I had noticed this Sunday night, when the crew pictured above was working in the northbound lanes of Wisconsin at Leland. I've since heard from residents in Crescent Plaza that they were never notified of this nighttime work, which has run some nights between 10:00 PM to after 4:00 AM.
That led me to get in touch with Steve Martin, who handles noise issues for the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection. Martin confirmed that the mystery road crew had not filed for a nighttime noise waiver with the county. In fact, it was unclear just who these folks were.
Further investigation by Martin determined that the contractors are doing unspecified work for Pepco. He also provided a work schedule for the project, which is expected to be completed next week.
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| Pepco crew working late last night on Wisconsin Avenue |
The problem for residents in this case, is that our DEP doesn't have authority over the Maryland State Highway Administration, according to Martin - although he said he is working to improve communication between the agencies regarding nighttime work. He also hopes to confirm Pepco's possession of an SHA Lane Closure Permit by today.
"While we don’t have the authority to stop this nighttime work," Martin said, "prior notification to nearby residences goes a long way towards minimizing complaints."
Does Dyer knock on people's doors at 4 AM, and ask them if construction noise is driving them crazy?
ReplyDelete9:20 AM Sounds more like downtown Bethesda residents reaching out to Dyer.
ReplyDeleteDyer ignores a lot of readers in his comments so I dunno if he is.
Delete11:35: You must be thinking of another website. I regularly respond to comments and emails from readers, as any longtime reader here knows.
DeleteSure, when it suits you. So many non responded questions and comments in the past two pages alone.
DeleteDyer is more engaged with readers than any other local journo I'm aware of.
ReplyDeleteWhen was the last time a local Post writer responded to comments online?
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DeleteI find Dyer to be responsive. He's covering a very localized beat, and I'm appreciative.
ReplyDeleteDyer is a fantastic local best blogger! His responses with readers though are more argumentative than constructive. He doesn't take opposing opinions or criticism well. His scoops are great though! Nice for us that he has the free time to walk around Bethesda and report on everything for us going to work all day.
DeleteBob B.: love your blog! Keep trolling Dyer while we are at work and every other hour of the day. Maybe you'll be as good as Dyer some day? Well, probably not.
ReplyDeleteHuh? I'm not a blogger and I just said I like Dyer's blog a lot.
DeleteBob B., your standard talking points continue to fail. Nobody is complaining about me taking on trolls posting troll comments other than the couple of trolls who post them. And not only do I report what's going on around town, but I also publish in-depth analysis and investigative reports, and have exposed unethical and criminal activity within the county. You know how many times the Gazette did that while you were "at work"? Zero.
ReplyDeleteHaha Dyer just proved all the points of his "trolls". Reader Bob said dyer was a great blogger and Dyer starts going off on him.
ReplyDelete7:01: Actual readers know Bob B. is actually a troll, using his same talking points about "good blogger, good information, but not a real journalist, 'resentful', etc."
DeleteIt's still constructive criticism from what we are reading, and you are taking it immature
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ReplyDeleteDown with Dyer! He responds to readers. I don't like that. That's why I only read glossy magazines...no reader comments! Down with Dyer!
ReplyDeleteAnd yet Dyer never complains when his shills use the same talking points about "glossy magazines", as though they don't have electronic versions with reader comments (and you don't even have to register with Disqus).
ReplyDeleteThings wouldn't be the same without Dyer's unhinged stalker/troll. The troll has had to cut back, but he's still out there...thinking about Dyer and posting bizarre comments.
ReplyDeleteRead what Bob wrote. That is hardly unhinged. Nor trolling. Not bizarre. Unbelievable if you think that is.
DeleteRead a recent study that found trolls who hate-stalk do it because they want to make the targeted people feel badly about themselves. The trolls feel badly about themselves and resent people who seem to be positive and centered. Seems about right.
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ReplyDelete8:24am is right on the money. Dyer's trolls/stalkers hate themselves and want to spread the hate with their poisonous comments. Sad.
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ReplyDelete@ 8:24 AM - "they want to make the targeted people feel badly about themselves. The trolls feel badly..."
