Countywide Bikeways
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In March 2005 , M-NCPPC adopted the Countywide Bikeways Functional Master Plan, the County's first comprehensive, countywide plan update for bicycle transportation in 25 years. The plan presents a vision for an extensive network of bikeways of many types throughout the County, to meet the needs of different cycling groups and encourage bicycle use for work and other trips.
This new bikeways plan establishes the bicycle transportation network plan for the County as called for in the 1993 General Plan Refinement and serves as a comprehensive amendment to the 1978 Master Plan of Bikeways. It also amends all community master plans, sector plans and the General Plan. Beginning with planning done over the past years on individual area Master Plans and the adopted Countywide Park Trails Plan, the bikeways plan recommends nearly 200 bikeways totaling more than 500 miles. This includes 181 miles of existing and proposed shared use paths (formerly called Class I bikeways), 81 miles of existing and proposed bike lanes (formerly called Class II bikeways) and 157 miles of proposed signed shared roadways (formerly called Class III bikeways). Two hundred and three (204) miles of bikeways are newly proposed and not included in adopted and approved master plans. Of these new miles, 21 miles are existing or proposed shared use paths, 18 miles are existing or proposed bike lanes and 97 miles are proposed signed shared roadways.
The remaining 67 miles of newly proposed bikeways are "dual bikeways", which are a new type of master planned bikeway in the County. Roads recommended for dual bikeways will ultimately feature both an on-road and an off-road bicycle facility. In other words, a roadway may have a shared use path and bike lanes, or a shared use path and signed shared roadway. The plan recommends a total of 117 miles of dual bikeways. This type of bikeway meets the needs of the total range of bicyclists, as well as encouraging other non-auto modes such as walking or rollerblading.
Executive Summary (pdf, 11KB)
Countywide Bikeways Functional Master Plan (CBFMP)
Map of
Existing, Planned and Proposed Countywide Bikeways (pdf, 2.39MB)
The plan
emphasizes bikeways of countywide significance and focuses
on ensuring bikeway connections to the County's major activity
centers: municipalities, central business districts, town
centers, transit stations, major employment hubs, countywide
park trails and regional parks. Bikeways that provide a direct,
or form part of an important, connection to or between these
destinations are considered highest priority for implementation
under this plan. Basic design characteristics for the three
major types of bikeways as recommended in the 1999 AASHTO
Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities are also reflected
in the plan.
NOTE: Copies of the Countywide Bikeways Functional Master Plan are available at the Montgomery Regional Office, Publications and Information section, 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring. Cost $10.
Date of last update: March 14, 2008
Montgomery County Planning Department