Ride On 23 will not service 9 Bethesda stops during long-term Ridgefield Road/Westbard Avenue construction detour

UPDATE: MCDOT has confirmed that the actual closure of Ridgefield Road is set for 12:00 AM on June 5, 2022. The decision was made because the Maryland State Highway Administration would only allow Montgomery County to shut the road down on a weekend, and at night. Expect the Ride On detour to begin on June 5, then.

There's more bad news on the Ridgefield Road closure front in Bethesda. For at least 12 months of the closure of Ridgefield between River Road and Westbard Avenue, Ride On Route 23 will drop 9 of its usual bus stops in Bethesda. The bus will detour around the construction using Little Falls Parkway, and rejoin the rest of its stops at Westbard and Massachusetts Avenue when bound toward Sibley Hospital, and the reverse when heading toward the Friendship Heights Metro station. Detours begin June 1, 2022 or June 6, 2022 and will end on May 31, 2023, according to the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT tweet says "June 1," but its detour announcement says "June 6." I am awaiting a response from MCDOT and will update as soon as I hear back).

A Ride On Flex shuttle bus will operate between the Westwood Shopping Center on Westbard and the Ride On stops still operating on Massachusetts. It will turn around on Fort Sumner Drive and head back to the shopping center.

A Ride On Flex shuttle bus like this will
operate between the Westwood Shopping Center
and Massachusetts Avenue to replace the
Westbard Avenue stops of Route 23

Stops between Little Falls Parkway and Ridgefield Road along River Road? Well, you're out of luck, according to Montgomery County. So if you rely on Ride On 23 to get to Whole Foods, McDonald's, 7-Eleven or Talbert's, you're out of business for at least a year. Although the official County announcement does not mention this, if you are a River Road rider who needs to get to and from the Friendship Heights Metro station, the T2 Metrobus is another option.

Folks like this who rely on 
Ride On 23 along River Road are
about to get some tough love from
Montgomery County

The detour plan discriminates against Ride On 23 riders, and discourages use of transit at a time when gasoline prices are at an all-time high. This is only the latest transit failure related to the 2016 Westbard sector plan. The County Council already eliminated the proposed Westbard Transit Hub, and a Westbard-Friendship Heights Metro free shuttle bus, from the plan prior to approving the document. More recently, the Council voted to end free Ride On service, instituting a $1 fare that will take effect July 1, 2022.

"Elections have consequences."
- President Barack Obama

Thieves in white car checking door handles in southwest Bethesda neighborhoods

A resident of Sumner reported that a group of people were walking the streets of that neighborhood around 4:30 AM last Friday morning checking car door handles, and rummaging through vehicles that were unlocked. They were being followed all the way by a white car, which the resident's doorbell camera documented, and which they have shared with police. The group was also spotted by another resident in the Springfield neighborhood, across Massachusetts Avenue, a favorite corridor of auto thieves.

Make sure your car doors are locked, and all valuables removed from the interior. Never leave your keys or key fob in the glove compartment or ignition. Report any suspicious activity to police at 301-279-8000, or 911 if it is an emergency.

3rd car in 3 days stolen from same Bethesda neighborhood

Auto thieves made it a trifecta in the Oakwood Knolls area of Bethesda on Memorial Day. A third vehicle was stolen from the community in as many days on Monday. The latest theft was reported in the 6400 block of Kirby Road in Oakwood Knolls at 7:32 AM, yesterday. Two other cars were stolen from the neighborhood on Saturday.

A fourth car was stolen in the 8100 block of Thoreau Drive in the nearby West Bethesda Park neighborhood, on the other side of Thomas W. Pyle Middle School over the weekend. In that case, the thieves drove the vehicle around another car parked behind it in the driveway, and across the victim's lawn, to make the getaway. It is plural "thieves," because it takes a group to steal more than one car at the same time, and that is increasingly the case in Bethesda in recent years. Several vehicles in Oakwood Knolls were also rummaged through over the weekend, with property stolen from some.

