One of the most important ways the Montgomery County Planning Board implements the vision of the County’s General Plan and master plans is by reviewing proposed development and deciding on subdivision requests. The following transportation resources should be consulted to ensure consistency with county master plans, policies, standards and practices.
General Transportation Resources
Functional Plans
All development applications must substantially conform to transportation recommendations in area master plans and functional plans, including:
- Bicycle Master Plan and map
- Corridor Forward: The I-270 Transit Plan
- Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan
- Master Plan of Highways and Transitways Plan and map
- Pedestrian Master Plan
- Purple Line Functional Plan
Resources
The following resources will assist development applicants in conforming to county standards, guidelines and best practices.
- Complete Streets Design Guide: Provides policy and design guidance to government agencies, consultants, private developers, and community groups on the planning, design, and operation of roadways for all modes of transportation.
- Curbless & Shared Streets Design Guide
- Bicycle Parking Guidelines: Identifies requirements in the county code and best practices.
- Bikeway Branding Guidelines: A cohesive brand identity for the bikeway network through logos and wayfinding.
- Bicycle Facility Design Toolkit: An overview of the types of bicycle facilities recommended in the Bicycle Master Plan.
- Protected Intersection Checklist: A tool to assist applicants in designing protected intersections. View the training video and presentation slides.
- Decision Tree for Determining the Appropriate Bikeways and Sidewalks along a Roadway Segment: Provides guidance when determining which planning document is to be followed when designing and bikeway or a sidewalk on a roadway segments in Montgomery County.
Policies
The Planning Board has established transportation-related policies for development projects.
- Planning Board Policy 2022-01A: De Minimis Criteria for Very Small Residential and Commercial Development Projects
- Planning Board Policy 2022-02: Applicability of Payments in Lieu of Transportation Frontage Improvements
Local Area Transportation Review (LATR)
In 1973, the County Council adopted an Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance and granted the Planning Board administrative oversight to ensure that adequate public facilities exist to accommodate growth. Since then, Montgomery County has considered the impacts of development on the transportation system, guided by the County Council’s Growth and Infrastructure Policy, which is reviewed on a four-year cycle.
The 2023 LATR Guidelines implement the Growth and Infrastructure Policy and guide applicants in evaluating a proposed development’s impacts on the nearby transportation system. All projects that generate 50 or more net new peak hour person trips are subject to the Growth and Infrastructure LATR requirements, which are detailed in the LATR Guidelines.
General
- Scoping Form: Prior to initiating a Local Area Transportation Review study or transportation exemption statement, a scope of work must be approved by relevant agencies, including the Montgomery County Planning Department, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, and the State Highway Administration (where relevant).
- Transportation Policy Area Map: A map that identifies the county’s transportation policy areas.
- Transportation Management Districts Map: A map that identifies the county’s six Transportation Management Districts.
- Transportation Infrastructure Commitments: A webpage that identifies pedestrian, bicycle, and bus transit deficiencies that will be mitigated by development and capital projects.
- LATR Transportation Study Outline: A resource outlining the expected components of an LATR Transportation Study, including tables and sections. Following the outline makes submittals more consistent and easier to review, but is not required.
Traffic Counts
- Montgomery Planning Count Database: A database of existing pedestrian, bicycle and motor vehicle counts.
- MDOT Internet Traffic Monitoring System: A database of existing pedestrian, bicycle and motor vehicle counts.
- Data Submission: All pedestrian, bicycle, and motor vehicle counts, as well as speed studies, must be submitted digitally using this tool. View instructions for using the data submission tool.
LATR Proportionality Guide
The LATR Proportionality Guide ensures that offsite transportation improvements are not out of proportion with a project’s impact on the overall safety and functionality of the transportation system. For more information on the LATR Proportionality Guide, see Section VIII of the 2023 LATR Guidelines.
- LATR Proportionality Guide Calculator, Version 1.3 (updated July 11, 2023)
- LATR Proportionality Guide Adjustment Factor Map (updated July 20, 2022)
- LATR Cost Estimation Tool (effective October 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025): a spreadsheet that calculates the planning level costs for the multimodal transportation mitigation improvements identified as part of development project applications.
Pedestrian System Adequacy
Pedestrian Level of Comfort
- Pedestrian Level of Comfort (PLOC) Map (displays existing conditions)
- PLOC Methodology (Version 1.0)
- PLOC Verification: Request a customized URL during project scoping
Street Lighting
- Street Light Adequacy Verification: A spreadsheet that identifies street light standards.
- Street Lighting: Map of existing streetlight poles
ADA Compliance
- ADA Compliance: ADA Toolkit
- Public Right of Way Accessibility Guidelines webinar: Watch recording
Bicycle System Adequacy
- Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) Map
- LTS Methodology (Version 1.1)
- LTS Verification: Request a customized URL will be provided during project scoping
Bus Transit System Adequacy
- Transit System Map
- Bus Stop Location: Use Google Maps
Vision Zero Statement
- High Injury Network Map: A map displaying the 20 High Injury Network corridors in Montgomery County.
- High Risk Crash Locations: A list of the top 200 highest risk locations for six crash types from the Planning Department’s Predictive Safety Analysis.
- Speed Study Database: A list of recent speed studies conducted in the county.
- Crash Data: This map uses data from the Montgomery County Vision Zero crash data and has been modified by Montgomery Planning staff to more accurately depict crash locations and to simplify and consolidate some of the crash attributes.
- Vision Zero Community Toolkit: This toolkit presents design treatments known to reduce crashes involving motor vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians, outlines how each treatment addresses safety and the expected reduction in crashes associated with the treatment and describes the applicable locations for each treatment.
Past Guidance Documents (not currently applicable)
Past LATR Guidelines
- 2022 LATR Guidelines, Version 2
- 2022 LATR Guidelines, Version 1 (March 3, 2022)
- 2021 LATR Guidelines (July 1, 2021)
- 2017 LATR Guidelines (September 28, 2017)
- 2017 LATR Guidelines (May 25, 2017)
- 2013 LATR Guidelines (January 24, 2013)
- 2012 LATR Guidelines and PAMR Guidelines (February 9, 2012)
- PAMR Trip Mitigation Requirements for FY 2012 (July 7, 2011)
- 2010 LATR Guidelines (June 17, 2010)
- PAMR Trip Mitigation Requirements for FY 2011 (May 7, 2010)
- 2008 LATR and PAMR Guidelines (DRAFT)
- 2007 LATR and PAMR Guidelines (DRAFT)
- 2004 LATR Guidelines (July 1, 2004)
Past LATR Proportionality Guides
- LATR Proportionality Guide Calculator, Version 1.2 (updated July 20, 2022)
Past LATR Cost Estimation Tool
- LATR Cost Estimation Tool, Version 1.1 (effective May 9, 2023, through September 30, 2023)
- LATR Cost Estimation Tool, Version 1.2 (effective October 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024):
Other Documents
- Technical Guidance: 2016 Subdivision Staging Policy (SSP) ADA Non-Compliance Test Procedures for Urbanized Areas
- Staff memo re: Updated Traffic Count Data Collection Policy During COVID-19 Pandemic, September 17, 2020
- Traffic Counts During COVID-19 Pandemic, April 30, 2020