PIKE DISTRICT STREET GRID PROJECT ADVISED TO PUT BIKE, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ABOVE TRAFFIC FLOW

Montgomery County Planning Department staff are recommending approval of a Montgomery County Department of Transportation street grid project in North Bethesda's Pike District (a.k.a. White Flint). But they are suggesting changes that would improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians with disabilities.

The new Executive Boulevard was originally shown to have a 5th turning lane in the MCDOT project plan. Planning staff are recommending that center lane be deleted to make room for a pair of 6' bike lanes. Those lanes would also be separated from traffic by an additional 2' buffer. The on-street bike lanes would also replace the original concept of bikes using a parallel shared-use path.

Proposed design for intersection
of future Executive Boulevard at
Market Street

To improve safety for those with disabilities, planners are advising MCDOT bump out the curb corners at the intersection of Executive and Market Street, and add two additional wheelchair-accessible ramps to those already planned. Those ramp access points would be widened to 10', and relocated as needed to accommodate the new configuration of the intersection.

The curb bumpouts would also make the intersection compliant with the County's recently updated road code for urban areas, which reduced the crossing distance for pedestrians at intersections.

The project is scheduled to be considered by the Montgomery County Planning Board at its March 12 meeting.

Rendering courtesy Montgomery County Planning Department