Old Georgetown Rd. safety upgrades, resurfacing to continue over next year

The Maryland State Highway Administration has sent a mailing to many Bethesda residents regarding a new phase of the Old Georgetown Road resurfacing project they say will continue for another year. It says the next phase will be between Johnson Avenue and the Capital Beltway.

SHA will resurface and restripe the roadway, upgrade curb ramps and bus stops to meet ADA standards, install "detectable warning surfaces," clean drainage systems for better stormwater management, replace curbs and gutters, and install a concrete bus pad in front of a bus stop located between Wyngate Drive and Beech Avenue.

Expect one lane of Old Georgetown in each direction to be closed overnight Sunday through Thursday between 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM, and between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM on weekdays. At times, two lanes may close overnight in each direction. And there will be continuous single or double lane closures Friday night through Monday morning on two particular weekends, during which crews will install the aforementioned bus pad.

One problem with the SHA mailing is it contradicts itself. A large subheading states the project "begins this fall," but two paragraphs later, SHA claims "this work will begin in late spring or summer next year." Somebody needs to proofread these letters before they are printed.