Cyclists now have their own signal at the intersection of Bethesda and Woodmont Avenues by Bethesda Row. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation has activated the bike crossing signals that were recently installed there. A bicycle icon lights up for each color on the unit, which otherwise resembles a standard traffic signal. Combined with special green crosswalks and a protected bikeway, the signals are the latest bike safety improvement for users of the Capital Crescent Trail, and of the surface route detour for the portion of the trail closed for Purple Line construction.
This bike crossing is very confusing, and doesn’t seem to work for travel in every direction, as there’s no option to turn westbound on Bethesda Ave from Northbound Woodmont Ave. I regularly ride (and walk) through this intersection, and it seems more confusing (and less safe) than before.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of those nasty cars. This is a crazy world we live in.
ReplyDeleteI predict most cyclists will ignore these. What a waste.
ReplyDelete@8:03 - sadly, I think you’re right, but only because this particular implementation is… peculiar.
ReplyDeleteSo far I just see people using them for walking which seems dangerous once a cyclist is whizzing through the bike lane
ReplyDelete@8:55 AM: To add to what 8:03 AM said, I predict most pedestrians will ignore these as well. What a waste indeed.
ReplyDeleteYou're going to have so many Bike vs. Pedestrian accidents when these fully open.
ReplyDeleteHere we go again, government creating a false sense of security.
ReplyDeleteI ride througn this area daily on my work commute. This is a huge improvement and much needed after the closure of the tunnel under 255. Thank you DOT
ReplyDeleteNow if only drivers could be educated to stop at the stop line instead of blocking the bikeway across 355 and pedestrians would use the adjacent crosswalk instead of blocking the bikeway walking three abreast and/or pushing stollers.
-Paul Grothaus