Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Bradley Boulevard speed limit to drop next month in downtown Bethesda

The Maryland State Highway Administration is planning to lower speed limits on another road in Bethesda. This time on the part of Bradley Boulevard between Wisconsin Avenue and Arlington Road. Expect the speed limit to drop to 25 or 30 MPH "on or about" August 2, 2019. 

SHA has made no public announcement regarding the change (other than these electronic signs), the specific new speed limit, how far west the speed change will apply, nor the reasons why the change is being implemented. Bradley currently drops to 30 MPH when it becomes a two-lane road west of downtown Bethesda. I wouldn't rule out SHA dropping the limit to 25 MPH west of downtown Bethesda eventually, given the recent similar change on Wilson Lane.
Current speed limit is 35 MPH
along this stretch of Bradley
There have been ongoing pedestrian safety issues with crosswalks along this stretch just west of The Adagio condos. SHA has attempted to address them with lights and signage, but now is apparently going to also slow traffic down. Narrow lanes, hidden jaywalkers, and the danger of car doors opening in the far right lane often force drivers to go slower than the 35 MPH speed limit here.

But be aware, as police enforcement is likely to begin immediately. At the same time, this remains a critical east-west travel corridor for heavy traffic between Potomac and Chevy Chase, so any slowdown may well increase travel times.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

The war on cars continues. Progressives hate cars and want people to get around based on how THEY want them to, not how the people themselves want to. They love being nannies to us lesser intellectuals.

Anonymous said...

The NPCs of Montgomery County are feeling mucho voter remorse for not electing you, Bob!! Four more years of traffic nightmares from the wingnut Clownty Council!

Anonymous said...

You do realize that with no traffic and traveling at the current speed limit (35 MPH) it would take one 0:1:42 to travel one mile. Take the sample example but lower the speed limit to (25 MPH) and it would take 0:2:24 to travel one mile. Not sure the 41 seconds is drastically increase travel times.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't rule out anyone not following the limit whatever it changes to. And more cameras too which people will get used to, slow down then speed up again after the camera. River Road speed reduction is a joke. People go 60 on that road from Kenwood CC to the beltway.

Anonymous said...

That stretch of Bradley is quite narrow. To address pedestrian safety, the best solution is to ban parking on the stretch from Wisconsin to Arlington. Those mid-block crosswalks just aren't easy to see -- one is on a curve.

When they installed them, they used to allow parking right up to the crosswalk. I wrote to SAH to point out the idiocy of this, and that's why they no longer allow parking one car-length before the crosswalk, but it's still not enough visibility-wise.

Terp Grad Weather said...

I think the Bradley crosswalk at Wisconsin needs to be better timed. Makes no sense for that to change to walk indicators when drivers get green to turn right on Bradley.

Anonymous said...

The war on transit continues. Conservatives hate busses and want people to get around based on how THEY want, not how the people themselves want to. They love being nannies to us lesser intellectuals.

Anonymous said...

Good. Drivers are hurting people, good people. We need to put a stop to the whole thing until we find out what's going on. The people at the SHA are doing tremendous work. Tremendous. People are saying the best work they've ever seen. Believe me. If the drivers don't like it, send them back.

Anonymous said...

7:37 AM
I'm conservative, believe in having a strong public transit system, use Ride On bus and Metro. So, I have not idea what your statement means.

Anonymous said...

They were just pointing out the absurdity of saying that lowering a speed limit on a road through a highly populated area is a "war on cars". It's just as dumb as the annual conservative outrage when a store employee saying "happy holidays" to a customer is proof of a "war on Christmas".

Anonymous said...

I guess we'll see how this speed limit change goes. I already drive slower through that section since there are parked cars, pedestrians and a pretty narrow road.

Meanwhile, the slowing of river road really wasn't needed. I go 35 and folks are flashing their lights and blowing by me. 35 isn't a natural speed for such a road (river).

Anna said...

OMG. It's 5mph for a couple blocks. Sheesh.

Any time it could cause traffic backups, the traffic's already backed up.
I drove this 2x a day for 16 years. It's NBD.

Anonymous said...

This conservative is all for lowering speed limits in urban zones. Density goes up, speed limits go down-that's life.

OTOH "Happy Holidays" is fine. It's when businesses are going all out to make $$$ for a holiday that they will not name that its obvious it is a war.

Anonymous said...

Most dangerous is Cheshire Drive in Wildwood Manor
Police put cameras on grosvenor lane connecting old Georgetown with Rockville pike
Now have people going 80mph down hilly Cheshire Drive as a detour
However there is a school on the block kids playing
It is a real issue that needs investigations and a few speed cameras

Anonymous said...

"Now have people going 80mph down hilly Cheshire Drive as a detour"

I'll take "Things that are Bullshit" for $200, Alex.

Anonymous said...

I live close to this area. While the speed limit reduction is annoying when I'm driving, I have to admit it makes sense. Cars parallel park horribly on the right side headed toward Wisconsin, making it an accident waiting to happen. Because of the curves in the road and the cars on the right, it's also sometimes hard to see when pedestrians are trying to cross. Especially after dark.

Anonymous said...

3:47 - as a Christian myself, why do you care if businesses do that? Honest question. It’s a business. All their marketing campaigns are to make money. Some work. Some don’t. Why is it a big deal to you I’m curious?

Anonymous said...

3:47:

Because people buy Christmas trees on which they put Christmas decorations to celebrate
Christ's birth.

Big Corp and atheist want to pretend it isn't so.

Anonymous said...

With the narrow lanes, curves, bad parking and pedestrian crossings, you need to go slow through there. Now if they could just improve the corner since we can't cut through from Wisconsin to Bradley any more and stack up for three blocks to turn right going south to turn onto Bradley.

Anonymous said...

Probably need to make it one lane as people are too dumb to figure out how to cross the street - better if the government regulates it. This is why we have a bell curve....