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Observation Drive drives roads program increase; district council pushes to restore Summit Avenue funding

Montgomery County Council Transportation and Environment Committee · February 10, 2026

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Summary

Observation Drive Extended is the largest new roads project in the executive’s CIP recommendation and drove a near-doubling of the roads program; district council members urged reinstating the Summit Avenue extension in Kensington and asked for an updated, inflation-adjusted schedule.

The executive’s proposed FY27–32 CIP adds Observation Drive Extended as a major roads project, which staff said accounts for the largest portion of the recommended roads program increase. Observation Drive Extended would design and construct a new alignment through privately owned properties to create a network connection; staff projected design beginning in FY28 and construction in FY32 but characterized the cost as a placeholder pending master-plan alignment and further engineering.

Council and planning committee members urged care in phasing transit infrastructure and in securing developer participation. Staff noted the PHP committee had asked MCDOT to evaluate transit service prior to constructing the road so that ultimate dedicated bus lanes can be planned if premium transit is warranted.

Separately, district council members pressed to reinstate the Summit Avenue extension in Kensington, citing the planning board’s recommendation and longstanding community support. Council staff said they will work with OMB and MCDOT to provide an inflation-adjusted schedule before the committee’s March 2 session to allow the committee to consider restoring the project timing.

The committee accepted staff recommendations for the record and requested follow-up schedules and coordination details ahead of the council’s CIP decisions.