The General Assembly is now nearly to the halfway point of the 2007 legislative session. It has been a slow year in the Senate so far. The next 45 days should be especially busy. I would like to give you a brief update on some of the state transportation improvements expected in our district. But first I would like to share with you my good family news. As you may know, in mid-January, Mark, Katie, and I welcomed a new addition to our family – a baby boy named Jackson. He is a healthy and happy two-month old who has already been to Annapolis to lobby on two occasions. I am confident Ana, Jane and Jeff listened to his concerns.
I am pleased to report that the District 18 Team has been working together well and meeting frequently. We recently met with the District Manager of the State Highway Administration to review projects in our district. Over the next 18 months, SHA will be working on a number of construction, repair, and planning projects in our community in which I thought you would be interested.
Several of these projects involve Georgia Avenue. Most important among these is a plan to widen the exit ramp off the eastbound Beltway (Inner Loop) onto southbound Georgia Avenue, which currently merges into a very short right-turn-only lane. This project will also include the installation of a traffic light at the end of the ramp. This new configuration should reduce traffic backing up onto the Beltway. SHA expects to complete the project during the summer of 2008.
Along Georgia Avenue between the Beltway and 16th Street, the old overhead reversible lane signals will be modernized by the end of spring. SHA will be eliminating the yellow X symbol, which they have found many drivers do not understand.
In the same area, SHA is conducting a pedestrian study for Georgia Avenue through Montgomery Hills. Once the weather gets warmer, they will paint lane and crosswalk markings. (SHA is not involved with the Montgomery County government’s planned sidewalk, lighting, and landscaping improvements designed to help Montgomery Hills pedestrians.)
In the Chevy Case area, SHA is planning to modify the sidewalk and road in front of BCC High School, facing East-West Highway. SHA will be replacing the existing sidewalk in front of the school and the two interior walkways leading into the school with a new ten-foot wide sidewalk parallel to East-West Highway. A new fence will be built between the sidewalk and the school, which will alter the way that students walk into the school. SHA will also be installing a permanent median along East-West Highway in front of the school. They expect construction to occur this summer.
SHA is also coordinating with officials in Chevy Chase Village on a project involving the sidewalks along Brookeville Road.
SHA also discussed two projects in Kensington. First, SHA is currently studying ways to improve traffic flow through the town of Kensington along Connecticut Avenue, Knowles Avenue, and Plyers Mill Road. Part of their study involves tracing in detail the frequency of different routes taken by drivers once they enter Kensington. This information should help planners address the town’s traffic problems.
Also in Kensington, SHA plans a landscaping and median beautification project along Connecticut Avenue and University Boulevard to the Kensington town limits. They anticipate construction this fall.
SHA is also planning some major road resurfacing projects. By this fall, they expect to complete the resurfacing of Georgia Avenue from the Beltway up to Veirs Mill Road. SHA will be resurfacing Georgia Avenue from Veirs Mill Road to Randolph Road starting this summer, with construction due to be complete in the fall of 2008. In fiscal year 2008, SHA expects to resurface University Boulevard between Veirs Mill Road and Connecticut Avenue.
Finally, this fall, SHA will be installing new full signals at the Connecticut/University split and at the Georgia/Veirs Mill split to make it easier for pedestrians to cross at these intersections.
