Rustic Roads

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An update to the Rustic Roads Functional Master Plan is underway which includes the consideration of 20 nominee roads for addition to the Rustic Roads Program. The Master Plan page includes status of the project, details and upcoming meetings. To receive updates, please sign up for our e-letter.

Introduction

View the draft map of existing and proposed rustic roads

Rustic roads are historic and scenic roadways that reflect the agricultural character and rural origins of the County. Preservation of rustic roads must be achieved by retaining certain physical features of rustic roads and by certain right-of-way maintenance procedures.

Rustic and Exceptional Rustic roads are preserved under the Rustic Roads Program, which provides a system for evaluating, protecting, and enhancing these scenic roadways. The program includes 99 roads. These roads are listed and described in the Rustic Roads Functional Master Plans and in other area Master Plans as shown below.

Click here for the latest draft list of rustic roads and the corresponding map.

View the Rustic Roads Functional Master Plan Scope of Work presentation at the February 6, 2020 Planning Board meeting.

Resources

County Code–Rustic Roads Program Chapter 49, Article 8
Executive Regulation – COMCOR Chapter 49 Article VII. Rustic Roads Program
Proposal for a Rural/Rustic Roads Program [PDF] (March 1990)
Maryland Scenic Byways (the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and Antietam Campaign follow several rustic roads). The Scenic Byways Resource Protection Application shows the Byways corridors, resources and more.
An excellent design resource: Sustaining the Road Less Traveled: Context sensitive solutions for work on Maryland Byways
Another design resource that applies to many rustic roads: AASHTO’s Guidelines for Geometric Design of Very Low Volume Local Roads (ADT less than or Equal to 400)
USDA Forest Service: Environmentally Sensitive Road Maintenance Practices for Dirt and Gravel Roads

Updates

March 2019: Congratulations to the Rustic Roads Advisory Committee on being awarded Montgomery Preservation Inc’s Montgomery Prize in recognition of the committee’s continuous, outstanding achievement in furthering history and preservation in Montgomery County. District 1 Councilmember Andrew Friedson presented the award to the committee.

February 6, 2020: The Planning Board Approved the Scope of Work for the Rustic Roads Functional Master Plan Update. View the staff report and presentation.

October 2018: Congratulations to the Rustic Roads Advisory Committee on being selected for the 2018 Royce Hanson Award by Montgomery Countryside Alliance. The award recognizes the committee’s outstanding commitment toward protection of the Agricultural Reserve. View the October 2018 presentation.

April 2018: The Rustic Roads Advisory Committee was joined by County Executive Leggett, Councilmembers Berliner and Elrich, and a group of supporters to celebrate the new Rustic Roads street name signs. View photos.

April 2017: View the NBC4 Meet Your Street segment on Montevideo Road, an exceptional rustic road, and the Rustic Roads program.

April 2017: Read the article about Rustic Roads from the Potomac Almanac.

March 2017: The RRAC is pleased to release their report, 20 Years of Rustic Roads: Status and reflections on the Montgomery County Rustic Roads Program, 1996-2016. This report includes the committee’s biennial report covering 2014-2016.

June 2016: For her senior project, Poolesville High School Global Ecology student Anelia Slavoff researched the history of Allnutt Road, which has been nominated for inclusion in the rustic roads program by the residents of the road. The RRAC greatly appreciates the excellent report Anelia wrote for the committee and congratulates her for her award winning paper.

January 2016: Congratulations to RRAC member Christopher Marston and his co-executive editor, Justine Christianson, on the publication of their new book, Covered Bridges and the Birth of American Engineering.

October 19, 2015: The RRAC presented a status report to the County Council’s Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy & Environment. View the Ocotober 19, 2015 presentation.

New street name signs are being placed on Rustic Roads. In 2012, the RRAC and MCDOT worked together to create a special street name sign for rustic roads and the County Council provided special funding. It will take some time to change all of the signs, so for now, you will see both brown and green street name signs for roads in the Rustic Roads Program.

November 2014: Staff briefed the Planning Board on the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways Update on November 20, 2014 (view November 20, 2014 staff report). Descriptions of 28 current rustic roads and consideration of 13 roads that have been nominated for addition to the rustic roads program are included in this update. Community comments may be sent to Leslie Saville (contact info below).