Strong-arm robbery in downtown Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a strong-arm robbery in downtown Bethesda last night, November 25, 2023. The robbery was reported along the street in the 7600 block of Old Georgetown Road at 8:10 PM Saturday night. That is outside of the Metropolitan apartments.

CenturyLink fiber optic cable down along Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda (Photos)

A CenturyLink fiber optic cable fell down on the sidewalk outside 7830 Old Georgetown Road several weeks ago, but the company has yet to come out to make repairs. It's unknown how many CenturyLink customers in Bethesda are impacted by this broken connection. Electric utility Pepco has even sent a crew out to investigate, after apparently receiving calls from good Samaritans who thought it might be theirs. Pepco has attached a sticker to essentially state that, "Nope, it's not ours," but reminding people not to come into contact with any wire they see down on the ground.

Old Georgetown Road bike lanes continue to confuse drivers in Bethesda (Video)

The confusing layout of the new bike lanes on Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda continues to baffle some drivers, and their vehicular forays into them raise safety issues for cyclists. It's the southbound segment between Tuckerman Lane and Democracy Boulevard that has serious design issues, which seem to tempt some drivers to enter the cycling zone, and - worst of all - allow them to do so. Drivers seeking to turn right onto Rock Spring Drive and Democracy Boulevard are most often the unwitting victims.

Old Georgetown Road bike lane paint project completed in Bethesda

The Maryland State Highway Administration announced that it has completed a paint project on the new bike lanes along Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda. Green paint and striping was applied to the lanes and intersections starting back on April 10. In addition to complaints about the loss of a lane in each direction, more recently, some drivers have raised concerns about new dangers the configuration has created at some intersections (i.e. southbound, between Tuckerman Lane and Democracy Boulevard) and interstate access ramps to the Capital Beltway and I-270.

Photos courtesy Maryland State Highway Administration

NB Old Georgetown Road to close April 15 to April 17, 2023

UPDATE: The closure may be related to removal of the tower crane at the Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown Road, which would likely limit the closure of northbound Old Georgetown to the section between Wisconsin and Woodmont Avenues.

The Maryland State Highway Administration has placed a digital signboard with a cryptic message on Wisconsin Avenue near Battery Lane in Bethesda. Bizarrely, it refers to an imminent road closure on a different route, Old Georgetown Road (MD 187). It states, "NB [Northbound] Route 187 to close 4/15 to 4/17."

No further relevant details - such as which segment of the road this will apply to, time of closure, etc. - are given. No information about the closure, or the reason for it, are found on the SHA website as of this writing (not the first time this has happened). Yet the closure is stated to be taking place in less than 24 hours. Apparently the road crew or contractor didn't even know they were on the wrong road when placing the sign.

Perhaps a late announcement will be made before the day is over. There is a project underway to apply green paint to the new bike lanes on Old Georgetown, but that was not stated to require a closure of this nature. My best advice in absence of information and transparency by SHA would be to plan to use Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike (MD 355) to travel north, instead of Old Georgetown Road, for the next three days.

Bike lane painting project to begin on Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda April 10

A Maryland State Highway Administration contractor will begin a bike lane painting project on Old Georgetown Road (MD 187) in Bethesda on Monday, April 10, 2023. Green paint for bike lanes will be applied to the road between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, and during overnight hours if necessary. The project is expected to take two weeks to complete.

Old Georgetown Road crosswalk signal repaired

The broken crosswalk signal at Old Georgetown Road and Cordell Avenue in downtown Bethesda has been repaired by the Maryland State Highway Administration. It was out of service as of last Monday. The pedestrian-activated signal triggers flashing yellow lights that drivers sometimes obey, so stay alert even when crossing with assistance of the lights. Now, if they can just repaint that faded crosswalk...

Old Georgetown Road crosswalk signal failing less than a year after activation (Photos)

One of the two pedestrian crosswalk signals at the intersection of Old Georgetown Road and Cordell Avenue in Bethesda is out-of-service less than a year after it was activated by the Maryland State Highway Administration. The signal control box at the northeast corner of the intersection has been crudely covered over with a flattened shipping box and yellow tape. In terms of pedestrian safety, results of the signals have been mixed, as many drivers simply ignore the yellow flashing lights. It's also worth noting that the SHA has yet to repaint the faded crosswalk, which is almost entirely worn off on the northbound lanes, a failure that isn't helping matters.

Residents create petition to remove bike lanes from Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda

The new bike lanes on Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda have been a controversial topic of discussion since their recent installation took many residents by surprise. Drivers have complained of traffic backups, and their anger is compounded by seeing the bike lanes sitting unused alongside two lanes jammed with automobiles. Similar to the negative impacts of the Little Falls Parkway "road diet," the major state highway has become nearly impassable at times for emergency vehicles, presenting a danger to public safety as response times increase on a major route used to reach multi-alarm fires and Suburban Hospital. Now one resident has created a petition to have the lanes removed.

"The bike lanes must be removed without delay," the petition says. It cites the above issues, as well as cut-through traffic in the surrounding neighborhoods, and snow removal problems. The bike lanes were added by the State Highway Administration at the request of Montgomery County elected officials, after the tragic deaths of two young cyclists on the road. As of this writing, there are already 2,584 signatures on the petition to have the bike lanes removed.

