Robert Thomson (at left), aka Dr. Gridlock, in Tysons Corner. Photo by VaDOT.

Over the next few weeks, talk about transit in the 2014 election, learn about Bus Rapid Transit in eastern Montgomery County, and figure out how to spend Virginia’s transportation money at meetings around the region.

Transit reporters talk politics: How will Smart Growth issues affect the 2014 elections in DC and Maryland? The Action Committee for Transit will host a panel discussion on transit and the election with the Washington Post’s Robert Thomson, also known as “Dr. Gridlock,” Ari Ashe from WTOP, and Josh Kurtz from the blog Center Maryland. Kyjta Weir, former Examiner reporter and current reporter for the Center for Public Integrity, will moderate.

This free meeting will be Tuesday, November 12 from 7:30 to 9pm at the Silver Spring Civic Building, located at the corner of Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street in downtown Silver Spring. For more information, visit ACT’s website.

Learn about BRT on Route 29: Do you live, work, or travel along Route 29 in Montgomery County, also known as Colesville Road and Columbia Pike? Join CSG, Communities for Transit, and other local organizations hosting an educational event about Bus Rapid Transit for residents and business owners along 29 between Silver Spring and Burtonsville. Speakers will include Montgomery County Planning Board member Casey Anderson, county planner Larry Cole, and Chuck Lattuca, BRT system manager at the Montgomery County Department of Transportation.

With 17,000 projected riders by 2040, a BRT line along 29 is an important part of Montgomery’s rapid transit network. The event will take place on Wednesday, November 13 from 6 to 9pm at the White Oak Community Recreation Center, 1700 April Lane in Silver Spring. Click here to RSVP or for more information.

Spend Virginia’s transportation money: Virginia’s newly-passed transportation funding bill means new money for projects in Fairfax County. How should the county spend it? County officials are holding a series of dialogues to learn what residents want and find the best ways to get them moving.

There will be four meetings over the next few weeks at various locations throughout the county. The next one is this Monday, November 4th from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the Falls Church High School auditorium, 7521 Jaguar Trail in Falls Church, followed by meetings in Fairfax and Reston. For more information, visit the county’s website.

Envision better biking in Fairfax: Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling will hold its second-annual Bicycle Summit tomorrow with keynote speaker Jeff Olson, author of The Third Mode: Towards a Green Society. Citizens, community leaders, bike advocates, and transportation professionals will discuss ways to make Tysons and other parts of Fairfax County more bicycle-friendly.

The event will be from 9am to 3:30pm. The registration fee is $25 and includes lunch and other refreshments. To register, visit the event website.

Montgomery County Councilmember Roger Berliner will hold a town hall meeting tomorrow night to discuss issues affecting District 1, which includes Bethesda, Potomac, White Flint, and Poolesville. Berliner has been a strong supporter of the county’s Bus Rapid Transit proposal, which the council is currently studying, making this a great opportunity to give him your thoughts on the plan.

The meeting starts at 7pm at Garrett Park Elementary School, located at 4810 Oxford Street in Garrett Park, near the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro station. For more information, visit this page.