The latest illegal road diet implemented by Montgomery County on Little Falls Parkway was the scene of a car crash last night in Bethesda. Two vehicles somehow wound up in the median of the shrunken roadway. Some of the flex poles that create a visual cacophony that distracts and blocks drivers' views of cyclists and pedestrians were dislodged. The road diet between Dorset Avenue and Arlington Road was implemented by the Marxist totalitarian County government, despite opposition by 73% of nearby residents, and of all the neighborhoods that border the impacted stretch of the parkway. So much for "democracy!" Now we see the results. And with the County reducing the road to only one lane in each direction, the accident response and towing operation shut down the parkway in the southbound direction. Let's congratulate our genius County officials for steamrolling over the expressed wishes of their constituents, for destroying a road taxpayers paid for decades ago, and for making us less safe. Heckuva job, Brownie!
34 comments:
I have two requests for clarifications:
1) “Latest illegal road diet” implies that there has been some recent change to this set-up which has existed for several years now. What change has been made recently?
2) How did this set-up play any role in “two vehicles somehow wound up in the median”?
My guess is a driver was following one of the set of line markings that lead you into the median. It's really confusing right now for those who don't regularly drive that parkway - even more so at night. There are multiple sets of line markings.
What time was this accident?
1) A big change was made recently, with the 2 lanes being separated by a grass median again, and the old second lane being converted into an unnecessary, duplicative bike lane.
2) You can see the road diet flex poles were involved in the crash, as some were uprooted.
9:47: Unsure, as police scanner is now encrypted. With the tow truck already on scene, it had likely occurred significantly before these pictures were taken.
9:28: It is total chaos visually, which has made the once-very-safe parkway extremely dangerous.
Remember the "it'll save lives" argument to narrow the lanes?
10:09: Yep - they can't say the community didn't warn them. We're being led by very stupid people.
What time were the pictures taken? Were either of the drivers at the scene, and did you talk to them?
Crash Diet, I see what you did there Dyer...
Please tell me the bikes lanes weren't damaged and remained open!
Shocker said by no one. Nothing will be improved and nothing will be changed. And the bike lanes will continue to go mostly unused.
So, "Marxist" (whether "totalitarian," above; or "radical," in yesterday's item about the "street takeover") is now a go-to expression here--joining "moribund," "Heckuva job, Brownie!", and "Tape over the Check Engine Light"?
Add one more special term, and we can start marking up our Bingo cards!
Bad drivers crash... Pedestrians/cyclists and walkers unhurt due to road setup.. Fixed the story for you..
Can we have a catch all for the do nothing County Executive on the Bingo card ? Gasbag, comrade, clown show, phony come to mind.
Unless you were on a recumbent bike on the Capital Crescent Trail trying to cross four lanes of traffic on this very-safe parkway.
BINGO!
BINGO!
The whole issue here is the county is trying to make a safer pedestrian and cyclist crossing by reducing the number of lanes crossed to improve visibility for drivers. The best idea would have been to simply add a traffic light at the CCT, but for some reason the county thought this was a better idea. The CCT has over 1M users each year, so in my opinion, a stop light made sense, and would leave two lanes in each direction separated by a large landscaped median.
5:50 PM: Even recumbent bikes were required to stop before crossing. The automobile driver was cleared and was not charged in that tragic incident.
Hope the drivers sue the County. The lane markings are a disaster and you can recover from the County or State when their negligent maintenance of roads cause damage. People do it all the time for massive pot holes that destroy rims.
5:57 - Yeah, they could take the "bike signal" from Montgomery Lane and Wisconsin Ave and put it there instead. By the way, how much did that signal cost the taxpayer? No hyperbole like Biden says, that bike signal or bike traffic light has never, ever been used. Fact. Thanks voters!
Would the bikers obey a bike signal? The bikers have a stop sign at each road crossing of this trail but never obey it. Drivers and bikers should both stop at these crossings.
Exactly!
Continue to thank the Councilmember and County Executive candidate Andrew Friedson for this $1.7 million debacle. Bethesda residents should remember Little Falls Parkway when they vote in the June 2026 County primary elections.
Said no one ever.
Silence re the picture. I wonder why!
@3:11 The County Executive, to his immense credit, opposed this reconfiguration of Little Falls Parkway. This project was pushed by the Parks Department and approved by the County Council despite the County Executive’s well-stated objections.
9:53 - That was shocking but absolutely true. Good point.
Shame on MC county for changing LFP. It’s been a hazard and it’s now just ruined
But Somerset and Kenwood are happy because traffic is redirected onto Goldsboro, and Freidson is happy with their donations, and Parks gets to play at traffic design, and the one biker who actually uses it is happy to have half of a parkway all to themselves, and that’s what matters right?
What bikers? I’ve actually never seen a biker on Little Falls Parkway. The bikers and walkers that use the CCT are careful.
5:16 - Both the Town of Somerset and the residents of Kenwood were vehemently opposed to this redesign but they went ahead and did it anyway.
5:17 - except the recumbent biker on the trail who ran the trail stop sign and tragically was killed. Users of the CCT need to follow the rules as well as drivers.
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