Taco Fresco for sale in Bethesda - but still open for business

Taco Fresco at 4708 Highland Avenue in Bethesda is available for sale, according to an online listing. The taco carry-out remains open for business. In fact, they just introduced breakfast tacos to the menu. The asking price for the business is $190,000, which does not include the building; their lease runs through September 15, 2028.

Taco Fresco sale listing

Taco Fresco only opened last November, so as the listing states, most of the restaurant's equipment is just over six months old. The out-of-the-way location off the main drag of Wisconsin Avenue isn't high-visibility, but previous tenants like Delicias have been able to build a solid customer base there over time. If you are looking for a small-space, turnkey opportunity to start a carry-out business in Bethesda, this could be the right spot for the right concept. 

Bethesda Place plaza renovation update (Photos)

Here's a look at the latest progress on the renovation of the plaza at Bethesda Place at 7701 Woodmont Avenue. What's new? Seating areas that include tables and chairs, and much of the landscaping work. Some of the plantings still have growing to do.

Pickpocket strikes at Bethesda Row

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a pickpocket incident at Bethesda Row late yesterday afternoon. The victim reported the theft in the 7200 block of Woodmont Avenue, according to crime data. Watch your wallet!

Foxtrot market "coming soon" at Bethesda Row

The first visible sign of the arrival of Foxtrot, a market and cafe opening soon at Bethesda Row, has appeared. Coming-soon signage has been placed in the windows of its future storefront at 7262 Woodmont Avenue. Foxtrot will take the place of Mussel Bar, which closed last month.

Cordell Avenue utility work continues over holiday weekend

Pepco's Woodmont Triangle contractor isn't getting Memorial Day Weekend off. Replacement of a major underground electrical cable continues along Cordell Avenue, between Old Georgetown Road and Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Both blocks remain open to traffic during the project.

2 cars stolen in same Bethesda neighborhood

Two cars were reported stolen in the Oakwood Knolls neighborhood of Bethesda early yesterday morning. One was parked in the driveway of a home in the 6000 block of Kirby Road. The second was in a driveway in the 7600 block of Newmarket Drive, five block away. 

The mulitiple thefts suggest an organized team is once again prowling residential streets in that area between Walt Whitman High School and Thomas W. Pyle Middle School off Wilson Lane. Remember to lock car doors, remove all visible objects from the interior, and never leave your keys or key fob in the ignition or glove compartment.

Replacement murals installed at entrance to Bethesda Avenue parking garage (Photos)

A week after a decade-old set of murals by artist Kilmany-Jo Liversage vanished at Bethesda Row, a replacement set was installed. The new panels replace the old ones along the driveway leading to the Bethesda-Elm Public Parking Garage 57 on Bethesda Avenue. They are decidedly more understated than the street art-inspired works they supplanted. My initial reaction is that I prefer the Liversage murals to these, but let's see what others think in the comments below.

Inflation raising prices faster than some Bethesda restaurants can print new menus

Inflation is hitting hard in even wealthy areas like Bethesda, on everything from groceries to gasoline. Restaurants are not immune. Mamma Lucia has posted a sign at its 4916 Elm Street location to alert diners that inflation has caused the price of menu items to slightly increase. It says those higher prices are not yet reflected on their printed menu, and that newly-printed menus will be arriving in the near future, thanking diners for their support.

Nighttime utility work ahead at intersection of River and Ridgefield Rds. in Bethesda

Be prepared for nighttime utility work starting Tuesday, May 31 until Wednesday, July 1, 2022 at the intersection of River Road and Ridgefield Road in Bethesda. Temporary lane closures will be necessary at times during the work; watch for flagmen directing traffic. The work will be done between 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM each night to avoid traffic issues during daytime hours, and will take four weeks to complete, weather permitting. That location is very close to homes in Kenwood, but the contractor is promising to mitigate the noise as much as possible.

Ridgefield Road to close for 16 months in Bethesda on June 5, 2022

Ridgefield Road between River Road and Westbard Avenue will close for 16 months in the Westbard area of Bethesda beginning on or about June 5, according to digital signs posted on Westbard. When those signs appeared April 28, there was no prior warning, input opportunity or notification for the community. Close June 5 - Why? For how long? What were the plans to deal with the cut-through traffic, logistical problems and public safety dangers the closure of the primary access road to the neighborhood would create? In the ensuing weeks, I would seek answers to those questions from the Montgomery County Department of Transportation and Regency Centers.

