Montgomery County Moves Forward with Transportation Safety and Housing Development Along University Boulevard Corridor
Rockville, Md. — Today, the Montgomery County Council has given its approval to the University Boulevard Corridor (UBC) Plan, a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing transportation safety and expanding housing options along a crucial 3.5-mile segment of University Boulevard/MD 193. This stretch connects Silver Spring to Wheaton and will guide developments over the next twenty years. The plan covers areas that include residential neighborhoods, educational institutions, parks, places of worship, commercial enterprises, and various institutional sites from Amherst Avenue at the Wheaton Central Business District to the vicinity just south of the Capital Beltway/I-495.
Developed over a span of three years by the Montgomery County Planning Department, which is part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), this master plan received approval in June 2025 by the Montgomery County Planning Board, also a member of The M-NCPPC. The plan integrates extensive research, detailed analysis, and active community involvement to reimagine University Boulevard as a lively, pedestrian-friendly corridor with diversified housing options, better transit links, improved pedestrian safety, and more vibrant commercial areas.
“This plan showcases the community’s dedication to enhancing transportation safety along one of Montgomery County’s vital corridors while also aiming to make the University Boulevard Corridor more affordable and lively for all residents, workers, and visitors,” stated Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “This renewed vision sets the foundation for a corridor that supports flourishing neighborhoods with increased housing opportunities, celebrating the rich diversity of surrounding communities, businesses, and institutions.”
The UBC Plan marks the first corridor-specific master plan to be finalized since the introduction of Montgomery County’s General Plan, Thrive Montgomery 2050. It aligns with the county’s Vision Zero initiatives by employing complete streets principles and maximizing development potential to encourage corridor-focused growth.
“The approval of the University Boulevard Corridor Plan represents the culmination of years of community engagement and thorough analysis,” remarked Montgomery Planning Director Jason K. Sartori. “The outcome is a blueprint that enables University Boulevard to harness its vast potential to deliver safer streets and a broader array of housing options in the years to come, thanks to further development and public investments. This plan also respects the diverse character of our neighborhoods, boosts environmental sustainability, and protects historic resources.”
The revisions made by the County Council to the draft plan will be incorporated into the final approved document, which will be accessible on the UBC Plan website once completed. To view the resolution for plan approval voted on by County Council members today, click the link.
Key Features of the UBC Plan
- To encourage sustainable growth, increase housing availability, and improve transportation safety, the plan proposes to rezone properties adjacent to University Boulevard. This includes institutional sites such as places of worship and current single-use commercial shopping centers. These zoning modifications will give property owners more flexibility regarding future developments. Notably, the Kemp Mill Shopping Center and the Yeshiva of Greater Washington properties have been excluded from the plan area and will not be suggested for rezoning.
- The plan establishes an overlay zone, which was approved by the County Council today, to foster a variety of housing types in a compact, transit-oriented manner. This will support bus rapid transit (BRT) services on University Boulevard and Colesville Road, create cohesive communities, and enhance safety for all travelers in the area. The overlay zone applies to the properties designated for rezoning and takes into account factors such as building placement, site coverage, public open spaces, and land uses to support the plan’s objectives and provide a smooth transition from the corridor to neighboring areas.
- Designate higher building densities and a blend of uses close to BRT stations with existing commercial properties, such as the WTOP property and Four Corners, while ensuring that new developments transition appropriately from larger structures to smaller ones in adjacent residential zones.
- Develop a cohesive transportation network featuring accessible walkways and stress-free bicycle pathways, along with rightly sized roadways and intersections to create a safer and more pleasant environment for pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and drivers.
- Ensure that the Four Corners area offers safe, accessible, and healthy travel alternatives for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and motorists.
- Enhance pavement markings, lighting, and visibility, while also exploring the installation of protective crossings at the interchanges with I-495 at Colesville Road and University Boulevard to bolster safety for all transportation modes.
- Make University Boulevard more resilient to climate change by integrating aspects such as tree canopy, shaded bus stops, improved stormwater management, and landscaped buffers.
- Revise Montgomery County’s Master Plan for Historic Preservation to include the Romeo and Elsie Horad House located at 2118 University Boulevard West, a site that embodies the efforts and accomplishments of an African American couple and their family in enhancing conditions for African Americans in the Washington, DC area.