ReplyDeleteAs your hero loves to say, you could use a course in Remedial English.
Also, I thought that the talking point was supposed to be, "you people think everything is perfect".
@ 4:26 AM - Sure looks like that.
ReplyDelete@ 4:32 AM, I meant.
ReplyDeleteWe knew he was deleting obscene and foul posts, but now he is deleting anything he doesn't agree with.
ReplyDelete8:05 AM: False statements about me will be deleted.
ReplyDeleteIf someone thinks you're rude - that's a false statement? And will be deleted?
ReplyDelete4:32: If it's not true, it's a false statement. No actual reader has ever been treated rudely on here, and trolls have been dealt with in admirably restrained fashion, to say the least. Honesty is indeed the best policy.
DeleteSo you are the judge and jury on truth. Whether it relates to someone's "opinion" about you, or your analysis of a local politician's actions being swayed by donors, etc. Got it. Fair and balanced.
Delete@ 4:39 AM:
ReplyDelete"trolls have been dealt with in admirably restrained fashion, to say the least."
I love the way you praise yourself using the passive voice.
What a joke to demand to be treated as an honest journalist and politician and then delete comments that you don't like. That's not honest at all.
ReplyDeleteAn "admirably restrained fashion"? By who's definition? You are just as mean as your trolls.
ReplyDelete6:04: You have absolutely no evidence to back up your false claim.
ReplyDelete6:40: When you rely on the facts, you'll always be right.
ReplyDeleteRead your comments. That's evidence. Hard proof. Just as much so as your evidence and proof for anything you present.
Delete7:42: I "love the way" you often refer to "the passive voice" in your trolling comments. More proof it's the same couple of guys trolling.
ReplyDelete10:18: Can you name an "honest" mainstream media outlet that doesn't delete bigoted, offensive, libelous, racist, defamatory comments? Hint: Zero. It's called a comment policy.
ReplyDeleteSo you are saying you are all the same? Gotcha. I can live with that statement and sentiment.
DeleteThe comment policy includes comments that are someone's opinion stated in a constructive criticism manner? That's how most of us read Bob's comments.
7:36: Regular readers would quickly recognize that "Bob" was one of the couple of trolls who post on here, by the dead giveaway of his repetitive talking points. "Bob"'s comment wasn't even removed!
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ReplyDelete7:37: I invite anyone to read my comments, and they will quickly find you are lying. And they will applaud my handling of the couple of resident trolls in the comment section, which has been far more civil than they deserve.
ReplyDelete8:46: The existence of a political machine and weak economy in Montgomery County are established facts. You making libelous statements about me won't change that. Your libelous statement is deleted. "Cookie cutter concrete canyons" are indeed in the Westbard plan, and the fact that so many residents use that language only proves my point.
ReplyDeleteThinking someone is rude is libelous?
Delete12:55: No, but writing false statements about what I've written is indeed libelous.
DeleteNoting that Dyer tends to use "repetitive talking points", and giving examples of those that he uses regularly, is "libelous"? And then deleting the comment so that readers can't see what was in it?
ReplyDelete5:00: You mentioned all of the content of the deleted comment *except* the libelous statement that caused it to be deleted! It is you who is trying to deceive.
DeleteOk let's see if we got this straight.
ReplyDelete"Moribund economy" - fact
"Existence of a political machine" - fact
"Weak economy" - fact
Dyer's handling of trolls - "applauded"
Others using same talking points as Dyer - "proves [Dyer's] point"
"Concrete canyon" - fact
"Rude" - libelous opinion
"Referring to 'passive voice'" = "trolling"
ReplyDelete"Passive voice" = "proof it's the same couple of guys trolling"
ReplyDeleteSo Dyer is now claiming that pointing out that he is wrong is "writing false statements", and therefore "libelous".
ReplyDelete1:17: Nope. There was a specific false claim made about what I written in comments. A lot of people post comments that disagree, and they are not deleted.
ReplyDeleteWhat did they write that was a false claim? I think if you show the statement (which you agree is false) then the disbelievers will be disproven.
DeleteIt seemed to have been just something dyer disagreed with.
Delete