For some background, the redevelopment now underway at the Regency Centers properties along Ridgefield and Westbard is the result of a process that formally began in 2014. It's important to keep in mind that at no time in those eight years, did the Montgomery County Planning Board or County Council ever publicly inform the community that Ridgefield Road would close for any extended period. A realignment of Westbard to meet River Road directly was part of the Westbard sector plan recommendations approved in 2016, but a total road closure for the duration of that work was not mentioned.

The initial approval of the 16-month closure by MCDOT, and thus the placement of the digital announcement signs, came out of the blue as a result. And once again, the County Council was asleep at the switch, as a decision with tremendous impact on the community passed with no one representing the interests of that community. Not only was there no public forum to discuss these impacts and consult with nearby residents, but no letter from Montgomery County nor the developer was mailed to those residents still as of this writing.

I don't believe MCDOT was fully aware of the logistical issues unique to the location that make such a closure extremely challenging in the Westbard area when it initially approved the decision. It took some time to get answers from the department, because I believe they were now looking more in-depth at the issues I raised. MCDOT eventually informed me it was scheduling a meeting with Regency Centers and several County agencies to discuss possible alternatives to the total closure, and would let me know what conclusion was reached.

A week later, that meeting was held. "During the meeting, it was confirmed that the closure of Ridgefield Road is necessary and the project phasing is appropriate," an email to me from the chief of MCDOT's Traffic Engineering and Operations Division after the meeting said. "The need to close Ridgefield Road as proposed revolves around the presence of utilities and these utilities are located along portions of the existing and proposed alignment."

"The complication with the utilities being arranged in such a way is that it is impossible to construct the new alignment while leaving the existing alignment in place for through traffic without terminating utility (telecom, water, sewer) service to the community for an extended period of time.  To avoid this untenable interruption, the phasing plan requiring a 16-month closure, was approved."

"MCDOT understands that the closure will add travel times for motorists in the area. Our office [is] working with other agencies to evaluate and mitigate impacts to the local community that may result from cut through traffic. As these efforts progress, we will reach out to you with any relevant, updated information."

So, the total closure is going forward as planned.

Here are some of the issues that I raised:

Cut-through traffic - It's not the fault of MCDOT or Regency Centers, but just reality that it is virtually impossible to prevent cut-through traffic in this situation. No detailed plans about cut-through traffic have been forwarded to me yet, but as I suspected, signs reading "Local Traffic Only" are being installed at locations like the Springfield Drive entrance to the Springfield neighborhood.

Signs like this are easily sped past by drivers. It would require an actual person to stop each vehicle and confirm the driver's address, and this is never done, and few people would want it to be done even if it were possible. As it stands, the official detours are directing drivers to take Little Falls Parkway or Goldsboro Road to Westbard Avenue.

"Local Traffic Only" sign at
River Road and Springfield Drive

Limited road connections in the Westbard area - Canceled or unbuilt road connections between River and Westbard, and existing restrictions on roads like Little Falls Parkway and Westbard Avenue, mean that the detours laid out for the closure will be too inconvenient for most drivers. For example, trucks cannot use Little Falls Parkway, it is illegal (not to mention dangerous) to make a left turn from Westbard onto River, and right turns onto Westbard from River are prohibited during some hours of the day. 

Will drivers go all the way around to Goldsboro Road and down Massachusetts Avenue and up Westbard to reach the Giant? Not likely. They'll cut through Springfield on Springfield and Ridgefield.

Increase in emergency response time - When police and fire units respond to emergencies in the Westbard area, they usually (with the exception of the Glen Echo Fire Department) come up Ridgefield to Westbard, which is much faster than using Springfield or Westbard to reach Ridgefield. That's partly because Ridgefield above Westbard, and Westbard between River and Ridgefield, have speed bumps that add up to eight seconds per bump to response times for large fire vehicles. They simply take longer to navigate than taking River to Ridgefield to Westbard.

