Subject
title
Bi-Annual Vision Zero Update
end
Department
PW - Traffic & Transportation
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Mayor and Council receive a progress update briefing on the implementation of the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan, Pedestrian Master Plan, and Bikeway Master Plan.
Discussion
This Vision Zero biannual report provides an update for progress made on Vision Zero action items between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. This report also includes a progress update for implementing the city's Bikeway Master Plan and Pedestrian Master Plan. City staff continues to advance on-going action items, such as evaluating, designing, and constructing sidewalks, assessing and improving intersections, building out the city's bicycle network, and calming traffic. Additionally, city staff continues to engage with the community, participate in public events, identify new projects, and coordinates with other agencies. This report includes an overall summary of the city’s Vision Zero efforts. The status of each Vision Zero Action item is provided in the Vision Zero Progress Report (Attachment 1). Additionally, a map of ongoing and recently completed Vision Zero projects (Attachment 2) and the presentation to facilitate the discussion with the Mayor and Council (Attachment 3) are included.
Vision Zero Action Plan
The Vision Zero Action Plan was adopted by the Mayor and Council in July 2020. It includes 30 action items organized into four categories - Engineering, Education, Enforcement, and Policy - to eliminate all serious injury and fatal crashes by 2030. Updates for all action items are included in the Vision Zero Action Item Progress Report.
2025 Serious Injury and Fatal Crashes
In 2025, there were fifteen serious injury crashes and two fatal crashes in Rockville. All crashes involved at least one motorist; both fatal crashes involved a pedestrian. One fatal crash took place on Frederick Road (MD 355) near Watkins Pond Boulevard, and the second fatal crash occurred on E. Jefferson Street at Rollins Avenue. The latter crash was originally reported as a serious injury crash and the victim later died from their injuries. Among the serious injury crashes, eight involved pedestrians and motorists, and the remaining involved only motorists. There were no fatal or serious injury crashes involving bicyclists.
Eight of the serious injury and fatal crashes occurred on state-owned roadways; six crashes occurred on city-owned roadways, and four crashes occurred in parking lots.
The following chart shows the number of fatal and serious injury crashes in Rockville per year since 2015. On average, there are 2 fatal crashes each year, and 14 serious injury crashes each year.
In 2025, there were 868 crashes of all severities within Rockville. In 2024, there were 887 crashes. On average, between 2015 and 2025, there were 893 crashes per year.
The Rockville City Police Department tracks the number of speed and redlight citations each year. Between 2024 and 2025, there has been a 38% increase in the number of speed citations issued. Conversely, there has been a reduction of 2% in the number of red-light citations issued.
High Injury Network
The city’s High Injury Network (HIN) includes five roadways in the city, all of which are owned by the state. A HIN segment is a roadway segment that has experienced four or more serious injuries or fatal crashes within a five-year period. This HIN uses crash data from January 21, 2020, to December 31, 2024.
City of Rockville - High Injury Network
|
Road |
From |
To |
# Serious Injury/Fatal Crashes |
|
Rockville Pike (MD 355) * |
Church Street |
Twinbrook Parkway |
5/4 |
|
Frederick Road (MD 355) |
George Thomas Road |
Watkins Pond Boulevard |
5/0 |
|
Norbeck Road (MD 28) |
Avery Road |
First Street |
5/0 |
|
Veirs Mill Road (MD 586) |
Atlantic Avenue |
First Street |
4/1 |
|
W Montgomery Avenue (MD 28) |
Mannakee Street |
Hurley Avenue |
3/1 |
* There have been serious injury crashes along the service roads parallel to Rockville Pike and in the abutting parking lots. These crashes are not included in the HIN total.
This year, one fatal crash occurred on an HIN segment (Frederick Road), and three serious injury crashes occurred on HIN segments (two on Rockville Pike and one on Veirs Mill Road).
