Wisconsin Avenue resurfacing continued overnight in Bethesda

How is this still going on? Wisconsin Avenue was being resurfaced in front of the Hyatt Regency Bethesda hotel way back on August 6, 2025. But over the night into this morning, the southbound lanes of Wisconsin were closed for resurfacing work. The road was heavily damaged by a water main break in the beginning of August, but why the repairs are still being done after Labor Day is inexplicable. 

WSSC repairs damage to Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda (Video + Photos)

Water utility WSSC led a major repair effort overnight in Bethesda, to get Wisconsin Avenue back into shape between Old Georgetown Road and Montgomery Avenue. The roadway was damaged by a water main break on Monday. WSSC removed the damaged section of 8' pipe from below the street yesterday, and then made preparations to resurface the road. A WSSC crew, contractors, and the Maryland State Highway Administration were all on the scene Tuesday night into this morning, resurfacing the street in front of the Hyatt Regency Bethesda hotel. 

Pumphrey Funeral Home in Bethesda gets new signage (Photos)

The main signage in front of the Robert A. Pumphrey Funeral Home at 7557 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda has been replaced. Gone is the large retro font, but the new signs make room for a notation of the family business' incredible run of operation since 1854. They also resemble tombstones in many ways, which is quite appropriate given the business at hand. Pumphrey's has shown a funereal sense of humor in the recent past, with its "CASKET" vanity-plated vehicle. Needless to say, the funeral home has been a landmark near the crossroads of Wisconsin and East-West Highway, even outlasting Hot Shoppes!

Vacant Bethesda bank to become...another bank

It may not be an exaggeration to say that more banks are opening than restaurants these days in Bethesda. That's going to be the case again at 8101 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. This former TD Bank would have made an ideal fast food restaurant, with a drive-thru already in place. But it has now been leased by Citibank, which will be opening a new branch here. Construction is set to begin before summer.

Daylight reveals more damage from Bethesda auto accident (Photos)

Broad daylight yesterday revealed the full extent of damage caused by a vehicle that jumped the curb in the 7800 block of Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda late Tuesday night. Several signs, parking meters, and at least one street tree were knocked over or destroyed, as the car traveled a significant distance northbound on the sidewalk. No information about the cause of the accident has been released, which is why I have used the term "vehicle" instead of "driver," as the reason the car left the roadway is not known at this time. However, it is rare that police release a statement about non-fatal accidents, so we may not learn what exactly transpired here. Hopefully, Montgomery County and the Maryland State Highway Administration can recover the costs of this damage for the taxpayer.

Late night auto accident topples signs in Bethesda (Photos)

A vehicle traveling northbound in the 7800 block of Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda overnight left the roadway, striking several objects on the sidewalk. Shortly after midnight, Montgomery County police were at the accident scene, in front of CVS Pharmacy and United Bank. At least two signs had been toppled, and the damaged vehicle was immobile in the right lane. A tow truck was maneuvering to haul the car away. It is not currently known why the vehicle mounted the curb for a substantial distance, if another vehicle might have been involved, or if there were any injuries.

Tow truck backs up to haul the
damaged vehicle away

New Wisconsin Avenue traffic signals fully-operational in downtown Bethesda (Photos)

The new traffic signals at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) and Middleton Lane are now fully-operational, the culmination of a years-long advocacy effort by residents in East Bethesda. Pedestrian button controls have been uncovered, and are functioning. The new signals were installed by the Maryland State Highway Administration with the primary goal of making it safer for pedestrians to cross in this area. Pedestrians attempting to cross MD 355 can activate a red signal for Wisconsin; the lights otherwise function like any standard traffic signal, with a green, yellow and red cycle governing traffic entering the intersection from both streets.

New pedestrian crossing signal activated in downtown Bethesda (Video + Photos)

A new pedestrian crossing signal on downtown Bethesda's main drag has been activated by the Maryland State Highway Administration. However, the pedestrian control boxes that would be used to activate the red light when attempting to cross are still wrapped, so it is not fully operational yet. The new lights are at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) and Middleton Lane.  

MDSHA installing traffic signals at Bethesda intersection where 2 pedestrians were struck in 2019 (Photos)

The Maryland State Highway Administration is installing new traffic signals on Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) at Middleton Lane in downtown Bethesda. Two pedestrians were struck in the crosswalk there in 2019, but residents of East Bethesda had been asking for the signal long before that. State Highway engineers initially concluded additional signals were not warranted there, but announced they would install crossing signals at three intersections after the 2019 incident. The signals that have been installed are not yet operational, so it is currently unclear if they will operate with other timed signals along MD 355 and additional signals facing Middleton, or only when activated by pedestrians seeking to cross.