Transportation makes growth possible. Land use planning makes growth possible. But too often these are viewed as separate processes, when in reality they have huge effects on each other.

Opportunities abound in Gaithersburg. On the east side of the city, the planned route 355 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) runs past Olde Towne and LakeForest and through what were once our major shopping and job centers as well as the Watkins Mill Interchange developments. The former IBM and Leidos site at the intersection of 355 and Montgomery Village is being developed into a new biotech center. High growth vaccine research and development is happening all over our city, particularly along Quince Orchard Rd near Clopper.

Lakeforest is getting ready for redevelopment, and the city is working with developers on a new mixed-use development. The site is planned for up to 1600 housing units, including townhomes, duplexes, and multifamily. There will also be some retail and restaurants, plus an expanded and improved transit center, and more being planned.

Olde Towne is another opportunity where progress is happening, slowly but surely, and where there is much hope for the future. I will continue to work hard to bring more shopping and dining to Olde Towne and to our other activity centers, to bring improved transit, to bring in more jobs and to support startups as well as established companies.

Did you know that the MARC trains, that stop in Olde Towne and near the MVA (and the new Parklands development near Watkins Mill) will run in both directions at some future time? Today, our service runs south, into the District, during the morning rush and north, back home, in the evenings. Having service running in both directions throughout the day is another, immense opportunity that could bring jobs to our city without adding to congestion.

Gaithersburg is not a bedroom community – we have more jobs in the city than we have workers, making us a job center. I want to see us grow the job base as mixed-use development, with corresponding new housing and transportation. The vision is to build economic opportunities for all our residents without adding to gridlock.

Also see this post: Strategy for Growth

• Budget and Fiscal Responsibility
• Transportation.
• School Crowding.
• Environment and Sustainability.