Vision Zero Projects
Vision Zero projects include a variety of transportation safety projects and programs. The Vision Zero projects map shows the location of infrastructure projects in Rockville, which are also summarized in the table below. The projects on the map - and listed below - have been recently completed or are ongoing.
|
Project Type |
West of I-270 |
Between I-270 and MD 355 |
East of MD 355 |
|
Bicycle Facilities |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
Complete Streets |
2 |
5 |
2 |
|
Sidewalks |
0 |
4 |
10 |
|
Intersection Safety Audits* |
2 |
14 |
14 |
|
Signal Upgrades |
2 |
4 |
1 |
|
Traffic Calming / Crosswalks |
4 |
3 |
3 |
|
Pedestrian Bridge |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Bicycle Fix It Rack |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Total |
12 |
34 |
32 |
*There are 14 intersection safety audits along MD 355, split equally between “Between I-270 and MD 355” and “East of MD 355.”
The Vision Zero crash analysis evaluates locations in Rockville where crashes have occurred, which influences the selection of intersections and roadway segments for Vision Zero projects. Additionally, the Sidewalk Prioritization Policy identifies roadways with missing sidewalk segments and the priority with which they should be evaluated and constructed, if feasible. Other project locations are influenced by funding sources, which can require a project to be located near mass transit, in certain designated areas, or in activity centers.
Outreach
Staff continues to make themselves available to attend community group meetings to discuss the Vision Zero program. Residents can request staff attend a regularly scheduled community association meeting by emailing the Traffic and Transportation Division. This opportunity is also listed on the city’s Vision Zero webpage. If a group is not part of a formal neighborhood or civic association, they may also request a Vision Zero presentation and staff will coordinate with nearby recreation centers or other facilities to host the meeting.
City staff also provides updates related to the Vision Zero program to the Rockville Transportation and Mobility Commission (TMC), the Rockville Pedestrian Advocacy Committee (RPAC), and the Rockville Bicycle Advisory Committee (RBAC) during their regularly scheduled monthly meetings, which are open to the public.
Department of Public Works (DPW) staff helped facilitate the Walktober activities with RPAC in October. This included a community walk and a candlelight vigil for the remembrance of traffic crash victims. City staff also attended the Rockville City Police Department Open House and the Rockville Family Biking Festival, in August and September, respectively. At both events, staff set up at table and shared updates regarding ongoing transportation projects, potential routes for walking, rolling, and bicycling, and responded to community questions.
Between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025, the Communications and Community Engagement Division shared 58 social media posts related to Vision Zero. The posts featured Vision Zero-related safety tips, projects and funding, and amplified Montgomery County Department of Transportation and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) events, surveys and outreach.
This included 18 X (formerly Twitter) posts, 28 Facebook posts and 12 Instagram posts.
These 58 posts averaged 1,213 views per post.
The city’s Vision Zero program is highlighted on the Vision Zero projects webpage (rockvillemd.gov/projects/vision-zero <http://www.rockvillemd.gov/projects/vision-zero/>). Between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2025, that page received 618 views.
Additionally, Vision Zero- and transportation-related content appeared in multiple news articles on rockvillemd.gov during this time period. Individual pageviews were as follows:
• Street Improvements and Summer Study for Rockville’s Vision Zero: 235 views.
• Summer Successes for Vision Zero Improvements: 4 views.
• Defending Against the Dangers of Less Daylight: Tips for Driving, Biking and Walking: 87 views.
• Results Rockville Expands With New Dashboards to Track Progress on Major Initiatives: 5 views.
• Mayor and Council Set 2026 State Legislative Priorities: 21 views.
• Fall Events Highlight Walking, Biking and Rolling ’Round Rockville: 35 views.
• Demonstration to Help City Consider Parking Lanes on Redland Boulevard: 880 views.
• Mayor and Council Approve New Affordable Housing at 41 Maryland Ave.: 637 views.
• Tricks for Making Halloween a Treat: 212 views.
• Events to Get You Walking, Biking and Rolling ’Round Rockville This Month: 86 views.
Combined, these 10 Vision Zero-related news articles received 2,202 views between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. In total, the Vision Zero projects webpage and related news articles received 2,820 views during this period. The print edition of "Rockville Reports" is mailed to nearly 32,000 residential and business addresses across the city.
