WASHINGTON — The Montgomery County Department of Transportation asked county residents to name its planned Bus Rapid Transit System, and they have: Flash.
The county transportation department ran a contest from November to January, asking residents to vote on one of several proposed names, or suggest their own, and “Flash” received the most votes.
“We hope in the next couple years to make ‘Flash’ a household name synonymous with a fast, reliable service that helps cut traffic congestion,” Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett said in a statement.
The first Flash Bus Rapid Transit system route, expected to start in 2020, will run along US 29 from Burtonsville, Maryland, to downtown Silver Spring. It is expected to carry about 13,000 riders on its opening day.
The buses, compared to “ trains on rubber tires” by the GetOnBoardBRT.com website, will make fewer stops than traditional bus systems and use buses equipped with Wi-Fi and USB ports. The BRT bus stops will be weather protected with real-time transit arrival information.
Montgomery County DOT says the BRT routes also will include improvements to pedestrian walkways, bike facilities and bike-share stations.
Future Flash routes include MD 355 between Clarksburg and Bethesda, MD 586 (Veirs Mill Road) between Rockville and Wheaton and from the Metropolitan Grove MARC station to the Shady Grove Metro station.
