All southbound lanes of Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) will between Bethesda Avenue and Elm Street on Saturday, January 16, 2021 from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. A flagman and police officer will direct southbound traffic into one northbound lane, which will be converted into a southbound lane during those hours.
During the closure, Crane Service Company, Inc. will erect a 75-ton crane that will be used to hoist steel for future construction work in that area, Montgomery County officials said yesterday. They did not indicate the specific project or property the crane is being constructed for. Woodmont Avenue would ordinarily be a detour, but it is closed at Elm Street and Bethesda Avenue for the Bethesda Streetery.
This is great news! It looks like they are getting ready to continue on the construction of the new south entrance to the Bethesda Metro, and grade level work on the Purple Line Station.
ReplyDeleteThey will be building two high speed elevators and a stair that connects down to the Purple Line Station, which will also extend down to the Red Line mezzanine level. These will be in a glass and stainless steel structure near Elm Street. Below grade, four more high speed elevators will connect the Purple Line Station level to the Red Line Mezzanine.
A separated elevator, stair and escalator will connect the street level and the Purple Line station level, in a second structure located in the middle of the plaza, and will include a large green roof. This structure is rumored to include an electronic message board for Fox5 News.
The Purple Line station below grade is proposed to include a very large mural, along one long wall of the train platform. Mostly purple and pink, the mural depicts an abstract composition of Cherry blossoms. A vertical screen in front of the mural will allow Purple Line riders to view a series of animated images that simulate the kinetic “blooming” of the flowers as the train pull in or out of the station. This could be a very iconic artwork.