Grants
City staff regularly applies for grants at the regional, state, and federal levels to supplement the existing city budget for Vision Zero activities. The table below lists the grant status for various ongoing multimodal transportation projects.
|
Program |
Project |
Amount Awarded |
|
FY 20 Transportation Alternatives Program |
N. Stonestreet Avenue Corridor Complete Streets Design |
$280,000 |
|
FY 23 Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program |
Maryvale Park to Redgate Park Shared Use Path Study and Design |
$216,000 |
|
FY 23 Neighborhood Access and Equity (Reconnecting Communities) |
Twinbrook Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge Feasibility Study and Cost Benefit Analysis |
$284,000 |
|
FY 23 Safe Streets and Roads for All |
Vision Zero Intersection Safety Audits |
$320,000 |
|
FY 24 Kim Lamphier Maryland Bikeways Network Program |
E. Jefferson Street and Halpine Road Bicycle Facility Study and Design |
$88,000 |
|
FY 24 Transportation Alternatives |
Fleet and Monroe Shared Use Path Design |
$224,000 |
|
FY 23-26 Maryland Transportation Department Carbon Reduction Program |
Twinbrook Area Bikeshare Stations |
$371,200 |
|
FY 25 Transportation Alternatives |
Scott-Veirs Drive Shared Use Path Design |
$200,000 |
|
FY 26 MWCOG Regional Roadway Safety Program |
Rollins Avenue Complete Streets Study |
$80,000 |
|
*FY 23-26 Maryland Transportation Department Carbon Reduction Program |
Research Boulevard Shared Use Path Study and Design |
$240,000 |
|
*FY 26 MWCOG Transit Within Reach |
Twinbrook Station Bicycle Facility Designs |
$80,000 |
|
Total Awarded |
Ongoing Grant Funded Projects |
$ 2,383,200 |
* Grant awarded between July 1 and December 31, 2025.
The fiscal year listed for the above grant programs represents the fiscal year of the funding from the grantor and does not necessarily reflect when the project was added to the City’s capital improvement program or when staff began work on the project.
Staff also collaborated with the Maryland Transit Administration to apply for an FY 24-25 Federal State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail. The proposed project is to study and prepare preliminary designs for an enhanced pedestrian bridge and train hall at Rockville Station along with other accessibility and service improvements for the Brunswick MARC line. Lastly, staff submitted a grant application to the Maryland Highway Safety Office for the purchase of safety devices and safety education materials to share with Rockville students and residents. City staff will continue to seek external funding to leverage existing resources and advance the Vision Zero program.
Bikeway Master Plan
The Bikeway Master Plan was approved in April 2017. The plan highlights bicycle-related policies and proposes different bicycle facilities throughout the city to improve bicycling for riders of all ages and abilities. While this plan does not include specific “action items” like the Vision Zero Action Plan or Pedestrian Master Plan, it provides recommendations for bicycle facilities in Rockville.
City staff continues to implement the recommended facilities from the Bikeway Master Plan and seeks grants or other external funding opportunities to help advance bicycle projects. While many shared roadway projects require only signage or pavement markings, bicycle lanes, shared-use paths, and cycle tracks (also known as separated or protected bicycle lanes) often require comprehensive feasibility studies, repurposing a motor vehicle travel lane, and detailed engineering designs before construction can be carried out.
The following table includes the total distance of recommended bicycle facilities, and the percentage of facilities constructed since plan adoption.
|
Facility Type |
Constructed (miles) |
Total Recommended (miles) |
Percentage Complete |
|
Bicycle Lanes |
1.75 |
8.53 |
20.52% |
|
Shared Roadways |
6.69 |
17.34 |
38.58% |
|
Climbing Lanes |
0.37 |
2.77 |
13.36% |
|
Shared-Use Paths |
1.33 |
5.40 |
24.63% |
|
Cycle Tracks |
0.77 |
5.98 |
12.88% |
|
Total |
10.91 |
40.02 |
27.26% |
There are five bicycle facilities that are expected to be constructed in 2026. On Mannakee Street, shared roadways will be installed between W. Montgomery Avenue and Bradford Drive, and buffered bicycle lanes between Bradford Drive and Hungerford Drive (MD 355). On Congressional Lane, shared roadways will be installed between Rollins Avenue and E. Jefferson Street, and buffered bicycle lanes between E. Jefferson Street and Rockville Pike (MD 355). On E. Jefferson Street, shared roadways are planned to be installed between Rollins Avenue and Congressional Lane. On Halpine Road, separated bicycle lanes are planned to be installed between E. Jefferson Street and Rockville Pike (MD 355). Lastly, new bicycle lanes and shared roadway markings are expected to be installed on Martins Lane in FY 2027.
