Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4 p.m. Aug. 24 to reflect the Montgomery County state’s attorney’s office’s updated Tweet. It was updated at at 5:30 p.m. to include information about Ride On detours.
Preparations are underway ahead of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s visit to Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville on Thursday evening.
The Bidens and other political leaders will speak at the school at a Democratic National Committee event designed to encourage Democrats to vote in the Nov. 8 general election.
Only invited and registered guests will be allowed to access the event, according to a Wednesday press release from the Montgomery County Department of Police. Attendees may not enter the venue before 4 p.m. Biden is expected to arrive around 6 p.m., according to Earl Stoddard, the county’s assistant chief administrative officer.
“Fleet Street will be closed between Monroe [Street] and Mount Vernon [Place] starting at 2 p.m. tomorrow,” Stoddard said in a news briefing. “This will obviously impact traffic in the Rockville area. That’s in order for the area to be secured for the president’s motorcade to arrive as well as just ensure that the number of people walking in will have a safe entryway to the space.”
Guests may not park at the high school, the release read. Stoddard said public transportation is the most convenient way to get to the event and parking is not allowed on residential streets.
Free parking will be available in the Montgomery County Council office building garage at 225 Monroe St. and the courthouse jury lot at 254 Monroe St. Parking is also available for free at Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus at 51 Mannakee St. and the Carver Educational Services Center at 850 Hungerford Drive.
All security measures will be managed by the White House, Secret Service, local police and the Democratic National Committee, according to Montgomery County Public Schools spokesperson Chris Cram.
The event impacts pre-service week activities for teachers who are preparing for Monday’s start of classes, Cram wrote in an email. Teachers will be offered a monetary adjustment to cover time lost, Cram wrote, and the exact amount has yet to be determined.
New student orientation will continue as planned at the school Thursday morning, according to Principal Alicia Deeny.
The Democratic National Committee rented the high school for the event and therefore controls all access and ticketing, Cram wrote. As county facilities, Montgomery County public schools may be used outside of instructional time when booked through the district’s Community Use of Public Facilities.
“We are always honored to welcome the President of the United States and the First Lady to one of our facilities,” Cram wrote.
The Montgomery County state’s attorney’s office shared on Twitter that the courthouse will close at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday and reopen Friday at 7:30 a.m. due to the Bidens’ visit.
The Montgomery County District Court’s Rockville location and Montgomery County Circuit Court will close at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, according to their websites. The Montgomery County District Court’s Silver Spring location will remain open Thursday.
Ride On announced Wednesday afternoon that routes 44, 46, 47, 54, 56 and 63 will experience detours on Thursday from 2 to 10 p.m. The detours are:
- Route 44 To Twinbrook Station: From Church St, left on 355 N. Right on Edmonston Dr, back on route.
- Route 44 to Rockville Station: From Edmonston Dr, right on 355 S. to Rockville Station West.
- Route 46 to Medical Station: Stay on N Washington St, left on E Middle Ln, right go through light right into RE Station.
- Route 46 to Montgomery College: From Church St, right on 355 N, left on E Middle Ln, right on N. Washington back on route.
- Route 47 to Bethesda Station: From Church St, right on 355 N, left on E Middle Ln, left on N Washington St, right on W Montgomery Ave merge to left onto Great Falls Rd, right onto Falls Rd back on route.
- Route 47 to Rockville Station: Stay on Falls Rd, left on Great Falls Rd, continue straight on W Montgomery Ave, left on N Washington St, right on E Middle Ln, go through light right into RW Station.
- Route 54 to Rockville Station: Stay on W Montgomery Ave, left on N Washington, right on E Middle Ln, go through light right into RW Station.
- Route 54 to Lake Forest Transit: From Church St, right on 355 N, left on E Middle Ln, left on N Washington St, right on W Montgomery Ave, continue normal routing.
- Route 56 to Lake Forest Transit: From Church St, right on 355 N, left on E Middle Ln, left on N Washington St, right on W Montgomery Ave merge to left onto Great Falls Rd, right onto Falls Rd back on route.
- Route 56 to Rockville Station: Stay on Falls Rd, left on Great Falls Rd, continue straight on W Montgomery Ave, left on N Washington St, right on E Middle Ln pass light into RW Station.
- Route 63 to Rockville Station: Stay on W Montgomery Ave, left on N Washington, right on E Middle Ln, go through light right into RW Station.
- Route 63 to Lake Forest Transit: From Church St, right on 355 N, left on E Middle Ln, left on N Washington St, right on W Montgomery Ave, continue normal routing.
County police spokesperson Shiera Goff wrote in an email that she is unable to provide details on what the department is doing tactically for the president’s visit for security and safety reasons.
The conservative political action committee Help Save America will hold a “freedom rally” at Richard Montgomery at the same time of the Bidens’ visit, Montgomery County Media reported.
Christine Zhu of Gaithersburg, a rising junior at the University of Maryland who is studying journalism and Spanish, is the Bethesda Beat summer intern.
