Million-Dollar Grant Could Reshape Walkways

Gaithersburg said on March 19 that it had secured $1 million in federal funding for pedestrian safety improvements in and around Olde Towne, a project city officials said would pay for safer crosswalks, sidewalks and traffic-calming work. The money was awarded through Fiscal Year 2026 Congressionally Directed Spending and included in a federal spending bill that Congress passed and the president signed into law, according to the city. On May 29, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Representative April McClain Delaney joined Mayor Jud Ashman and other local officials to publicly highlight the award. City and federal officials said the project is aimed in part at streets used by students traveling to Gaithersburg Elementary, Middle and High Schools. ### Where will the money be spent? Olde Towne Gaithersburg is the focus of the project, according to the city’s March 19 announcement. The city said the work will target streets in and around Olde Towne, with particular attention to routes that provide access to Gaithersburg Elementary, Middle and High Schools. The Deer Park neighborhood is also included. The city said new sidewalks are planned along several residential streets there as part of the federally funded package. (gaithersburgmd.gov) ### What work does the grant actually cover? The city said the $1 million will support traffic calming, safety improvements at intersections, and new and improved crosswalks. The March 19 city statement also said the funding will be used for sidewalks and other accessibility-related improvements intended to make walking routes safer. (gaithersburgmd.gov) Senator Van Hollen’s office said on May 29 that the investment would support upgrades for pedestrians, cyclists, students and families throughout the area. (gaithersburgmd.gov) That statement described the effort as part of the city’s plan to improve walkability in Olde Towne and make routes to school and work safer. ### Who secured the funding? Senator Chris Van Hollen, Senator Angela Alsobrooks and Representative April McClain Delaney were credited by city and congressional statements with securing the funding through the Fiscal Year 2026 Congressionally Directed Spending process. Van Hollen’s office said the lawmakers fought to secure the investment, and the city thanked all three federal officials in its March announcement. (vanhollen.senate.gov) May 29 was the date Van Hollen’s office said he and McClain Delaney, joined by Ashman and other local officials, highlighted the award in Gaithersburg. Montgomery Community Media reported that local leaders gathered at the Gaithersburg Olde Towne Youth Center that week to discuss the project. (gaithersburgmd.gov) ### What are officials saying about the impact? Mayor Jud Ashman said in the city’s March 19 release that pedestrian safety is “a top priority” and that the federal funding would allow Gaithersburg to accelerate street improvements. He said the work would directly affect quality of life in the city. Senator Angela Alsobrooks said in a May 29 statement that she was proud to help secure the federal investment to improve pedestrian infrastructure around Olde Towne Plaza. (vanhollen.senate.gov) Representative McClain Delaney said the project would help keep students, families and seniors safe, while Van Hollen said the upgrades would support safer travel for pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders. (gaithersburgmd.gov) ### What happens next? The city has not, in the materials reviewed, published a construction start date or a detailed project schedule for the Olde Towne pedestrian work. What it has said is that the federal award will support its existing pedestrian safety improvement plans in Olde Towne and nearby residential streets. The next public milestone already on record is the May 29 event at which Van Hollen, McClain Delaney, Ashman and other officials promoted the $1 million investment. (vanhollen.senate.gov) Future details on design, bidding or construction would be expected to come from the City of Gaithersburg, which is overseeing the project. (gaithersburgmd.gov)