Fleet Street and Monroe Street Complete Street
The Fleet Street and Monroe Street Complete Street project consists of preparing an engineering design for bicycle facilities along Fleet Street between Maryland Avenue and Richard Montgomery High School and along Monroe Street between Fleet Street and E. Middle Lane. City staff has selected a consultant, and this project will kick off this spring.
Bicycle Fix It Racks
Staff procured four bicycle fix-it racks and coordinated with Recreation and Parks Department staff to install the new racks. They were installed in December 2025, and city staff has received positive comments related to them.
Bikeshare
The city was awarded $371,200 from the Maryland Department of Transportation Carbon Reduction Program to procure, install, and maintain four new bikeshare stations in the Twinbrook neighborhood. Currently, city staff is coordinating with Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) to finalize a grant agreement, and to prepare an agreement with Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) to incorporate these stations into the county’s bikeshare program. This process has taken longer than anticipated because of clarifications required in the agreement between the city and MDOT SHA.
Pedestrian Master Plan
The Pedestrian Master Plan was adopted in October 2023 and was developed over the course of two years with input from the Rockville Pedestrian Advocacy Committee, the Rockville Bicycle Advisory Committee, and the Transportation and Mobility Commission. This plan emphasizes the need to improve existing infrastructure and refine polices so that the needs of pedestrians are better considered while building transportation infrastructure in Rockville. Similar to the Vision Zero Action Plan, the Pedestrian Master Plan includes action items for city staff. Progress has been made on the following action items.
Action Item 4a - Pedestrian Intersection Audits
DPW staff regularly conduct intersection safety audits in response to resident submitted concerns as well as part of ongoing complete street studies, shared use path designs, and other capital improvement projects.
The following three intersections were reviewed in response to residents submitted concerns and after evaluation, traffic calming improvements were implemented:
• Twinbrook Parkway and Meadow Hall Drive
• Wootton Parkway and Long Hill Drive
• Wootton Parkway and Glen Mill Road
The following two intersections were audited as part of the Twinbrook Safe Routes to School and Transit Access study and constructed improvements were completed in December 2025.
• Ardennes Avenue and Wainwright Avenue
• Lemay Road and Ridgway Avenue
The following signalized intersections are part of an ongoing capital improvement project to upgrade signal facilities. Upgrades include replacing traffic signal cabinets, accessible pedestrian signal (APS) pushbuttons, signs, signal heads, detection cameras, poles, and other related equipment. The design of this project is almost complete and the construction is scheduled for FY 2027.
• E. Gude Drive and Rothgeb Drive
• E. Jefferson Street and Halpine Road
• Seven Locks Road and Fortune Terrace
• W. Montgomery Avenue and N. Washington Street
• W. Gude Drive and Gaither Road
• W. Gude Drive and Research Boulevard
• Wootton Parkway and W. Edmonston Drive
Action Item 5a - Sidewalks on Both Sides
DPW continues to implement the sidewalk evaluation, design, and construction program. The following sidewalks were constructed between July 1 and December 31, 2025.
• Brooke Drive, between Lewis Avenue and Stanley Avenue
• Crawford Drive, between Gail Avenue and Hillcrest Park
• Gail Avenue, between Lewis Avenue and Veirs Mill Road
• Potomac Valley Road between Maryland Avenue and New Mark Esplanade
• Welsh Park Drive, between Mannakee Street and Welsh Park entrance
This is approximately 2,900 linear feet of new sidewalk. The following sidewalk segments are currently under design.
