Montgomery County is Enhancing Pedestrian Safety Through Summer Traffic Engineering Projects – Mocofeed

New traffic signal at the Rippling Brook Drive intersection near Argyle Middle School installed as part of the Bel Pre Road safety upgrades.

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is making safety upgrades along key corridors across the County to improve pedestrian safety and curb dangerous driving behaviors. The projects are expected to be completed this fall. MCDOT is introducing a range of traffic-calming and pedestrian-friendly features along Bel Pre Road in Silver Spring and Montgomery Village Avenue in Gaithersburg. These safety improvements will include traffic control signals and beacons, pedestrian islands, reduced lane widths, and curb bump-outs.  

Locations are selected based on a variety of factors, including crash data, equity, and traffic studies, with an emphasis on reducing crashes along the County’s designated High Injury Network (HIN) corridors. HINs make up only 3% of the County’s roads but account for more than 40% of serious and fatal crashes.    

“For too long, our roads have been designed for the convenience of cars and not the needs of the community,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “The truth is we still have a lot of unsafe areas where pedestrians are not prioritized; we have our work cut out for us. No one should have to risk their life to walk to a bus stop or ride a bike to school. These safety measures will make an immediate and significant impact on the people who live and work along these busy roads. I appreciate the efforts of MCDOT to ensure that everyone, regardless of how they choose to travel, can get around safely.” 

Bel Pre Road Safety Improvements 

MCDOT is implementing safety improvements along the western edge of Bel Pre Road from Rippling Brook Road to Layhill Road. This half-mile section of the Bel Pre Road corridor includes Argyle Middle School and the Plaza del Mercado and Layhill shopping centers. The corridor has a high volume of pedestrian traffic and is a designated HIN. 

The design plans for Bel Pre Road include reducing lane widths to slow down traffic and replacing the center turn lane with median barriers between Layhill Road and Argyle Middle School to prevent illegal left turns.  

To protect pedestrians, MCDOT is adding high-visibility crosswalk paint and leading pedestrian intervals, which give walkers a head start before the light turns green, to intersections at Plaza Del Marcado Driveway and Parker Farm Way. For Silver Spring resident Rhona Bosin, the upgrades are an important step in addressing dangerous driving behaviors along Bel Pre Road.  

“It’s scary when someone comes up behind you and you don’t know if they are going to rear-end your car because they are driving so fast,” Bosin said. “I’m concerned about the pedestrians, too. There is a pedestrian crosswalk, and I’ve seen vehicles drive straight through.” 

Additionally, MCDOT installed a traffic signal at the Rippling Brook Drive intersection near Argyle Middle School and will add a “Don’t Block the Intersection” marking at the school driveway to keep bus routes clear. These projects are expected to be completed by the end of October. 

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Montgomery Village Avenue Safety Improvements 

MCDOT is also adding a series of safety improvement measures along a 2.4-mile segment of Montgomery Village Avenue between Wightman Road and MD 124/Mid County Highway. 

Key enhancements include upgrading existing signalized crossings near the Montgomery Village Avenue shopping center with leading pedestrian intervals, as well as upgrading crosswalks and sidewalk ramps to meet current accessibility standards.  

To further protect commuters and pedestrians, MCDOT is installing a traffic signal at the David B. Humpton park entrance at Stewartown Road. MCDOT is also installing three pedestrian hybrid beacons at currently unprotected crossings with bus stops. A pedestrian hybrid beacon is a push-button traffic control device used on high-speed roadways at midblock crossings and intersections without other traffic controls in place.

“We are strategically advancing safety improvements along corridors with the greatest need,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “There is a lot of need, so we’re focusing on our highest injury corridors and around schools. We are addressing key factors that have contributed to pedestrian risk and vehicle crashes by enhancing crosswalk visibility and increasing pedestrian lead times at intersections. These improvements are intended to improve the safety of walking and biking and to further reinforce the need for vigilance and caution to drivers.” 

Recently completed intersection improvements and traffic calming projects include:   

Clarksburg

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West Old Baltimore and Lake Ridge Drive.