By Geoff Gerhardt, Vice President
Following the Montgomery County Planning Board’s approval of the Forest Glen-Montgomery Hills Sector Plan in September, the County Council began the process of considering the plan. NWCA President David Cox and Vice President Geoff Gerhardt testified in support of the sector plan at a County Council hearing in November. Council committees are holding working sessions on the plan, and the full Council is scheduled to vote on it later this winter. Meanwhile, the State Highway Administration is making slow but steady progress on its plan for overhauling Georgia Avenue between 16th St. and Forest Glen Rd. Earlier this year, the state announced it had selected a version of the plan, known as Alternative 5B Modified.
This plan would bring wider sidewalks, protected bicycle track, and a landscaped median with dedicated left turn lanes to Georgia Ave. The plan would also make improvements to the Beltway interchange and eliminate the southbound “slip lane” at 16th St., creating a traditional “T” intersection instead.
The SHA plan is currently at the 30 percent design stage. This fall, the Federal Highway Administration gave preliminary approval to Alternative 5B Modified, which allows design and engineering efforts to move forward. Redesign plans for Georgia Ave. could be finalized by SHA by the end of this year.
However, much work remains to be done to secure construction funding for the project, which is estimated at $35–$40 million. In November, Geoff Gerhardt testified at a hearing of state senators and delegates representing Montgomery County in support of state funding for the project.
In addition, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation listed Georgia Ave. as its highest priority highway project in a draft letter to Maryland Department of Transportation. The final letter is scheduled to be sent to Maryland DOT this spring. Assuming it’s finalized, placement of Georgia Ave. at the top of the county’s transportation priorities list will be a huge victory—due in large part to letters and emails sent by residents of North Woodside. Thank you!
MCDOT
Three Neighborhoods Meet to Discuss Traffic Concerns
by Julie Lees, Traffic & Safety Committee
Neighbors from North Woodside, Lyttonsville, and Rosemary Hills met on January 13th with Michael Paylor, Chief of Traffic Engineering, Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT). The goal was to develop a common understanding of potential traffic issues stemming from the new Talbot Ave. Bridge and the county’s plan for traffic calming and pedestrian safety.
Julie Lees, co-chair of the North Woodside Traffic and Safety Committee, began the meeting with an outline of concerns, noting that the wider two-lane bridge will potentially increase vehicular speed and may attract more vehicles, especially from out-of-area drivers. There is particular concern about pedestrian and cyclist safety in the area where the pedestrian/cyclist trail crosses the two lanes of traffic on the bridge at 4th Ave.
Michael Paylor discussed the county’s current plan for traffic control around the bridge and responded to audience questions and comments. The plan is to reestablish a three-way stop at the 4th Ave. end of the bridge. Mr. Paylor said he understood that the Purple Line was responsible for traffic mitigation on the bridge, but was told during the meeting that the state has explicitly stated that traffic mitigation and safety was the responsibility of the county. A recurring theme was the challenge of enforcement. Signs alone do not change driver behavior.
Audience members suggested a raised crosswalk for the trail, which Mr. Paylor said was feasible. There were questions about pedestrian-activated lights. There are two types of lights—one linked to a stoplight and one that sets off a blinking yellow light. Mr. Paylor said the former was a poor fit for our needs due to the short distance on the bridge. There were questions about design options that could slow vehicles, such as the bump outs on Dale Dr. and at Spring and Second. The bump outs can be done at the request of the neighborhood association in conjunction with county traffic engineers.
Vehicle Access Restriction, which requires a specific percentage of out-of-area traffic, was discussed as an option. Examples of VAR include the restrictions on Second Ave. access in Woodside during rush hour. Mr. Paylor noted that VAR restricts turns or entrance for residents as well as out-of-area vehicles. In the three- neighborhood area, examples include one-way access to the bridge during rush hour or restrictions on feeder streets such as Grace Church at 16th St. No recommen-dations or preferences were noted.
Geoff Gerhardt, NWCA vice president, asked that MCDOT provide our neighborhoods with a list of traffic mitigation and safety options for our consideration. This was met with audience applause. Mr. Paylor agreed to this request and said he would be meeting with his staff to discuss our suggestions and concerns.
To request a more detailed summary of the meeting, contact the Traffic and Safety Committee.