• Carr Avenue between Luckett Street and Forest Avenue
• Charles Street between McArthur Drive and Park Road
• Frederick Avenue between N. Stonestreet Avenue and Westmore Avenue
• Highland Avenue between S. Stonestreet Avenue and Grandin Avenue
• Nelson Street between Beall Avenue and shopping center
Action Item 5b - Sidewalk Gap Inventory
In concern with updating the Sidewalk Prioritization Policy, staff is preparing an inventory of all sidewalk gaps in the city. This inventory evaluates the potential obstacles to constructing a sidewalk segment, including grading, right-of-way availability, presence of street trees, possible utility conflicts, and drainage. This will help staff determine the level of effort and investment expected for constructing a sidewalk. The inventory will work in tandem with prioritization to help the city determine sidewalk gaps to construct. Currently, 150 sidewalk gaps have been reviewed and 187 sidewalk gaps remaining.
Action Item 5h - Existing Sidewalk Inventory and Improvements
As part of DPW’s ongoing asphalt and concrete maintained and reconstruction program, city staff evaluates whether the sidewalks along roadways meet ADA accessibility standards. When the parallel roadway is resurfaced, the city will make the necessary modifications to the sidewalk to ensure accessibility. This includes rebuilding curb ramps and driveway aprons along those sidewalks.
Between July 1 and December 31, 2025, the city made the following improvements to existing sidewalks.
• 322 rebuilt driveway aprons
• 99 rebuilt curb cuts
Action Item 6a - New Shared Use Paths
The Pedestrian Master Plan includes 25 potential shared use path alignments for city staff to evaluate to determine if they can feasibly be constructed before advancing them to a design or construction phase.
There are two shared use path alignments which received grant funding to evaluate and to prepare a preliminary design.
• Research Boulevard, between Shady Grove Road and W. Montgomery Avenue (MD 28)
• Maryvale Park to Redgate Park, along First Street from Norbeck Road (MD 28) to Taft Street and along Taft Street from First Street to 6 Taft Court.
These projects have been awarded funding and city staff is coordinating with MDOT and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to prepare grant agreements.
Currently, staff is working to start the design of a shared use path along Veirs Drive and Scott Drive, between Glen Mill Road and Wootton Parkway. This path will connect the Carl Henn Millennium Trail with the city boundary.
Staff is also working on the design of the Stonestreet Corridor Improvements project to provide pedestrian, bicycle, and motor vehicle facilities along N. Stonestreet Avenue from Lincoln Avenue to Park Road and along Park Road between N. and S. Stonestreet Avenues. The project includes complete sidewalks on both sides of N. Stonestreet Avenue. The survey work is nearly complete, and the design work is almost at 30%. The draft design will be shared with the public for their comments in late spring.
Action Item 8b - Crosswalk Implementation
Using the updated Crosswalk Guidelines, city staff evaluate crosswalk requests from residents and members of the public. Between July 1 and December 31, 2025, the city has installed six new crosswalks at the following locations.
• Crabb Avenue at Longwood Drive
• Frederick Avenue at Moore Drive
• First Street and Lynn Court
• Greenplace Terrace at Fallsmead Elementary School
• S. Fallsmead Way at Horizon Hill Park
• W. Edmonston Drive at Ritchie Parkway
Mayor and Council History
In 2017, the Mayor and Council adopted an update to the Bikeway Master Plan. This plan was originally adopted in 1998 and updated again in 2004.
In 2018, the Mayor and Council adopted a resolution endorsing Vision Zero and adopted a goal of moving the city towards zero traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. In July 2020, the Mayor and Council adopted the Vision Zero Action Plan.
In 2023, the Mayor and Council adopted the Pedestrian Master Plan, which is the first pedestrian plan for the city.
The Mayor and Council last received a briefing on the progress of all three plans in September 2025.
Next Steps
Department of Public Works staff will continue to implement the listed action items from the Vision Zero Action Plan, Bikeway Master Plan, and Pedestrian Master Plan. Staff will provide the next update on all three plans in September 2026.