Project confirms reports of
falling ice near tower
WTTG Fox 5 plans to make three upgrades to its transmitter building below the telecommunications tower at 5208 River Road in Bethesda. One of the changes confirms reports of property owners in that industrial area that large shards of ice fall from the 809' tower during the winter months. The TV station will add steel grates to the roof of their building to protect "from falling ice off the adjacent tower."
This vindicates the question raised during the Westbard sector plan process, of whether such falling ice would pose a danger if that industrial area were converted to residential housing. That question was rendered temporarily moot when the Montgomery County Council delayed the rezoning of the industrial area, so that their developer sugar daddies could gain higher profits when a secretly-planned extension of the Purple Line to Westbard and Sumner is built in the future.
Fox 5 also plans to add bracing to their building roof for two additional satellite dishes, and a new railing around the edge of the building's roof. The station estimates the project's total cost to be $80,000. This isn't the only project planned for the tower. Montgomery County will be adding multiple new antennas, its own new building at the base of the tower, and a diesel generator for public safety radio communications.
15 comments:
"This vindicates the question raised during the Westbard sector plan process, of whether such falling ice would pose a danger if that industrial area were converted to residential housing."
No one has proposed building housing directly under the antenna, Dummy.
Let’s me ask again, if the enhanced Westbard is now officially happening, why wouldn’t you support an extension of the Purple Line, at least to Westbard, to help solve the need for enhanced transit. As I suggested, I think the extended track could be a single track width on which trains would reverse direction. Only every other train heading westbound into Bethesda would need to go all the way to Westbard. Leave room, but don’t build the second track until a later phase.
This would save money on rail cost and ROW width, and leave more room for the CCT. I thought that you are a strong supporter of placing new density near existing transit. So now, let’s consider placing new transit near (soon to be) existing density.
Yes, the Purple Line would run along the edge of the new Capital Cresent Civic Green as simple tracks that you can easily walk across, and yes it would cross Woodmont, Bethesda and Dorset at grade, like many light rail transit. And yes, a new trail/train bridge at River Road would be required.
Overall, the cost to do this short single track extension would be much less than the Purple Line Phase One, requiring no new vehicles, maintenance yards or personnel.
In the future, a second track could be added if it ever goes further to the southwest.
"WTTG Fox 5 plans to make three upgrades to its transmitter building below the telecommunications tower at 5208 River Road in Bethesda."
This is not the actual transmitter for Fox 5, which is on Garrison St. NW, behind the Fox 5/WDCA studios.
6:06: No kidding, Saul Alinsky. But understandable a carpetbagger like you doesn't know they have equipment below this tower, too.
5:46: You obviously are uninformed - not only was a residential project floated for the Talbert's/American Plant/Roof Center combined properties, but the ice shards fall as far away as Butler Road. Residential will most definitely be part of any rezoning of the industrial area in the future. The question is, is that compatible with a 800' TV tower directly above?
6:00: Given that a traffic signal has long been proposed for River Road at Landy Lane, they probably wouldn't need a bridge there for trains to cross. I personally was always on-board for a MARC commuter rail route using the existing Georgetown Branch single track between Silver Spring and Georgetown. This was proposed as early as the 1950s by County leaders, and obviously before the CCT was built. But the right-of-way south of the River Road industrial area is too narrow for what they would demand for light rail + trail today.
Cant wait for that CCT bridge to be built over Little Falls Pkwy - moron drivers don't seem to understand that you stop only when pedestrians are present in the crosswalk. Single track all the way down to G'town waterfront would be great.
"Saul Alinsky" and "carpetbagger" in the same sentence. LOL
A single track all the way to Georgetown would probably be too far for only a single track, unless they put in dual tracks at intermediate stations, and carefully times arrivals from both directions. The Purple Line to Georgetown along the CCT would pick up a large number of commuters through an area that lacks transit options.
Everyday I wake up and see Bethesdas #1 Retard spewing more retard bull**** all HAIL retard and the velcro shoes he wears!!
Rertard News Network puts all the other news sites to shame! We are proud of you Retard and will be your support system in this years special olympics!! I am in talks with Nike to get you sponsored a whole new line of Velcro shoes!! Air Tardo TM
Ladies and gentlemen, greet your MoCo Councilman @8:45am
Great to see our elected officials and staff have time to troll local news sites and insult their constituents.
@ Tom Andrews - you forgot to sign your comment at 8:50 AM.
"I personally was always on-board for a MARC commuter rail route using the existing Georgetown Branch single track between Silver Spring and Georgetown."
"I was for the Purple Line, before I was against it."
"Property owners in that industrial area [report] that large shards of ice fall from the 809' tower during the winter months. The TV station will add steel grates to the roof of their building to protect 'from falling ice off the adjacent tower.' This vindicates the question raised during the Westbard sector plan process, of whether such falling ice would pose a danger if that industrial area were converted to residential housing."
If I were you, I'd concentrate on not tripping over your shoelaces.
11:29: Understandable that as a carpetbagger, you don't realize that no version of the Purple Line project ever had Georgetown as a destination.
11:33: Kind of hard to do when you're being killed by an ice shard dropping 800 feet, Einstein.
Bertrand Russell:
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts."
Meh don't worry. Global warming will take care of the ice problem in a few years
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