Montgomery County public hearing spotlights safety push to ban stopping or parking in bikeways

Council members held a public hearing Sept. 30 on Bill 28-25, a proposed amendment to the Montgomery County code that would prohibit stopping, standing or parking a motor vehicle in a bikeway. Supporters said the change is a straightforward safety measure needed to keep protected bike lanes usable.

The bill’s sponsor was identified in testimony as Council member Glass; a Transportation and Environment Committee work session on the bill is scheduled for Oct. 6, 2025. Those testifying urged the council to adopt the prohibition and to coordinate loading and delivery solutions where needed.

Seth Grimes, representing the Washington Area Bicyclists Association, said the problem is common in Montgomery County and provided photographs from Bethesda showing trucks and cars blocking cycle tracks. “When a bike lane is blocked, bicyclists and scooter riders are forced into traffic lanes where they are less safe and where they also slow vehicular traffic,” Grimes said. He noted that similar prohibitions already exist in Rockville, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and in Virginia.

Mindy Baden described personal motivation for backing the bill, linking it to road safety advocacy since the death of her son. “Too often, vehicles stand, stop, or park in those lanes, forcing bicyclists into travel lanes with motor vehicles and risking collisions and potential serious injury,” Baden said.

Larry Solar, a Bethesda resident, and Thomas Kressna, also a county resident, recounted instances of commercial vehicles blocking lanes and described how less-experienced riders are endangered when forced to merge into fast-moving traffic. David Jaworski, who rides in the East County, said he has twice been forced off the road and described frequent weekly occurrences of vehicles parked in bike lanes where sidewalks or safe egress are not available.

Bill Pugh, transportation and climate director for the Coalition for Smarter Growth, asked the council to view the bill as a “common-sense fix” that supports the county’s planning goals, including Thrive Montgomery 2050. Kenneth Sprague, a virtual speaker from Silver Spring, emphasized the affordability benefits of cycling and said blocked bike lanes make that option less viable for households facing high transportation costs.

Speakers suggested the county pair the legal prohibition with enforcement and design measures and encouraged transportation staff to pursue loading-zone solutions in commercial areas, for example with urban district partners in Bethesda. No formal council action on Bill 28-25 was recorded at the Sept. 30 hearing; the matter was set for committee consideration.

Proponents provided written exhibits and photographs to illustrate blocked lanes; the council’s transportation staff was asked to consider enforcement, design, and loading alternatives as the bill proceeds to committee.

The public hearing record for Bill 28-25 closed at the end of the session; the council did not vote on the measure at this meeting.