Businesses near Wheaton redevelopment project cite parking, poor lighting as issues

Businesses in the Wheaton Triangle met with Montgomery County officials last week regarding the now-underway construction of the future County office building and Town Square on Parking Lot 13. Business owners expressed concerns about parking, traffic and poor lighting. Lighting has become an issue with the construction site and shuttered Midcounty Regional Services Center. County officials say they will address that issue with additional lighting along Triangle Lane and by the darkened Services Center. The latter is now due for demolition in about a month.

Meanwhile, excavation for the office building has reached as deep as 40' in some spots. Around 40 dump trucks are entering and exiting the site on a daily basis to haul away all that soil. They expect to hit maximum depth in early-to-mid-January, according to the County. Tie-back anchors continue to be installed, and those are being tested with a hydraulic jack to ensure safety.