HILLANDALE ROAD NOW ENTIRELY CLOSED NEAR LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

The portion of Hillandale Road between Little Falls Parkway and Willett Parkway is now closed indefinitely in both directions. A recent partial collapse of a culvert pipe below the road had caused the inbound lane to close. Now that section of the road is entirely closed, and drivers are being asked to use Arlington Road to detour around it. A statement from Montgomery County Government says that the road section will remain closed "for an undetermined amount of time." 

UPDATE: POLICE CLOSE DOWN PART OF WOODMONT AVE. IN BETHESDA, BOMB SQUAD ON SCENE (VIDEO+PHOTOS)

UPDATE: 11:40 PM

Woodmont Avenue has reopened in Bethesda between Cordell and St. Elmo Avenues, after being shut down by police for several hours in an apparent bomb squad investigation. The area of interest appeared to be the adjacent Public Parking Lot 43 on Woodmont. Specific details of what police were looking for, and why, have not yet been released to the public. See below for video of the bomb squad robot in the 11:13 PM update.

UPDATE: 11:13 PM

Police are wrapping up the scene of an apparent bomb squad investigation, and reopening Woodmont Avenue. There have still been no specific details released to the public about this incident.

Here is a brief video of the bomb squad robot in action:

Montgomery County bomb
squad robot exits truck in
front of Bruce Variety
on Woodmont Avenue in
downtown Bethesda

UPDATE: 9:38 PM

Here are a couple of photos of the bomb squad robot - coming out of the truck, and getting some human assistance:

UPDATE: 9:25 PM

A bomb squad robot has been sent into the parking lot. That is the same lot where a witness said he was told by police he could not enter to retrieve his car. Still no public statement from police on what this is all about.


UPDATE: 9:15 PM

There is still no official word from Montgomery County Police regarding the closure of Woodmont Avenue between Cordell and St. Elmo Avenues in Bethesda this evening. However, I have identified a Montgomery County bomb squad vehicle on-scene. Parking Lot 43 is closed, and a man said police told him he was not allowed to enter the lot to retrieve his car, due to an "incident."

The Bethesda Circulator is being rerouted around the scene.

Original story:

Montgomery County Police have shut down Woodmont Avenue in the vicinity of Public Parking Lot 43, at 8009 Woodmont Avenue. Officers declined to comment on the reason, and would provide no details or information. Fire equipment is on-scene, as well.

1 NB LANE OF WISCONSIN AVENUE WILL BE CLOSED TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY, AUGUST 9

Montgomery County Councilmember Roger Berliner reports that, starting today, one northbound lane of Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) will be closed between Dorset Avenue and Grafton Street in Chevy Chase. The lane will remain closed - at all hours - through Saturday, August 9, for utility work by Verizon.

Councilmember Berliner suggests factoring that into your commuting time, delays those who have sat in jams during previous work further north on Wisconsin will no doubt find familiar.

BATTERY LANE CLOSED BETWEEN MD 355 AND WOODMONT AVE. IN BETHESDA (PHOTO)

Battery Lane is currently closed between Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) and Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The closure was necessary due to crane operations at the 8300 Wisconsin Avenue construction site. It is still possible to enter the Sunoco station via a small detour at the top of Battery at Wisconsin.

SIGNAL FLASHING AT WOODMONT AND ST. ELMO IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA (PHOTO)

The traffic signal at Woodmont and St. Elmo Avenues has power, but is flashing in both directions. This is one of several intersections to have weather-related difficulties around town today. As an already dangerous intersection for pedestrians, extra caution is a must.

LANE CLOSURES JAMMING TRAFFIC IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Poorly-timed lane closures on Old Georgetown Road, Arlington Road and Wilson Lane are causing worse-than-usual traffic congestion in that area of downtown Bethesda tonight.

I'd like to say to take the Northwest Freeway to avoid it, but they never built it. So you're stuck with Wisconsin Avenue as the alternative.

ST. ELMO AVE. REDUCED TO ONE LANE (PHOTO)

There is currently one lane open on St. Elmo Avenue near the Bainbridge Bethesda construction site (near Union Jack's). As you can see, construction operations are utilizing much of the roadway at the moment.

