Press Releases - Department of Transportation

For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 27, 2024

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) received three achievement awards for 2024 from the National Association of Counties (NACo) in the categories of Transportation, Community and Economic Development, and Personnel Management, Employment and Training.

NACo Awards are an annual recognition program that honors outstanding county government programs and services. NACo Awards have been sharing best practices between counties since 1970.

“The Montgomery County Department of Transportation continues to develop forward-thinking programs that prioritize equitable, climate-friendly transportation, strengthen our business partnerships, and champion our employees,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “I am pleased that NACo recognizes MCDOT as a national leader in solving some of the most critical issues facing local communities today.”

MCDOT received the following awards from NACo:

Dedicated Bus Lanes Project – Transportation: The University Boulevard dedicated bus lane project added more than two miles of dedicated bus lanes along one of the area’s busiest and most congested corridors. The dedicated bus lanes will improve the daily commute for thousands of workers, students and residents along this corridor who depend on public transportation. The dedicated lane initiative is part of MCDOT’s Bus Priority Project, which aims to prioritize transportation options that are equitable and climate friendly.
Maximizing Underutilized Public Parking by Partnering with Long-Term Lease – Community and Economic Development: Changes in the economic landscape in the Bethesda Parking Lot District (PLD) resulted in underutilized parking facilities. MCDOT was able to enter into a long-term parking lease agreement that allowed the Woodmont Corner Public Parking Garage 11 to be available during business hours for lease customers while remaining publicly available after business hours. The agreement has allowed the County to generate additional revenue while lowering development costs for businesses.
Problem Solving Committees – Personnel Management, Employment, and Training: MCDOT Transit Services' high staff turnover, particularly among bus operators, was attributed to low morale rather than wage disparities. To address this, Montgomery County Transit Services, along with the Innovation Team, established problem-solving committees. These committees aimed to decentralize decision-making and empower staff by giving them a voice in leadership choices. Each committee, facilitated by Depot and Central Communication Chiefs, focused on a specific challenge identified by staff consensus, such as policy changes, teamwork, communication, or employee recognition. Through these committees, staff were enabled to collectively address the challenges affecting their work environment.

Montgomery County earned a total of 34 NACo Achievement Awards for 2023.

The list of all national winners can be seen at the National Association of Counties NACo Achievement Award Winners website.

For information on MCDOT programs and services visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on X, Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.

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Release ID: 24-085
Media Contact: Emily DeTitta, 240-372-2282