For Immediate Release: Monday, March 26, 2001
County, state, and Metro officials today joined Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan to break ground for a new Shady Grove Metro station parking garage that will be the largest ever built in Montgomery County and one of the largest in the country.
The new 2,140-space parking garage will be built on part of an existing Metro surface parking lot. The net increase of 1,530 spaces will increase Shady Grove Metro parking to a total of 5,865 spaces, increasing existing parking by 35 percent.
“Improving access to transit is one of the County’s highest priorities in our fight to reduce traffic congestion,” said Duncan. “The current demand for parking at Shady Grove is overwhelming and far exceeds available capacity. The popularity of the Shady Grove station means we are succeeding in our efforts to encourage commuters to take advantage of mass transit options.”
Duncan was joined by County Council Vice President Steven A. Silverman, Maryland Department of Transportation Deputy Administrator of the Mass Transit Administration Michael Bartholf, Maryland Senator Jean W. Roesser (D-15), WMATA General Manager Richard A. White, WMATA Board Members Cleatus Barnett and Carlton Sickles, and other community leaders and transportation officials.
The County’s Department of Public Works and Transportation’s Division of Facilities and Services is managing the construction project. When completed, the garage will be operated and maintained by Metro.
“As more people than ever take Metro and Ride-On from the Shady Grove Station to destinations throughout the Washington region, we must make it as easy as possible for them to leave their vehicles behind,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari. “This garage will make it much easier for our riders to find a parking space, catch their bus or train, and enjoy the ride. The State is proud to be a partner in a project that will ultimately take even more cars off our highways and encourage more people to try transit.”
The project will be finished in early Fall 2002. Commuters displaced from the surface parking lot during construction will be able to use a temporary lot on adjacent County land. A temporary bridge, spanning a Metro access road, will provide a safe route for pedestrians from the temporary lot to the Metro entrance during construction.
“In a Council-commissioned survey last year, many commuters told us they would switch from their car to Metro if there was more convenient parking near the station,” said Silverman. “This garage shows we are listening to our residents and taking the steps they say are needed to get people out of their cars and onto transit.”
To further accommodate commuters, express bus service will be provided from a new 460-space Park and Ride Lot at I-270 and MD 124 opening this summer. Ride On currently has 24 routes serving the Shady Grove station, more than any other station. The County has added special links to www.rideonbus.com web site to make it easier to find the best route to the station.
“When this garage is completed, commuters will no longer be turned away due to lack of parking,” said Department of Public Works and Transportation director Al Genetti, Jr. “Shady Grove parking now reaches capacity by 7:30 a.m. on weekdays, which shows that people are eager to use transit when it its convenient.”
The garage will have seven levels of parking, served by several stairways and four elevators. It will feature customer assistance phones, glass-enclosed stair towers, and an open design to enhance visibility and security.
Parking at the garage will cost $2.25, the same as in Metro lots. In addition to cash, commuters will be able to use Metro’s ‘SmartTrip’ fare card for payment. The parking garage will be easily accessible from I-270 and I-370.
The cost of the garage is $27.4 million, and financing will be provided from County revenue bonds backed by a special parking surcharge at all Metro stations in the County; along with a $9 million grant from the State of Maryland.
The Shady Grove Metro Station first opened in December 1984. With 20,000 riders, the station has the second highest ridership of all transit stations in Maryland. (Silver Spring has the highest with 23,000 riders.) Ridership at the Shady Grove station has been growing at a rate of five percent a year. During weekday mornings, 7,000 commuters board Metro at Shady Grove, diverting 5,000 cars from I-270 – which is equivalent to four lanes of traffic.
Mariani and Associates are the architects, Walker Parking Consultants the engineers and San Jose Construction Group, Inc. is the prime contractor. Off-site fabrication of more than 2,000 pre-cast concrete beams and columns will minimize the time required to erect the garage on-site.
SHADY GROVE METRO STATION FACTS
FUNDING HISTORY
1968---Metro Red Line originally planned to end in Rockville
1975—Decision made to extend line to Shady Grove
1984---Red Line completed to Shady Grove
Segment from Rockville to Shady Grove funded:
80% Federal
5% Montgomery County
15% State of Maryland
1989---Shady Grove Garage I completed
Funding:
60% Montgomery County
40% State of Maryland
2002---Shady Grove Garage II anticipated completion
Funding:
67% parking surcharge fee
33% State of Maryland
STATION RIDERSHIP
20,000 riders on average weekday;
7,000 during morning rush hour
STATION ACCESS
Bus Service:
24 Ride On routes
1 Metrobus route
1 MTA Flyer route
PARKING SPACES
Existing:
Surface Lots:
3,025
Garage I:
1,310
Total:
4,335
When Garage II is Completed:
Surface Lots:
2,415
Garage I:
1,310
Garage II:
2,140
Total:
5,865
A 35% Increase
FACT SHEET
SHADY GROVE METRO GARAGE II
Number of Spaces: 2,140 total
1,530 net increase
Number of parking levels: 7
Number of elevators: 4
Access: Direct from I-270/I370
Cost:
Planning/Design $ 3,445,000
Site preparation 5,580,000
Garage construction 18,400,000
Total cost: $ 27,425,000
Funding Sources:
State of Maryland $ 9,000,000
Metro parking surcharge 9,025,000*
County revenue bonds 9,400,000*
Projected Completion: Early Fall 2002
Construction Method: Pre-cast concrete. Over 2,000 pieces
fabricated off-site to minimize disruption.
Project Designer:
Walker Consultants – Engineer
Mariani & Associates -- Architect
Prime Contractor:
San Jose Construction Group, Inc.
Project Management:
Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation
Division of Facilities and Services
Al R. Roshdieh, Division Chief
Stephen Nash, Chief, Capital Projects Section
Kassa Seyoum, Project Manager
Temporary Parking: During garage construction, up to 600 parking spaces may be displaced. Temporary replacement parking will be available nearby and supplemented by express bus service from a 460-space Park and Ride lot at I-270 and MD124 opening in summer 2002.
Operation/Maintenance: Upon completion, the garage will be leased to Metro for operation/maintenance, with lease payments to the County defraying financing costs. Parking fee will be $2.25.
*Supported from surcharge on all Metro parking spaces in Montgomery County.
Release ID: 01-114
Media Contact: Esther Bowring 240-777-6530, Ed Daniel 240-777-7156