This could be a major issue if there is a large fire at one of the high-rises on Westbard, for example.

Springfield Drive/River Road intersection has low capacity - When sidewalks were added to Springfield, someone made the decision to drop the block of Springfield between River and Ridgefield to one lane in each direction. Combined with the long traffic light cycle at the intersection, it can handle only a few cars at a time, and sometimes gets backed up now. Since you can't turn left out of Westbard to River, many people will take Ridgefield up through the neighborhood, and turn right onto Springfield to get back on River at that light. This may create quite a traffic jam in a residential neighborhood.

Pre-positioned sign on
Ridgefield Road with a
cover over it

Impact on businesses at the Westwood Shopping Center - Some patrons of businesses in the Westwood Shopping Center, which is owned by Regency and is where the first construction project is now underway, may decide the roundabout detours aren't worth the extra time and $5.00 gas.

These are just some of the major impacts that will affect the community during the closure. Hopefully I will be proven wrong about my concerns.

I will say that, with the exception of this closure announcement, Regency Centers has provided more detailed information about the redevelopment project and schedule than I have ever seen for a development in Montgomery County. And so far, the information has been accurate, and has been very helpful. As far as the major road closure ahead, plan ahead for some major complications for an extended period, and stay tuned here for further updates throughout the process.

Josephine gluten-free bakery "coming soon" in Bethesda

There is now "coming soon" signage at the future gluten-free bakery I reported 11 days ago would be opening at 4927 St. Elmo Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Josephine Artisan Gluten-Free Bakery will serve "savory and sweet waffles" and pastries. The space was formerly home to Bone Jour, which has moved to 4922 Del Ray Avenue.

Armed robbery in Friendship Heights

UPDATE - 5:48 PM: The story has been updated with further details from the Montgomery County Police Department

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery in Friendship Heights early Wednesday afternoon, May 25, 2022. The robbery was reported in the 4500 block of Willard Avenue at 1:35 PM, according to crime data.

According to police, a USPS mail carrier had just made his deliveries at The Willoughby, and exited the building. A black male waiting in front of The Willoughby approached him, and demanded property from the postal worker at gunpoint. The suspect then fled on foot.

I am hearing that the property included the mail carrier's arrow key, which opens all of the mailboxes in a specific area, but that detail has not yet been publicly confirmed by investigators. Police say they are investigating the incident in tandem with the USPS.

Woodmont Corner garage mural update (Photos)

The painstaking progress continues at the Woodmont Corner Public Parking Garage 11 in downtown Bethesda. An artist commissioned by the Bethesda Urban Partnership is painting a mural on the Old Georgetown Road facade of the parking deck. It is now beginning to take some shape, as a person is emerging from the concrete and sketch marks.

Tornado watch issued for Montgomery County, Washington, D.C., parts of Maryland and Virginia until 2 PM

Montgomery County is under a tornado watch until 2:00 PM today, May 27, 2022. The National Weather Service has issued the tornado watch for Washington, D.C., and large portions of Maryland and Virginia. A tornado watch means that weather conditions may generate one or more tornadoes in our area. Isolated hail up to a quarter in size is possible. Winds may gust up to 70 MPH.

Violent thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening. The area is under a flood watch until 11:00 PM tonight. High temperature today will be 74 degrees. Accuweather is predicting thunderstorms are likely between 3:00 and 6:00 PM today, and around 9:00 PM tonight.

If a tornado is reported in your area, move quickly into a basement level or interior room. Take a flashlight and listen to local weather information on a cellphone or battery-powered radio. In advance of storms, take the opportunity to charge your cellphone. Remove any items that might blow away from your yard or balcony.

Cordell Avenue utility project continues another day in Bethesda (Photos)

A utility crew is still working on Cordell Avenue between Old Georgetown Road and Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda today. They've been working for over a week now, replacing an underground electric power cable. Today they have a massive camoflauge truck, but they forgot to use urban camo, so it is still visible. Traffic is able to get by, because they have bagged the meters as necessary to provide a lane in each direction.