River Rd. traffic signal advocates: warning flashers aren't enough for Bethesda intersection where 3 died

The Maryland State Highway Administration made its first public statements Monday on the signals it has begun installing at the intersection of River Road and Braeburn Parkway/Pyle Road in Bethesda. No announcement was made, and no community representatives or politicians were informed, before I broke the story here on this blog Sunday (although I am receiving no credit from other media outlets for the scoop; they apparently became aware of it via ESP, a la Obi Wan Kenobi). Advocates who have asked for a full signalized intersection, potentially relocating it to the current pedestrian path that crosses River at Pyle Road, are disappointed they were not informed prior to the SHA action. Three people died when their car was struck while turning left at the intersection in February.

My reporting that the signal poles installed so far were at a distance appropriate for warning flashers has now been confirmed by the SHA. The signals will consist of flashing warning lights and signage that will be triggered by cars queuing up to turn onto Braeburn Parkway from either the westbound or eastbound side of River. In addition, cars on Braeburn will no longer be able to turn left onto River Road. The cost of the project is estimated at $300,000, according to the SHA.

Advocates for a full traffic signal at the intersection said this is a stopgap measure, and that they hope to continue dialogue with the SHA on a more comprehensive solution. Opponents of a signal, some of which have commented on my original post, say the tragic accident was caused by an isolated incident - the extremely reckless driving of the individual who struck the Whitman-bound Bethesda family, while traveling up to 115 MPH in the westbound lanes before the impact, at which time police say he had braked to 75 MPH. Residents of Bannockburn have been calling for a signal there for decades, but the SHA has heretofore said engineering studies did not justify a signal or other lights, including the type it is now installing.

In an email message to residents of Bannockburn, resident Richard Boltuck wrote that he and other advocates had been in the process of scheduling a next meeting with SHA representatives, when the installation of the lights began without notice this past weekend. The SHA plans now being executed "fall far short of meeting the objectives the community set for itself at the May 24th community meeting, and are in fact half-measures that do not resolve the inherent safety issues with the design of the Braeburn Pkwy. intersection, or the dangers faced by pedestrians in the nearby, unprotected, crosswalk," Boltuck wrote.

However, Boltuck added that he is hearing indirectly from sources that the SHA is not considering this the end of upgrades at the intersection, and will continue dialogue with the community. "The community delegation remains ready to continue meeting with SHA to discuss the more significant improvements needed to achieve as much safety as possible," he wrote.

Interestingly, the SHA website was down all weekend, and part of Monday. The signal installation project still does not appear on the SHA's project map, nor on the official list of SHA projects in Montgomery County, despite apparently receiving $300,000 in funding. And the press release that was issued yesterday is posted nowhere on the website that I can find for review by the public.