The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) started a project on Monday to install buffered bike lanes and safety flex posts along a two mile stretch of Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda where two cyclists were killed in the last three years.
“We appreciate the feedback from community members, elected officials and other stakeholders as we worked to make this vital corridor safer,” said MDOT Secretary James F. Ports, Jr. “These improvements on Old Georgetown Road underscore our commitment to a safe, accessible and multimodal approach to our roadways.”
The improvements, taking place between the Capital Beltway and Nicholson Lane, will convert one travel lane in each direction for the new buffered lanes with green pavement markings for higher contrast to make the roads safer for cyclists, according to the MDOT.
“Our top priority is always to make sure our customers reach their destinations safely,” said MDOT SHA Administrator Tim Smith. “We ask that motorists obey all of the rules of the road and be extra vigilant when bicyclists are on the road. We are committed to ensuring that our roadways are safe for everyone, regardless of their mode of transportation.”
For the coming months, MDOT says, drivers should expect single-lane closures on Old Georgetown Road, or Route 187, on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be multiple lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Sunday nights through Friday mornings. Motorists should plan for longer commute times along the busy road, where around 40,000 vehicles pass through in a single day, according to the MDOT.
The MDOT SHA released concept images of the finished project, expected to be completed by the end of the year.
(MDOT SHA)
The MDOT will be making the additional changes to Old Georgetown Road:
- Installation of high visibility crosswalk markings
- Reduction of the number of travel lanes from three lanes to two lanes in each direction
- Narrowing the remaining 11-foot travel lanes to 10.5 and 10 feet
- Resurfacing and restriping the road
Montgomery County Council member Andrew Friedson, who represents Bethesda, called for design changes along Old Georgetown Road in a September 2022 county council meeting. He recalled the deaths of Jake Cassell, a 17-year-old who was killed in 2019 after being struck by a car, and Enzo Alvarenga, an 18-year-old who was killed along the same stretch of road in June of 2022.
“Pylons were added after Enzo died, the original bike lane happened after Jake died,” Friedson said. “We have to get to a situation where we’re making some of these changes before somebody dies.”
The new improvements are part of the state’s “Vision Zero” plan to eliminate traffic-related deaths.
