Update on dangerous Bradley Boulevard crosswalks in Bethesda

Two and half months ago, I reported on the dangerous - and seemingly abandoned - pedestrian crossing at Bradley Boulevard near Offutt Lane. The crossing signals there, and at another crosswalk further up at Strathmore Street, were not connected. I have finally gotten some information back from the Maryland State Highway Adminstration on what's going on there.

You may recall that there were not only barrels laying in the pedestrian cut-through in the median island at the Offutt-vicinity crossing, but that residents complained parking was being allowed right up against these crosswalks. The latter issue was blocking drivers' views of pedestrians who would be entering the crosswalks.

A MDSHA representative says a solution is likely at least 60 days away. He pointed to PEPCO as the major issue in the failure to connect the signals to the electrical system. In regard to parking, he said that the SHA hired a contractor to study these crosswalks and recommend changes. Her contract with the state apparently ran out in late spring, grinding the process to a halt. She is expected back on the job within the next couple of weeks, however, and should make those recommendations.

Overall, it gives you an excellent sense of how government works (or doesn't, in this case). Residents can point out what's wrong in a few minutes here, but it takes government months just to start studying it. Meanwhile, as the SHA rep noted, the state and local governments apparently have no leverage to force PEPCO to do the work here any faster.

Stay tuned - and stay safe out there.