County, Maryland
$83,000

This project will fund 30% designs for a shared use path on Lockwood Drive from Oak Leaf Drive to New Hampshire Avenue in Montgomery County. There is an existing shared use path on Lockwood Drive beginning at Northwest Drive and terminating at Oak Leaf Drive; this project will extend the shared use path by an additional 0.2 miles. The final products resulting from this project include selection of a preferred route, data collection, 30% design drawings, and a cost estimate.

Lewis Avenue Bicycle & Pedestrian Improvements (Preliminary Design)
City of Rockville, Maryland
$83,000

This project will prepare a road survey and develop preliminary engineering plans for improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities on an approximately 1.3-mile corridor in a neighborhood adjacent to Twinbrook Metro. The project scope will include developing recommendations for the type of separated bike facility on Lewis Avenue between Rockland Avenue and Halpine Road as well as traffic calming, pedestrian improvements, and shared bike lane treatments on Lewis Avenue from Edmonston Drive to Rockland Avenue and on Ardennes Avenue from Halpine Road to Holland Road. Traffic calming devices could include curb bump-outs, speed bumps, improved signage, and more. 

Learn more about all three projects by visiting the November 19 TPB Meeting page and viewing the Item 7 memo or presentation.

Next Steps

All projects will begin soon after consultant contracts are signed. The projects will be scheduled for completion near the end of calendar year 2026. For further information about the Transit Within Reach Program, contact Victoria Caudullo, vcaudullo@mwcog.org.