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The merger of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center is going to change the day-to-day lives of the people who live, work or commute near Rockville Pike in Bethesda. Traffic is going to get worse and there is not enough money to follow through with construction projects planned to ease the pain.

With months to go before the new hospital opens and brings with it thousands more patients and employees, Montgomery County officials and community leaders involved in the hospital's Base Realignment and Closure transition are trying to convey a new message to the public, one of social responsibility.

"The question is what are you going to do to try to make this better?" said Phil Alperson, BRAC coordinator for Montgomery County.

The $165 million-worth of traffic improvements planned by the state and county will not be sufficient to address the pending traffic problems, said Alperson. People who work, live and drive through Bethesda must plan for traffic and consider alternate transportation, he said.

"We can talk about these projects, but those aren't going to be ready in September," Alperson said. "Transportation management is available now — but people need to know about it."

Sandra Brecher, from the county department of transportation's division of transit services suggested resources the county offers for businesses and individuals to help reduce the number of vehicles on Bethesda's roads. She made a presentation at Tuesday's meeting of the BRAC Implementation Committee, a group of community stakeholders who meet regularly to discuss progress of the planned traffic projects.

The office partners with five downtown areas, including Bethesda, North Bethesda and Friendship Heights, to offer incentives to employees to participate in supported commute methods.

Employers can receive a tax credit by contributing to employees' public transit commute.

Employers can offer car or van pool incentives, by reserving a parking space for shared vehicles.

Employers can implement a guaranteed ride home program, which gives employees who take public transit or a carpool to work the option of a cab ride or rental vehicle to leave work in an emergency.

The county is also working to improve its bus and Metro services to be more appealing to commuters.

Bike racks are available on all Ride-On buses.

A real-time bus schedule will soon be available for smart phones.

TRiPS commuter stores can help plan routes.

Learn more about the division of transit services at: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/commute.

sgantz@gazette.net

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Learn more about the division of transit services at: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/commute.