New Viers Mill Bus Route May Change Your Commute

April 8, 2025

By Noam Kovacs ’26

Credit: BZ Openden

A big question at Berman Hebrew Academy: How do you commute to and from school? Georgia Avenue or Veirs Mill Road?

I wanted to find out, so I asked the Upper School student body. According to my study, 49.54% (107 students) use Georgia Avenue; 28.24% (61 students) use Veirs Mill Road; 17.59% (38 students) use either Veirs Mill Road, Georgia Avenue, or both; and 4.63% (10 students) live in Aspen Hill.

If you commute using Veirs Mill Road, your commute could be affected this year. This road has seen a lot of Montgomery County’s attention lately as it will be undergoing a significant transformation beginning in 2025. The Flash project will introduce a new seven-mile-long bus rapid transit service (BRT) along the Veirs Mill Road corridor. There will be dedicated bus lanes (in certain areas), updated bus stations, and enhanced pedestrian and bicycle facilities.

The Flash will debut with the following 12 stations (listed from bottom to top) on Veirs Mill Road: Wheaton Metro Station, University Boulevard, Norris Drive, Connecticut Avenue, Randolph Road, Robindale Drive, Aspen Hill Road, Twinbrook Parkway, Atlantic Avenue, Edmonston Drive, Rockville Metro Station, and Montgomery College. The new Flash stations will have prepayment options, weather protection, mosaic artwork, real time transit info, and much more. The new Flash buses will be equipped with WiFi, USB ports, bicycle accommodations, and easy boarding. Flash buses will be in service from 5 a.m.–1 a.m., seven days a week. Buses will arrive at stations every 6–10 minutes during peak hours and every 10–20 minutes during off-peak hours.

Credit: MCDOT

In lower traffic areas, the Flash will operate in dedicated bus lanes either on the shoulder of the road or shared with right-turn lanes. However, in heavier traffic areas, the Flash will be mixed into traffic. The below image visualizes how the Flash will operate in different areas on Veirs Mill Road. The Flash will also utilize Queue Jump Lanes and Transit Signal Priority Locations at many different intersections. Queue Jump Lanes are short bypass lanes for buses at intersections to bypass traffic congestion. Transit Signal Priority adjusts the timing of traffic lights, shortening the wait time for transit vehicles at red lights. These combined measures will let the Flash bypass traffic and provide a much faster service.

There will also be many safety improvements for pedestrians and cyclists coming to Veirs Mill Road, including new shared-use paths, sidewalks, intersection signals, signing, pavement markings, and lighting. Currently, when heading toward Berman on Veirs Mill Road, there is a major lack of sidewalks for pedestrians. The Flash plan will add new sidewalks and shared-use paths all along Veirs Mill Road to protect pedestrians and cyclists. In addition, protected crossings will be added at the intersections of Galt Avenue, Pendleton Drive, Bushey Drive, and Harvard Street. These protected crossings provide a crosswalk and a traffic signal to allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross the road safely. The below image visualizes the concept of a protected crossing we could see added to Veirs Mill Road. 

Credit: MCDOT

In terms of the speed limit, Veirs Mill Road has been subjected to a couple of speed limit reductions in the past. In 2019, the State Highway Administration (SHA) lowered the speed limit between Georgia Avenue and Galt Avenue from 35 mph to 25 mph and between Galt Avenue and Connecticut Avenue from 40 mph to 35 mph. More recently, in June of 2024, the SHA lowered the speed limit between Edmonston Drive and Twinbrook Parkway from 40 mph to 35 mph. In regard to the implementation of the Flash on Veirs Mill Road, there has been no official announcement about lowering the speed limits in additional areas. However, there will be newly added sidewalks, crosswalks, bus stations, and bus lanes in what is currently a 45 mph zone of Veirs Mill Road. These additions will most likely lead to an influx in pedestrian activity, so we will likely see a reduction in the posted speed limit. Additional speed cameras could also potentially be installed in certain areas of the corridor.

Credit: Google Maps

Credit: Google Maps

Lastly, the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Veirs Mill Road, a key intersection of the corridor, will have a major reconfiguration. This redesign is expected to enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety at the intersection. All four “hot right” turn lanes will be removed from the intersection. A “hot right” turn lane is a high-speed right turn that merges vehicles from one road onto another. (If you live in Kemp Mill, think about how you get onto University Boulevard from Arcola Avenue.) After the reconfiguration, for those heading up (northbound) Connecticut Avenue and down (eastbound) Veirs Mill Road there will be a new dedicated right turn lane in alignment with its respective road. This will prevent unsignalized high-speed turns from occurring. However, it is unclear if any “no turn on red” signs will be installed at the intersection. If “no turn on red” signs are added, it may result in major backup. Two new Flash bus platforms will also be constructed on the westbound part of Veirs Mill. This may sound like a lot to process, so refer to the below image of the proposed reconfiguration of the intersection.

Credit: MCDOT

Berman administrator Shmarya Gasner shared his thoughts on the impact of these changes: “It will be interesting to see how many people continue using the Veirs Mill road after this change. Arrival at school should be less affected, as traffic is spread out over a 20-minute window. However, dismissal may become more challenging, particularly at 3:30 and 4:30, when traffic congestion is at its peak. School-wide dismissals, such as on Fridays or early release days, could lead to significant backups on Arctic Avenue if more drivers opt for the Aspen Hill/Georgia Ave route. We will continue to monitor any changes in traffic patterns and coordinate with local authorities to explore possible measures for maintaining smooth traffic flow.”

The Flash is a Rapid Transit Network “providing fast and reliable transportation,” which Montgomery County wants to be the main mode of transportation for its residents in the future. Construction for the Flash on Veirs Mill begins in 2025, and the Flash is anticipated to open in 2028. The total cost for the implementation of the Flash on Veirs Mill Road is estimated to be $169,000,000. Currently, the only Flash route in service is US 29 (Columbia Pike/Colesville Road). However, MD 355 (Frederick Road/Rockville Pike/Wisconsin Avenue) is also in its design phase for implementation of the Flash. New Hampshire Avenue, Georgia Avenue, University Boulevard, and Randolph Road are all also designated to have the Flash implemented in the distant future. Certain future Flash routes will also be connected to the future Purple Line.