SAFE SIDEWALKS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY? NOT QUITE... (PHOTOS)

Expect to hear a lot of media reports about "Safe Sidewalks" in Montgomery County today, as a press conference is scheduled at the County Council office building in Rockville. Ah, our public officials with our safety at heart, right? Not so fast. Let's take a tour of some of the "safe sidewalks" the County Council is responsible for in downtown Bethesda:

7100 Wisconsin Avenue looking north

7100 Wisconsin Avenue

Woodmont Avenue at
Wisconsin Avenue

Woodmont Avenue between
Montgomery and Hampden Lanes

Bethesda Avenue at
Woodmont Avenue

Fairmont Avenue

Fairmont Avenue

Long-term sidewalk closures are supposed to be illegal under a law passed several years ago by the Council. Construction sites are required to have open sidewalks alongside them, unless they request and are issued a temporary waiver. Well aware of these closures, the Council has proven utterly impotent to take action against them. Whether it is out of fear of losing their hefty developer campaign contributions, which all members except Marc Elrich receive, is left to the pedestrian to decide.

If you thought people walking down the middle of Fairmont Avenue last year - when construction closed sidewalks on both sides of the street - was dangerous, wait 'til you get a load of the people walking into oncoming traffic on Wisconsin Avenue in front of the former Eastham's Exxon property.

Of course, today's press conference and "safe sidewalks" theme are actually part of a PR-blitz regarding a so-called "snow removal" bill passed for (re)election purposes in late October. Headlines trumpeted messages of a council taking bold action against a common winter problem in Montgomery County - unshoveled sidewalks after snow storms.

"County Council Passes Snow Removal Bill" - MyMCMedia
"Winter Is Coming: Snow Removal Bill Approved by County" - Patch

People who didn't have time to read the articles in detail were given the impression that snow would be removed in future winters. Actually, all the new law did was require some PR posturing like this nifty website you paid for without knowing it, and does not actually require removal or physically remove snow via the county government. There has already been a law requiring sidewalks to be shoveled within 24 hours of a storm. But that didn't matter to Councilmember Hans Riemer, who basked in the free election publicity eagerly granted to him by local media.

When the latest PR blizzard is over, can we finally start addressing the (un)safe sidewalks of downtown Bethesda?

SIDEWALK CLOSURE ON NORFOLK AVENUE IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

The effort to upgrade sidewalks in the Woodmont Triangle got slightly easier this week, as the sudden closure of BlackFinn (at 4901-A Fairmont Avenue) means workers can start on the Norfolk Avenue sidewalk along the nightclub without disrupting business. There's no business to disrupt.

Expect this sidewalk to be replaced with brick pavers (a supply of which is standing by across the street), as part of the Bethesda Streetscape plan. A previous sidewalk upgrade across Norfolk was assisted by developer Bainbridge, as part of its Bainbridge Bethesda project approval from the county.

SIDEWALK CLOSURE AT WISCONSIN AND WOODMONT AVENUES (PHOTOS)

Repairs have closed the western sidewalk of Wisconsin Avenue at Woodmont Avenue at Eastham's Service Center, in downtown Bethesda.

SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION AT WISCONSIN AND MONTGOMERY IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Heads up: the MDSHA sidewalk work continues along Wisconsin Avenue, with contractors now starting at the Montgomery Lane intersection.

Watch your step there, as I've seen many a person trip or lose their balance over the many, many months this has dragged along.

WARNING: SIDEWALK CLOSURES BY CVS ON WISCONSIN AVENUE - BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Sidewalks around the Bethesda CVS are closed, as they are being upgraded to ADA standards.  This is the CVS at Wisconsin Avenue and Cheltenham Drive, across from 7-Eleven and Fairmont Plaza.

View from Cheltenham Dr. alongside CVS property; that's
Starbucks on Norfolk and Woodmont Aves. in the distance

In front of CVS facing north on Wisconsin Ave.; there is
no easy pedestrian approach to CVS at this time

Please be advised, the area is tricky to navigate for senior citizens and the physically-challenged.  Approach by car into the lot, or consider using one of the many other CVS locations downtown.  The most convenient for those with mobility issues would be at Arlington Road and Bradley Boulevard.

Can't get there from here:
Cheltenham, facing Wisconsin Ave., and the
Landow and Fairmont Plaza buildings

Facing south on Wisconsin

Of course, if you just need prescriptions, the CVS does have a drive-thru at the affected location.

This open section could encourage jaywalking
across Wisconsin

This situation is something drivers should be aware of as well, as more pedestrians may jaywalk across Wisconsin to reach the CVS.