County Improves Pedestrian Safety by Adding Signals at Intersections – Mocofeed

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is adding traffic signals at previously unsignalized intersections and pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHB) at intersections and mid-block crossings across the County to enhance pedestrian safety at designated locations. Crashes at or near intersections account for more than 56% of serious injuries and fatalities in the County. Adding traffic controls is an effort to reduce serious and fatal crashes by making streets safer and easier to cross.   

PHBs are push-button-activated devices designed to stop traffic and allow pedestrians to cross the street. MCDOT installed four new traffic signals and two new PHBs with the most recent PHB installations at Old Georgetown Road at Cordell Avenue and Darnestown Road at Yearling Place. An additional four PHBs are currently planned for construction.  

PHBs are used to enhance the safety of pedestrian roadway crossings, especially when gaps in traffic are not sufficient for safe crossing or where speed limits exceed 35 miles per hour. These devices are effective at locations where three or more lanes will be crossed or where traffic operations do not require a traffic signal to regulate vehicle movements. PHB installations include marked crosswalks and accessible pedestrian signals/countdown pedestrian signals (APS/CPS). 

MCDOT annually, constructs traffic signals and PHBs across the County, with priority given to high-crash-risk roadways with few safe places to cross. Crosswalks at or near schools are an important focus, as part of the Safe Routes to School program. 

There are 26 additional signalized crossings currently planned for County roadways, with 20 projects in the planning or design phase and six with scheduled construction dates. A map of completed and planned protected crossing projects is available online. The Federal Highway Administration reports that pedestrian hybrid beacons can reduce total crashes by 29% and pedestrian crashes by 55%.

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“There are too few places for people walking, biking, and rolling to safely cross major roadways in our County,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “More than half of serious and fatal crashes take place at or near intersections in Montgomery County. We are taking action to address this critical safety issue, especially around schools, and on our busiest roadways. We know protected crossings are highly effective at reducing injuries and deaths. I want to thank MCDOT for their efforts to keep our community safe and protect our most vulnerable road users.”   

Under the MCDOT Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program, projects completed this summer include traffic signals at intersections near Rock Creek Forest Elementary in Chevy Chase and Wheaton Woods Elementary in Wheaton. A traffic signal was also installed at the intersection of Bel Pre Road and Rippling Brook Drive in Aspen Hill, a designated High Injury Network, and close to Argyle Middle School. High Injury Networks (HIN) are mapped roadways that show a disproportionate number of serious crashes, fatalities, and serious injuries.  

“We are focusing on initiatives that improve the safety of our roads and address the concerns of our community,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “We heard from parents at Rock Creek Forest Elementary that the current road conditions near the school were not safe, and we worked with them to add a traffic signal to a key intersection. The road safety improvement project along Bel Pre Road, including the new traffic signal, was also done in close coordination with the community. Our engineers conduct safety audits and review traffic data to make recommendations, but we also rely on members of our community to help us make improvements that will make a real difference in how they live and work.” 

MCDOT has instituted several safety improvements over the past year, including reduced speed limits and new bike paths and sidewalks. 

Pedestrian crossing safety projects completed or in progress over the past year include: 

Aspen Hill 

• Bel Pre Road and Rippling Brook Drive: Traffic signal installed for the HIN corridor. 

Bethesda 

• Old Georgetown Road (MD 187) and Cordell Avenue: PHB to replace the existing flashing beacon. 

Darnestown 

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• Darnestown Road and Yearling Drive: PHB installed. 

Silver Spring 

• Faroe Place and Parkland Drive: Traffic signal installed near Wheaton Woods Elementary for Safe Routes to School (SRTS). 

White Oak 

• Broadbirch Drive and Entrance to Orchard Center: Traffic signal installed. 

Pedestrian hybrid beacons currently under contract to be constructed include: 

Chevy Chase 

• Willard Avenue and Shoemake Farm Lane 

• Willard Avenue and North Park Avenue 

North Bethesda 

• Montrose Road and Wilmart Street 

• Montrose Road and Montrose Village Terrace 

For information on MCDOT programs and services, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on X, Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook, and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.          

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