Facility Overview

Amherst Garage (officially recognized in the Montgomery County public parking system as Garage 45) is a vital, multi-level public parking deck located at 11304 Amherst Avenue in the heart of the revitalized downtown Wheaton, Maryland. Built to support the lively commercial and civic core of Montgomery County, the facility features covered multi-deck parking that shields vehicles from inclement weather. The garage accommodates standard passenger sedans, crossovers, station wagons, and compact SUVs with ease. Drivers operating full-size pickup trucks, large passenger vans, or vehicles equipped with roof racks and cargo boxes should pay close attention to posted overhead clearance signage (typically set at 6 feet 8 inches). Oversized commercial transport vehicles and high-roof conversion vans will exceed vertical limits and are advised to seek designated open-air county surface lots nearby.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Positioned right along the vibrant Amherst Avenue corridor, Amherst Garage provides immediate pedestrian connectivity to many of Wheaton’s premier shopping, dining, and cultural attractions. The facility is steps from the Marian Fryer Town Plaza, an energetic civic gathering place hosting seasonal community concerts, outdoor movie screenings, and cultural festivals. The modern Montgomery County Government building and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) headquarters are situated within a short 2-minute stroll. Food lovers will appreciate that the garage sits amid Wheaton’s acclaimed multicultural dining destination, celebrated for authentic Salvadoran, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, and Thai restaurants. Westfield Wheaton mall, housing major retailers, department stores, and entertainment spots, is located less than a 5-minute walk across Georgia Avenue, while Brookside Gardens and Wheaton Regional Park are reachable within a quick 5-minute drive.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Entering and leaving Amherst Garage is smooth and efficient thanks to wide ingress and egress lanes positioned directly on Amherst Avenue between Reedie Drive and Prichard Road. Traffic flows smoothly onto major regional arteries including Georgia Avenue (MD-97), University Boulevard West (MD-193), and Veirs Mill Road (MD-586), offering seamless connections to the Capital Beltway (I-495) and downtown Silver Spring. Public transit accessibility is exceptional: the garage sits just one block from the Wheaton Metro Station on the Washington Metro Red Line, as well as the adjacent Wheaton Bus Transit Center. This makes the deck an outstanding multimodal hub for drivers connecting to WMATA rail and Ride On bus lines.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

• Multi-story structured covered parking providing weather protection and well-lit parking bays.
• Designated accessible ADA parking stalls positioned conveniently close to elevators and pedestrian exits.
• Modern payment infrastructure featuring pay-by-plate digital pay stations accepting major credit cards.
• Mobile app integration via ParkMobile for rapid payments, digital receipts, and easy time extensions.
• Energy-efficient overhead lighting and surveillance coverage throughout driving decks and stairwells.
• Dedicated pedestrian staircases and passenger elevator service for barrier-free access.

Ideal For

• Daily commuters utilizing the Washington Metro Red Line via Wheaton Station.
• County employees and visitors conducting business at the nearby Montgomery County Planning Department and civic offices.
• Shoppers and diners exploring downtown Wheaton\'s vibrant culinary corridor and Westfield Wheaton mall.
• Community members attending live events, seasonal markets, and festivals at Marian Fryer Town Plaza.
• Local professionals and retail staff seeking affordable, reliable monthly parking options.

Visitor & Driver Tips

Enforced meter hours in Montgomery County parking garages generally run Monday through Saturday, while parking is typically free on Sundays and official County holidays. To ensure a smooth experience, note your license plate number before leaving your car, or launch the ParkMobile app immediately upon parking using the posted zone number to avoid walking to a payment kiosk. During weekday morning rush hours, lower decks fill earliest; proceed to the upper levels for the quickest open spaces. When exiting in the evening, be aware of turning restrictions onto Georgia Avenue and use secondary cross streets to bypass rush-hour bottlenecks.