FAA drops flight path change over Bethesda

Residents have scored a temporary victory in the air wars over western Bethesda. The Federal Aviation Administration just announced it is dropping a proposed Reagan National Airport departure flight path change that would have increased airplane noise over western Bethesda neighborhoods along the Potomac River. Called LAZIR-B, the proposal went through an extensive review process and stirred outrage among affected Northwest D.C. and Bethesda neighborhoods. It would have moved the departure route closer to - and in some spots over - Bethesda homes.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center Director Ken Hartman represents Montgomery County on the Reagan National Community Noise Working Group. The group overwhelmingly endorsed two recommendations by Montgomery County, which would have kept planes as close to the center of the river as possible, at its November 3 meeting. Combined with overwhelming resident and official opposition, the result was the FAA canceling its plan, which had been advertised as increasing efficiency and lowering the environmental impacts of jet travel.

In a statement, the FAA said it would continue to support the efforts of the Community Noise Working Group.

FAA schedules meeting on proposed flight path change toward Bethesda

Updated 12:00 AM September 3: The meeting location has been moved to downtown Bethesda due to "Back to School Night" at Westland MS. Please note the new location below

A public workshop will be held on September 15 to discuss a proposed flight path change from Reagan National Airport along the Potomac River. The meeting will be held at 6:30 PM at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, which is located at 4805 Edgemoor Lane in Bethesda.

Under the proposed change, the path of jets departing Reagan National would move 1525' closer to the Maryland side of the Potomac from its current departure route. Essentially, neighborhoods in McLean would get a relative break at Bethesda and Palisades residents' expense (though, considering both communities are very wealthy, one has to wonder what would tip the political scales in any particular direction in this case). In official terms, however, the change is part of the NextGen program that the Federal Aviation Administration expects to have significant environmental and efficiency benefits.

Among those predicted benefits, the FAA says, will be the saving of 2.1 million gallons of jet fuel, and 18200 metric tons of carbon. The new flight paths will also improve on-time performance of airlines operating out of major U.S. cities, the agency forecasts.

The FAA says its "noise modeling" of May 2016 tells them that "there would be no significant noise impact" on communities near the new flight path. It should be noted that computer modeling is not the same as measuring actual noise levels in the real world environment.

Attendees will be able to speak individually with experts, and comment on the proposed flight path change. Those comments will be reviewed by the FAA before it makes its final determination this fall.

Map courtesy FAA

Car stolen on Walsh St., sex offense at Suburban Hospital + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 25, according to crime data:

Theft. 4800 block Moorland Lane.

Assault. 4500 block East-West Highway.

Stolen car. 4500 block Walsh Street at 9:35 PM.

"Other sexual offense." Suburban Hospital at 8:59 PM.

Assault. 5600 block Bent Branch Road at 7:33 AM (Tulip Hill).

Theft. 5500 block Friendship Boulevard.

Drug arrest. 5200 block Tuckerman Lane.

Theft. 10400 block Old Georgetown Road.

Theft. 11300 block Hollowstone Drive (Pike District).

Liquor arrest. 4800 block Boiling Brook Parkway at 7:57 PM (Randolph Hills).

Theft. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

2 HOMES BURGLARIZED IN MOHICAN HILLS AREA OF BETHESDA - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Two homes were burglarized Friday night in the Mohican Hills area of Bethesda. One on Bent Branch Road in the Tulip Hill subdivision was hit early in the evening. Just over two hours later, a second burglary was reported nearby on Dahlonega Road in Mohican Hills.

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on January 16, according to crime data:

Drug arrest. Del Ray Avenue at Old Georgetown Road.

Theft. 4400 block Montgomery Avenue.

Burglary. 6200 block Dahlonega Road at 9:34 PM (Mohican Hills).

Burglary. 5700 block Bent Branch Road at 7:24 PM (Tulip Hill).

Theft. White Flint Mall (Lord & Taylor is the only store open; the main mall building is closed).

Theft. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

Vehicle burglary. Corner Bakery (Westlake Drive).

Burglary. 7000 block Brickyard Road.