North Woodside Traffic and Road Construction Update
Traffic. Nobody likes it, but a certain amount is to be expected in a community that is located near a thriving urban center. Unfortunately, there are a number of construction projects about to get underway that are likely to increase traffic in and around our neighborhood.
The North Woodside-Montgomery Hills Citizens Association will continue to work with officials from the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, state transportation agencies, Purple Line and others to minimize the impact. But there is an inevitable it’s going to get worse before it gets better aspect to the next several years. Here is a short summary of the projects about to get started or that are in the planning stages.
Seminary Road Intersection
The Seminary Road Intersection Improvement Project is intended to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety at the so-called mixing bowl where Second Avenue meets Seminary Road, Seminary Place and Linden Lane. Construction is scheduled to begin in July 2018 and be completed roughly 12 months later. While traffic will be allowed to use the intersection throughout the project, backups and delays should be expected.
In May, the county’s Department of Transportation hosted a meeting at Woodlin Elementary where officials walked through the project’s schedule and heard testimony from residents of the surrounding neighborhoods. At that meeting, I provided input on the project on behalf of NWMHCA. One of the points I emphasized is that our neighborhood is greatly impacted by cut-through traffic on Second Avenue, which often backs up at the mixing bowl intersection. I pointed out that this problem could be reduced by allowing left turns at rush hour from Georgia Avenue onto Seminary Road, Seminary Place and Forest Glen Road.
Purple Line and Talbot Bridge
In late April, the Talbot Avenue Bridge was permanently closed to vehicle traffic following an inspection that found the bridge was no longer safe for cars. DOT says the bridge is still safe for pedestrians and bicyclists. No advance notice of the closure was given to the surrounding communities. NWMHCA worked with DOT to develop better detour signage than what was originally put in place.
Now that the lawsuit regarding the Purple Line has (mostly) been resolved, replacing the Talbot Bridge is high on the county’s priority list. The new bridge is slated to be about 41 feet wide (compared with 11 feet wide for the current bridge) in order to accommodate three lanes two for vehicle traffic and one for the Capital Crescent Trail.
NWMHCA petitioned county and Purple Line officials to reduce the size of the new bridge to be more consistent with the current bridge. We asked that the new bridge have one lane for alternating two-way vehicle traffic and one lane for the trail. However, we were informed that this proposal would violate federal safety standards, which requires new bridges to have two lanes for vehicle traffic. Therefore, the new bridge would be built as originally planned.
We are now actively working with the Lyttonsville and Rosemary Hills civic associations on ways to ensure that both vehicle and trail traffic can use the bridge safely. We want to promote traffic calming measures on the surrounding streets and look at ways to improve the aesthetics of the new bridge. We are also supporting efforts spearheaded by Lyttonsville to preserve portions of the current bridge in order to memorialize its unique history.
Lyttonsville Place Bridge
The Lyttonsville Place Bridge will also be replaced as part of the Purple Line project. The timing is unclear, but it looks like the Lyttonsville Bridge will be closed after the Talbot Bridge is replaced. It is likely that some traffic that would ordinarily go over the Lyttonsville Bridge would be rerouted over the Talbot Bridge. We are working with DOT on strategies to minimize the effect on North Woodside. These would includes establishing a detour route that will encourage traffic to travel on larger state roads like 16th Street and making sure trucks aren’t allowed over the new Talbot Bridge. The situation is going to be further complicated by construction on the Spring Street Bridge as part of the Purple Line.
Seminary Road Bridge
This winter, the state Department of Transportation will start work rehabilitating the Seminary Road Bridge over Interstate 495. The project will take about a year to complete. The state plans on keeping two lanes of traffic open through- out the project, but lane shifts will be required and traffic back-ups could occur.
Georgia Avenue Study
The Maryland Department of Transportation has spent several years looking at ways to improve Georgia Avenue from 16th Street to Forest Glen Road. The planning study was funded by the county, although no funds have been set aside to actually make any of the proposed changes.
Options being looked at by DOT include installing a median, adding a dedicated bike lane and providing left turns lanes from Georgia Avenue onto Seminary Road, Seminary Place and Forest Glen Road. In September, Maryland DOT announced it was still working on identifying the preferred alternative for the project and conducting additional engineering analysis. The preferred alternative is supposed to be announced this fall. At this point, it is unclear how the planning study will be affected by Gov. Hogan’s proposal to add four lanes to the Beltway.
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