NO DIVING IN THIS BETHESDA DUMPSTER (PHOTOS)

There is some activity at the recently-sold office building at 8003 Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda. It appears a cleaning out, or renovation, may be getting underway, as this dumpster has been placed out front (they have a permit to place it in the street). It will be interesting to see what happens with this building.

BETHESDA-CHEVY CHASE ROAD CONDITIONS UPDATE (PHOTOS)

The parts of Bethesda and Chevy Chase I have driven through this morning have well-treated roads, for the most part. Watch out for the occasional ice patch.

It is currently 14°, but the snow is light in texture, which is a positive for cleaning off cars, and for road conditions. As you can see in these photos taken near the Friendship Heights Metro station and Mazza Gallerie, roads are in good condition. Today's high will be 24° around mid-afternoon, with temperatures plunging to a low of 6° by 6 AM tomorrow morning.

BETHESDA WATER MAIN BREAK UPDATE (PHOTOS)

All lanes of MD 355 are expected to be open for rush hour this morning in downtown Bethesda. WSSC crews completed work on a water main break in the southbound lanes, between Woodmont Avenue and Battery Lane, last evening. Crews were at work on a nearby site, as well, in the 4700 block of Chestnut Street:

Photos by Jason Yang

WATER MAIN BREAK SHUTS ALL SB LANES OF MD 355 IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA BETWEEN BATTERY AND WOODMONT

A water main break has closed all southbound lanes of Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) in downtown Bethesda between Woodmont Avenue and Battery Lane. Use Old Georgetown Road as an alternate route.

LANE CLOSURES AGAIN ON WISCONSIN AVENUE IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

You know the drill: expect several lane closures in both directions if you are taking Wisconsin Avenue through downtown Bethesda tonight.

DEL RAY AVENUE CLOSED BETWEEN NORFOLK AND RUGBY IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Del Ray Avenue is closed tonight between Norfolk and Rugby Avenues in downtown Bethesda.

The street has been torn open down the middle, but then abandoned with no explanation as to what the reason is.

PEPCO WORK CLOSES LANES ON WOODMONT AVENUE IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Pepco crews are working on Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda, between Battery Lane and St. Elmo Avenue. One lane is closed in each direction near Rugby Avenue. One lane is closed northbound, starting at Bruce Variety.

UTILITY WORK CLOSES LANES ON WISCONSIN AVENUE IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA TONIGHT (PHOTOS)

Utility work has closed 2 northbound lanes, and 1 southbound lane, of Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) between Cordell and Cheltenham in downtown Bethesda.

The utility is unidentified, but there are pipes on a flatbed truck at the scene. They were just getting set up when these photos were taken, so it could be a long night.

MACARTHUR BOULEVARD CLOSED AT MARYLAND AVENUE FOR HOUSE FIRE IN BETHESDA (PHOTO)

A house fire in Bethesda has caused a temporary closure of MacArthur Boulevard at Maryland Avenue (near Sangamore Road) in Bethesda.

Take Clara Barton Parkway or River Road as an alternate route.

CRANE ACTIVITY CLOSES AUBURN AVE. BETWEEN NORFOLK AND RUGBY IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

A crane, mounted on a flatbed truck, was being used on Auburn Avenue earlier, requiring a temporary closure of the street between Norfolk and Rugby Avenues. My guess would be that it was construction-related. But it was not a big deal trafficwise.

AVOID INTERSECTION OF OLD GEORGETOWN AND ARLINGTON IN BETHESDA - UTILITY WORK (PHOTOS)

Utility work has made a mess for traffic at the major Bethesda intersection of Old Georgetown Road, Wilson Lane, Arlington Road, and St. Elmo Avenue in Bethesda.

There are lane closures on Old Georgetown inbound, St. Elmo westbound, and Wilson Lane. I would suggest detouring onto Wisconsin or Woodmont to avoid this area.

ACCIDENT IN BETHESDA CAUSING LANE CLOSURES, TRAFFIC JAM ON OLD GEORGETOWN ROAD (PHOTOS)

A vehicle rear-ended another on Old Georgetown Road near the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad at Battery Lane a short while ago. Northbound Old Georgetown is reduced to 1 lane, causing a traffic backup. Expect delays, but all southbound lanes are open.