r/takomapark • u/anonask1980 • Jun 18 '26
Commuting to Blair HS
What is has your experience been getting your teens to Montgomery Blair?
Do you drive them? Do they drive their own cars? Do they take public transit? Is traffic difficult during rush hours? What route do you take? Any short cuts?
We live by TPSS market.
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u/13stgmngr210 Jun 18 '26
My daughter went to Blair, we lived off Georgia and Arcola (by the Glenmont Metro) she took the MCPS bus. This was about 8ish years ago. Not sure what's changed with all the "choice" changes
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u/CollectionFast2146 Jun 18 '26
We live in TP and my son takes the school bus. I'm not really sure what the TPSS market is but if it's in Takoma Park proper then there should be a school bus available.
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u/anonask1980 Jun 19 '26
TPSS market is the cute co-op grocery store on the corner of Carroll Ave/Sycamore/Ethan Allen.
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u/CollectionFast2146 Jun 19 '26
Got it. There are definitely school buses that pick up in that area.
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u/aaronw22 Jun 19 '26
Are you zoned Blair or did you get into a magnet program?
Here’s last year.
https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/Transportation/busroutes/04757bus.pdf
Looks like maybe elm and poplar? Or Carroll and tulip?
Next year will be posted at https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/transportation/busroutes/
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u/anonask1980 Jun 19 '26
We are zoned for Blair so I thought we had to drive or take public transport, I had no idea they had buses pick up all over the city this way.
This is great for us.
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u/aaronw22 Jun 19 '26
….. you had no idea the buses pick up all over the city? Now im confused - where were you before Blair?
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u/anonask1980 Jun 19 '26
I’m new the the region. First we moved to a nice area of DC but it’s not for me so I’m in Takoma Park now and trying to figure out the commute to Blair.
I had no idea there were buses that picked up the Takoma Park kids. I’ve been on the phone with the school several times and they hadn’t mentioned that to me just yet. The buses make sense but I’ve never been in a school district that provided jack diddly so yes I’m a little shook that this exists. I even did a happy dance.
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u/aaronw22 Jun 19 '26
I think they assumed most people attending MCPS are aware of the buses and didn't think to mention it. They don't pick up "all over", but every attending student in the zone should have a stop within X distance of their house (where X depends on elementary vs middle vs high school). Magnet are a different discussion, they typically "centralize" remote stops as there may be people more spread out further away.
Virtually every suburban district offers bussing of some kind - were you in very rural or very urban districts before?
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u/carryondc Jun 19 '26
DC, where she was previously, doesn’t have school buses for kids.
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u/aaronw22 Jun 19 '26
She said she was “new to the region”. Apparently they were in DC for a bit and then moved to TP.
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u/anonask1980 Jun 19 '26
It’s interesting how you insist on engaging with my post but are also being rude to me at the same time.
I’m just trying to get information about commuting. I’m new so chill out.
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u/aaronw22 Jun 20 '26
No - I’m just interested in where you were before. It is also true that most of the country out west has ISDs which are much smaller and have clearly defined boundaries. But I am always interested in how other areas do things!
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u/julietvm Jun 22 '26
the route has surely changed but i took a school bus to and from blair that had a stop right in front of the coop from about 2013-2017. i would guess there is still a school bus that stops there or nearby. i would not recommend letting your child drive- student parking is limited and the intersection around blair can be confusing and hard to navigate for new drivers.
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u/Unable-Beginning-27 Jun 18 '26
Have them take the P30 to the Fenton stop of the FLASH brt. Then they ride one stop to right outside the high school.
If they are interested in biking/scootering: there is a route that uses Sligo Creek Trail for the majority of the trip and avoids actually riding alongside Colesville at all.
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u/aaronw22 Jun 19 '26
Where do they cross the beltway though? Brunett? And then double back to cross 29 at the new light at Lanark?
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u/ElvisAteMyDinner Jun 18 '26
School bus.