MCDOT Grant Submissions The Montgomery County Department of Transportation applies for multiple competitive grants each year to assist in funding projects involving infrastructure, transportation and safety.  Even with the second-largest County budget, next to schools, MCDOT has many unfunded projects that compete for funding. Transportation and infrastructure projects are complicated in that they require a process that includes a study to determine needs, a planning period, a community input and engagement period, a plan development period and approvals before they can begin. Additionally, projects are often approved through the County's annual financial approval process in pieces and rely on the priorities of elected officials, which are sometimes subject to change. With multiple projects at different stages and with different funding levels allocated, grant funds can assist in moving projects forward. These applications work to serve public benefit and reduce the amount of County dollars spent.  Recently, grant funding has helped pay for free transit fares during the pandemic, bridge rehabilitation projects, and purchasing zero-emission buses. Select grant submissions are posted below. 2025 Grant Awards Received FY2025 RAISE Grant MCDOT was awarded $24.8 million by the U.S. Department of Transportation to support the design and construction of a new entrance to the North Bethesda Metro Station. The project will also include intersection improvements at Rockville Pike (MD-355) and Old Georgetown Road along with a new transit plaza at the southwest corner to connect the station with two future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines.   Highway Safety Improvement Program MCDOT was awarded $877 thousand by the Maryland State Highway Administration to install a high friction surface treatment in targeted corridors across the county to help prevent roadway departure crashes.   Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Capital Grant and Revolving Loan Fund    MCDOT was awarded $250 thousand by the Maryland Department of Transportation to support the development of a mixed-use transit development adjacent to the North Bethesda Metro Station. The grant will fund community outreach efforts to facilitate public input for the project design.    Transportation Land-Use Connections (TLC) Program MCDOT was awarded $80 thousand in consultant support by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to advance the Montgomery County Capital Bikeshare Improvement Plan, which will produce a business-plan like strategy to evaluate existing operations and provide recommendations for growth of the Capital Bikeshare (Cabi) network in Montgomery County.   Transit Within Reach (TWR) Grant MCDOT was awarded $83 thousand by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to fund a feasibility-level design for a shared use path in White Oak. The path will run along Lockwood Road from New Hampshire Avenue to the Oak View Drive BRT station, provided bike and pedestrian access to this station following construction.   Clean Energy Local Government (CELG) Grant Program MCDOT was awarded $34.6 thousand by the Maryland Energy Administration to fund energy efficient LED lighting conversion within county-owned parking lots in the Wheaton parking district.   2024 Grant Awards Received Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA) MCDOT was awarded a competitive U.S Department of Transportation Regional Infrastructure Accelerator Award of $2 million to form AccelerateMC, a partnership designed to accelerate the County's Flash Bus Rapid Transit Network. This effort will evaluate and develop innovative strategies to provide additional funding sources and support the long-term sustainability of BRT projects. Safe Streets and Roads for All MCDOT was awarded a competitive U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets for All grant for $520 thousand to update the County’s Vision Zero 2030 Action Plan with community input and to implement the Safe Turns Demonstration Project, which will test the use of temporary, quick-build materials to sharpen driver turns to reduce unsafe turning speeds at 100 crash-prone intersections.    Congressionally Directed Spending/Consolidated Appropriation Act 

  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $5 million for the North Bethesda Metro Station Entrance. 
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $500 thousand for Goshen Road Safety Improvements.  2023 Grant Awards Received Congressionally Directed Spending/Consolidated Appropriation Act 
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $8,134,600 for the Veirs Mill Road Flash Bus Rapid Transit Project Development.
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $3,350,000 for the extension of the US 29 Flash Bus Rapid Transit to Howard County.
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $427,000 for secure bike parking facilities in Silver Spring and Bethesda.
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $400,000 for family e-cargo bike lending. Received in 2023: Maryland Board of Public Works 2022 Bond Bill Funding  Additional funding from the 2021 bond bill will support:   2022 Grant Awards Received Zero Emission Buses  MCDOT won a competitive grant award of nearly $15 million from the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the purchase of 13 new hydrogen fuel cell buses and the construction of a green hydrogen fueling site at the David F. Bone Equipment Maintenance Transit Operations Center in Gaithersburg. The project will be the first public transit application of green hydrogen on the East Coast.    Trees in Urban Communities to Reduce Heat Island Effect  The Chesapeake Bay Trust awarded MCDOT a $362,740 grant to plant 1200 trees in underserved, low canopy neighborhoods. Urban trees have significant benefits to human health, climate, the economy, and the environment. Learn more here.     Bus Driving Simulators and Training  MCDOT was awarded a $263,000 Transit Innovation Grant from the Maryland Department of Transportation to purchase bus driving simulators and develop a five-week bus operator training program that prepares bus operators to better handle challenging traffic and road conditions to improve safety. Learn more here.    Bethesda Trolley Trail Connection to Twinbrook    Montgomery County Streetlight Standards  A $50,000 grant will help provide an upgrade to Montgomery County’s existing Streetlight Standards to advance the County’s Vision Zero Initiative and its Complete Streets Design Guidelines principles. The County needs the upgrades to effectively convert existing lighting infrastructure to create safer, properly illuminated walking and cycling areas in line with a Safe Streets context. This is one of five grants the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) awarded to Montgomery County jurisdictions through its Transportation Land-use Connections (TLC) program. Learn more here.    Congressionally Directed Spending/Consolidated Appropriation Act 
  • MCDOT received a Federal Earmark in the amount of $2,000,000 for the Downtown Bethesda Metro Station Enterance, related to the Purple Line. 2021 Grant Awards Received Walter Johnson Road Shared-Use Path in Germantown MCDOT was granted $85,000 in funding from the Transportation Planning Board for the design of the Walter Johnson Road shared-use path connection to the Germantown MARC station as part of the Transportation Planning Board’s Technical Assistance program. Learn more .   New Hampshire Avenue Safety Study  The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) awarded MCDOT a grant for a safety study along New Hampshire Avenue (MD 650) from Oakview Drive to Southampton Drive. The grant, totaling $60,000, was a joint submittal with the Prince George’s Department of Public Works and Transportation. A portion of New Hampshire Avenue, from Northampton Drive to Southampton Drive, is within Prince George’s County. Learn more here.     River Falls Drainage Assessment   The Maryland Department of Natural Resources awarded MCDOT a $85,000 grant to study drainage issues in the River Falls neighborhood and identify solutions to address current flood hazards as well as future hazards exacerbated by the impacts of climate change. Learn more here.