MCDOT seeks public input on sidewalk proposal around Purple Line station in Silver Spring
County held a public hearing on project near Manchester Place station Thursday evening, accepting feedback until Aug. 31
By
Elia GriffinJuly 31, 2026 10:38 a.m. | Updated: July 31, 2026 10:39 a.m.
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In anticipation of the future Purple Line light rail line, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is planning to add sidewalks and pedestrian improvements to areas near future stations, including the Manchester Place station in Silver Spring this fall.
Lori Main, a planning specialist for MCDOT’s Annual Sidewalk Program, said in a statement to Bethesda Today that following a virtual public hearing on the project Thursday evening, the county will accept public feedback on the proposal until Aug. 31. Residents may submit written testimony through an online form or via email to Main at Lori.Main@montgomerycountymd.gov.
The installation project is one of MCDOT’s Purple Line Bicycle and Pedestrian Priority Areas and proposes adding five-foot-wide sidewalks to 14 street segments near the station, located at 100 Plymouth Street in Silver Spring. According to MCDOT, all the roads included in the proposal are within half a mile of Manchester Place station.
“By enhancing sidewalk connectivity, MCDOT is making it more convenient for people to choose walking as a mode of transportation, which has numerous health and environmental benefits,” the department said on the project website. “Overall, the sidewalk connectivity enhancements by MCDOT near the new Purple Line stations are a positive step towards creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment in Montgomery County.”
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When complete, the 16-mile light rail line will run from Bethesda to New Carrollton and connect riders to the Metro’s Red, Green and Orange lines as well as to MARC and Amtrak trains and bus services. As of July, Purple Line officials say construction of the line is more than 90% complete and will be operating in late 2027.
Plans for the proposed sidewalks also include adding new crosswalks, curb ramps and other pedestrian improvements. On the project website, MCDOT says that the improvement will “make it easier for residents to navigate the area around the new Purple Line stations.”
On Thursday evening, MCDOT held a public hearing on the project to discuss the proposed sidewalk project and hear from neighbors on the proposal and answer questions. According to Main, after the public hearing and when the public record closes, MCDOT’s Director Chris Conklin will review testimony and public comments and then make the final decision on the project.
“Notifying correspondence with the finalized Recommendations enclosed will be mailed to all on the project mailing list,” Main said.
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If the sidewalks are approved, construction and installation could begin this fall, according to Main. She noted that sidewalk installations in front of homes take “a couple of days” and estimated that the entire project, including adding sidewalks around the Long Branch Purple Line station, will take 15 to 20 weeks.
Some residents in the neighborhood around the station have voiced their displeasure with the plans to install the sidewalks; among them is Barbara Marchwiki, a resident on Eton Road.
Marchwiki told Bethesda Today on Wednesday that many of the homes in her neighborhood were built in 1945 on small lots. She said some neighbors in the community are concerned about the sidewalks cutting into their yard and landscaping.
“We’ve lived without sidewalks for years, which actually is unsafe,” Marchwiki said. “Traffic over the years just goes faster and faster, and people slow and go instead of stop at stop signs. So, the general idea of sidewalks for safety is a very good idea.”
What Marchwiki dislikes about MCDOT’s plans is the width of the proposed sidewalks. She believes a three-foot width is sufficient while still adhering to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
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While sidewalks must be at minimum 36 inches wide under the ADA, Maryland has adopted a five-foot-width for all new sidewalks. Montgomery County follows the state’s design standards.
Main also told Bethesda Today that the United States Access Board’s Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) also require sidewalks to be at least four feet wide, though five feet is recommended. If the county were to install a sidewalk less than five feet wide, the department would have to file for approval of a federal waiver for a four-foot-wide sidewalk, according to Main.
“If we filed a federal waiver explaining that the property owners’ desire a narrower sidewalk, the waiver would not be approved,” Main said.
After attending community meetings on the sidewalk proposal and posing the question to county officials, Marchwiki said she still feels confused about how the county landed on a five-foot width in her neighborhood and the placement of the new sidewalks.
“I want to feel like I have the answers, I understand what’s going on, it’s fair and equitable and safe for the neighborhood,” Marchwiki said. “If it ends up being five feet … because there is documented rationale in some disability code of safety code, my nurse brain can go, ‘OK, I understand the rationale.”
“But right now I’m not getting it,” she added.
Marchwiki, 69, also said she dreaded the potential of having to do more shoveling during winter storms. She noted that as people age, shoveling snow can become a health hazard due to an increased risk of heart attack. This winter, according to Marchwiki, one of her “elderly” neighbors suffered a stroke while shoveling snow and died.
“Having my neighbor die from shoveling and now doing the American Heart Association research that you shouldn’t be shoveling over 45 … I mean this is a very real health risk,” Marchwiki said. “And then if we were going to hire someone or get snow blowers … it’s a significant financial cost.”
Below is a list of roads the county is proposing to install the five-foot sidewalks:
- The west side of Saybrook Avenue from Melbourne Avenue to Hamilton Avenue
- The west side of Wire Avenue from Melbourne Avenue to Revere Place
- The north side of Melbourne Avenue from 121 Melbourne Avenue to Flower Avenue
- The west side of Providence Avenue from Melbourne Avenue to 9018 Providence Avenue
- The north side of Oldham Road from Lauder Terrace to Providence Avenue
- The north side of East Schuyler Road from Eton Road to Flower Avenue
- The east side of Eton Road from East Schuyler Road to Melbourne Avenue
- The east side of Eton Road from East Schuyler Road to East Wayne Avenue
- The east side of Geren Road from Manchester Road to Hartwell Road
- The west side of Reading Road from Plymouth Street to Manchester Road
- The east side of Bradford Road from Schuyler Road to Wayne Avenue
- The west side of Plymouth Street from 8710 to 8802 Plymouth Street
- The east side of Plymouth Street from 8705 Plymouth Street to Hartwell Road
- The south side of Plymouth Street from Reading Road to 8809 Plymouth Street
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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine