Jared Solomon

Georgia Ave. Update: $8.1 Million in New Funding for Montgomery Hills

/ Anna White

By Geoff Gerhardt

In a significant development for Montgomery Hills and its surrounding neighborhoods, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) successfully secured $8.1 million in additional funding for the Montgomery Hills Reconstruction project. This funding adjustment increases the programmed amount for the project to $30.1 million, up from $22 million; thanks to cost optimizations, the total project cost was reduced to $52.7 million, down from $57.1 million.

While this funding is not sufficient to complete construction of the Georgia Avenue Safety and Accessibility Project improvements, our sources tell us it should be sufficient to fund the work planned for the next couple of years—obtaining right-of-way acquisitions and utility relocation. We are hoping that MDOT’s push for this funding also demonstrates its commitment to the project once there is a need to allocate additional construction funds to finish the project.

The Montgomery Hills project is a reconstruction effort aimed at enhancing safety, reducing congestion caused by the Beltway interchanges, and improving the overall usability and aesthetic appeal of this heavily traveled corridor:

  • Upgraded pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure
  • Enhanced traffic flow through intersection and Beltway interchange redesigns
  • Relocated utility obstructions and improved stormwater management systems

Special thanks go to the Maryland District 18 and District 20 Delegations for their unwavering support in securing this funding. In particular, Delegate Jared Solomon’s tireless advocacy and persistent efforts were instrumental in ensuring the availability of these critical resources. Their dedication to the community and commitment to improving our transportation infrastructure have made this progress possible. With the support of residents of North Woodside, neighborhood organizations will continue working with policymakers and MDOT officials to secure the remainder of the funding needed for this vital project.

For more information see Friends of Montgomery Hills.

Speed Limit Lowered on Georgia Ave

/ Anna White

By Michelle Desiderio Foster

State delegates Al Carr, Lorig Charkoudian, and Jared Solomon point to the new speed limit sign on Georgia Ave. Photo by Michelle Desiderio Foster

The first of the long-awaited Georgia Ave. improvements in Montgomery Hills was implemented recently when the State Highway Administration (SHA) lowered the speed limit to 30 mph (from 35 mph) on Georgia Ave. from Spring St. to Wheaton. This speed limit was recommended in the Planning Department’s Montgomery Hills/Forest Glen Sector Plan adopted a few years ago. The speed reduction was just one of the significant improvements proposed for the corridor, including a green median, removal of the unsafe reversible lanes, wider sidewalks, a cycle track on the west side of the road, pedestrian-safety enhancements, a reconfigured Beltway interchange, and a new traffic light at Flora Lane.

A completed SHA design is expected by the end of 2022. Funding has been allocated for most of the necessary right-of-way acquisitions, and the county and state are cooperating to secure funds for utility relocation and construction. U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen secured one million dollars in federal funding for the project in the recent infrastructure bill that Congress approved. Utility relocation could start as early as January 2024. State Delegates Jared Solomon and Lorig Charkoudian have worked tirelessly on this project to ensure that it continues to move forward and to secure necessary funding.

State delegates Al Carr, Lorig Charkoudian, Jared Solomon and State Highway Administration employees pose near the new speed limit sign on Georgia Ave. Photo by Michelle Desiderio Foster

This article first ran in the Spring 2022 issue of the Beacon.

Funding Secured for Georgia Avenue Project

/ Anna White

by Geoff Gerhardt

The Maryland Department of Transportation has announced that it will fully fund the design phase of the Georgia Avenue improvement project.

Despite widespread support of the surrounding neighborhoods, the design and engineering plans for the Georgia Ave improvement project have been stuck at about 50% for almost two years. But due to the determined efforts of NWCA, Friends of Forest Glen and Montgomery Hills, other neighborhood associations, and our elected representatives in Annapolis (especially Delegates Jared Solomon and Lorig Charkoudian), MDOT Secretary Greg Slater agreed to include $1.6 million in the transportation budget to complete design of the project.

The funding could not have come at a better time. It is widely expected that the new Biden Administration will be looking to fund state and local infrastructure projects with an emphasis on projects that improve biking, walking, and transit access. The Georgia Avenue project does all of that.