A new Maryland Department of Transportation project in Montgomery County, Maryland, aims to help bike safety on a road where two bicyclists were struck and killed in the last three years.
The improvements on the nearly two-mile stretch of Old Georgetown Road, also known as Route 187, between Interstate 495 and Nicholson Lane, will convert one travel lane in each direction into safer areas for bicyclists.
This includes adding buffered bicycle lanes and flex posts to outline the new lanes. The bike lanes will have green pavement markings to identify them.
“We appreciate the feedback from community members, elected officials and other stakeholders as we worked to make this vital corridor safer,” said MDOT Secretary James F. Ports, Jr. “These improvements on Old Georgetown Road underscore our commitment to a safe, accessible and multimodal approach to our roadways.”
About 40,000 vehicles a day travel on Old Georgetown Road, MDOT says.
These new changes for bicyclists were part of a resurfacing project in that area that began in early October.
”Our top priority is always to make sure our customers reach their destinations safely,” said MDOT SHA Administrator Tim Smith. “We ask that motorists obey all of the rules of the road and be extra vigilant when bicyclists are on the road. We are committed to ensuring that our roadways are safe for everyone, regardless of their mode of transportation.”
MDOT says drivers can expect single-lane closures on Md. 187 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and multiple lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday nights through Friday mornings.
They say that the overall project will most likely be completed by the end of the year depending on weather. The administration is reminding drivers that Maryland’s Move Over Law requires that drivers make a lane change or slow down when approaching any stopped, standing, or parked vehicle displaying hazard warning lights, road flares, or other caution signals.