Old Georgetown Road resurfacing project underway in Bethesda (Photos)

A resurfacing project is underway on Old Georgetown Road between the Capital Beltway and Nicholson Lane. Expect lane closures on that stretch outside of rush hours on weekdays. The project is expected to be completed by January, and will also convert one travel lane in each direction into a protected bike lane. Needless to say, if you are concerned about your car getting scratched by debris, take an alternative route during this period.

Old Georgetown Road to be closed May 7 between Wisconsin and Woodmont Avenues in Bethesda

UPDATE: I have confirmed the closure is related to operations required to assemble the tower crane for the 7607 Old Georgetown construction site.

Northbound Old Georgetown Road between Wisconsin and Woodmont Avenues in Bethesda will be closed to traffic all day on May 7, 2022, beginning at 12:00 AM that morning. This is likely related to either the construction at 7607 Old Georgetown Road, or the renovations across the street at the Clark Building. Digital sign boards have been posted on that block to notify drivers.

SHA road diet would reduce capacity of already-jammed Old Georgetown Rd. by 33%

One of Bethesda's most-congested commuter routes will soon achieve carmageddon. The Maryland State Highway Administration has proposed reducing Old Georgetown Road from three lanes in each direction to two lanes each way between Cedar Lane and the Capital Beltway, slashing the road's vehicle capacity by 33%. In place of the lost lane, a separated bike lane with a five-foot buffer from auto traffic will be created, according to Delegate Marc Korman, who represents Bethesda.

Considering that the Beltway and I-270 are where a great number of drivers are coming from in the morning, and trying to reach in the evening, this is going to create an incredible bottleneck. Anyone who drives the road during rush hours is aware of just how bad the traffic jams are now. Often a person can walk faster than the cars, a phenomenon also found on Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda.

Incredibly, the SHA is claiming you can currently drive from Cedar Lane to the Beltway in 3.7 minutes during peak evening rush hour. Under the road diet, they claim it will now take 4.9 minutes. I've repeatedly sat in traffic there for longer than 4.9 minutes as it is now, although I've largely given up and try to avoid using Old Georgetown at all costs during rush hour in the affected directions.

There's no doubt we have a bicycle safety problem. But that problem is not the fault of the beleaguered citizens trying to get to and from work each day in their cars. Remember, this is a route that went from bad to worse with the expansions at NIH and Walter Reed over the last decade. This is simply not the right solution for this road.

If the concern for bicycle safety is so genuine and sincere, why aren't the SHA and County making the heavy lift of widening the road and narrowing the median to add a separated bike lane without punishing drivers who pay their salaries? If the concern is honest, why in politicians' and SHA's view, do cyclists only deserve protection between Cedar Lane and the Beltway? Of course, this is just the beginning, as pending plans for lane elimination on Veirs Mill Road and University Boulevard show.

Sometimes real solutions are expensive, not cheap. Delivering a world-class road system that is as safe as possible for all modes of transportation using it is never going to be cheap.

Rendering by Maryland Department of Transportation

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.

Water problems on Old Georgetown Road again (Photos)

Standing water was spotted in several places along Old Georgetown Road between Auburn and Cordell Avenues yesterday afternoon. By nightfall, utility crews were on the scene. Some lanes were closed due to the work. There have been repeated leaks and water main issues along this stretch of the road over the last two years.

Final hours of the Old Georgetown Rd. Safeway in Bethesda (Photos)

Location removed from

Safeway website

The Safeway store at 7625 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda that is scheduled to close this month appeared to be in its final hours last night. Although it was open, a sign standing near the door said, "Your closest store is now 5000 Bradley Boulevard," a message you would ordinarily see once a business had closed. The Safeway website no longer lists the store as of this morning, suggesting it has officially closed - or that they don't want the average potential customer to go to this location.

Old Georgetown Safeway closing sale now 50% off (Video+Photos)

Supermarket

Sweep

The Safeway store closing in March at 7625 Old Georgetown Road in downtown Bethesda has just upped the savings in its store closing sale. Everything is now 50% off, "restrictions and exemptions apply - see store manager for details." As you can see, many shelves are already empty. You have to have signed up for the Safeway Club Card to get the savings (type in your phone number if you don't have your physical card).

Oh, no...not again! Water bubbling up at Del Ray & Old Georgetown in Bethesda (Video + Photos)

A tiny geyser of water is bubbling up through the pavement at the intersection of Del Ray Avenue and Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda. Standing water is collecting at the end of Del Ray. This is the same intersection where an apparent water main break occurred last fall.

Then, Pepco workers had to conduct extensive repairs to their own underground infrastructure there in late November. According to a Pepco crew member, they blamed WSSC for damaging their electrical system when they repaired their water main break. You can still see the patched pavement where one of the holes was dug last year right next to the little geyser.

LANE CLOSURES ON OLD GEORGETOWN ROAD THIS SATURDAY IN BETHESDA

Two right lanes of northbound Old Georgetown Road will close this weekend between the hours of 4:00 AM Saturday and 5:00 PM Sunday. It is possible that all lanes will close at times during the erection of a tower crane at the Element 28 luxury apartments construction site, according to a Maryland State Highway Administration press release.

Avoid that area, but traffic control officers will direct traffic through the affected section between Wisconsin Avenue and Commerce Lane on both days.