Utilities being undergrounded at Wheaton redevelopment site

Pepco crews are on hand at the future site of a Montgomery County government office building this week, converting the above-ground electricity infrastructure into an underground system for the new development. This includes all utility poles along Grandview Avenue and Reedie Drive, including communications cables.

Watch for traffic directions from crews, and closures of some metered street parking spaces along there this week. Traffic will continue to move in both directions during the work, however.

Reedie Dr. to close today in Wheaton

What's left of the Midcounty Regional
Services Center at Lot 13

Reedie Drive will be closed today between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. A special hydraulic crane is being brought in to lift a drill rig out of the Lot 13 excavation that exceeds the weight the tower crane onsite can handle.

Meanwhile, the demolition of the Midcounty Regional Services Center at the site is nearing completion. Full demolition should be completed in a couple of weeks.

Major traffic shift at Georgia-Randolph intersection in Glenmont this weekend

The Maryland State Highway Administration says it plans to route traffic on Randolph Road onto the new lanes that pass underneath Georgia Avenue this weekend for the first time. Drivers on Randolph who wish to turn onto Georgia, or reach the Glenmont Shopping Center, will use the left and right turning lanes on either side of the new Randolph Road through-lanes. The switchover will begin around 6:00 AM Saturday, February 17, 2018, and is expected to be complete by 7:00 PM.

Because traffic signal changes and new paint are among the many tasks that are to be completed, police will be guiding traffic throughout the day Saturday. Best advice for drivers - if you can - is to take an alternative route like Connecticut Avenue (north-to-south) or a creative workaround going west-east (the unbuilt Rockville Freeway would have come in handy Saturday...).

Water main break at Randolph Road and Charles Road

There is a water main break at the intersection of Randolph Road and Charles Road, between Rock Creek Park and Veirs Mill Road. WSSC is now on-scene, and are shutting down the left and center lanes of westbound Randolph Road. The utility says the break is in a 6" main that was installed in 1948.

Olney chosen by Hogan as test site for "smart" traffic signals

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced a new Smart Signal Corridor program on Wednesday, designed to improve traffic flow. The signals will adjust to congestion and other factors in real time. One location was chosen in each county (although some counties - such as Charles - got more than one, where this could really help move traffic along Route 301), and Olney - where traffic congestion is a plague upon residents - was designated as the winner in Montgomery County.

The signals will be placed along MD 108 between MD 182 and Volunteer Drive. A pilot study in Harford County showed a travel time improvement of 13 minutes after installation of the Smart Signal technology.

“Last month, our administration introduced a bold Traffic Relief Plan beginning with three massive, unprecedented projects to widen the Capital Beltway, I-270, and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway,” Governor Hogan said yesterday. “This next phase will employ the newest technology to further ease congestion in Maryland. By replacing 20-year-old existing controls with Smart Traffic Signals, we will have the ability to respond to changes in traffic flow, as well as traffic conditions immediately – benefiting nearly 700,000 Maryland citizens across the state.”

Wayne Avenue Garage work tightens up parking situation (Photos)

The work, I assume, has to be done. But repairs to the Wayne Avenue Garage in downtown Silver Spring are taking a bite out of the number of parking spaces available on Level 3.

Manna Restaurant fire blocks traffic in Takoma Park

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue personnel responded to a fire at Manna Restaurant around 5:00 AM this morning at 8640 Flower Avenue in Takoma Park. More than 77 firefighters are on the scene of the blaze at the popular Dominican restaurant, according to MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer.

The intersection of Piney Branch Road and Flower Avenue is currently closed due to fire department activity. Watch for other lane closures around the scene, if you can't avoid it altogether.

Sligo Creek Parkway detour Nov. 1, Nov. 3 in Takoma Park

Sligo Creek Parkway will temporarily close at the Carroll Avenue Bridge in Takoma Park from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Tuesday, November 1 and Thursday, November 3 next week. The closures are related to the bridge work already underway.

Drivers will have to follow a detour using Old Carroll Avenue, Carroll Avenue, Lincoln Avenue and Maple Avenue. The detour area is shown in the above map. Reverse the detour route if you are heading south on the parkway.

Sligo Creek Parkway closures March 28-30 in Takoma Park

Sligo Creek Parkway will be closed between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM from March 28 through March 30, 2016. There will be a detour up Carroll Avenue to Lincoln to Maple during the closures.

This is necessary for the preparation to repair the Carroll Avenue Bridge over the parkway, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration.

Water main break at University Blvd. and Piney Branch Rd.

Another water main break on University Boulevard is causing traffic problems this morning. This one is at Piney Branch Road. Two eastbound lanes of University are closed. The WSSC says it is on scene, but that there is a lot of snow and ice to clear before they can locate the break in the pipe.

Water main break closes University Blvd. at New Hampshire Ave.

A water main break has closed a heavily-traveled intersection as the morning commute begins. University Boulevard (MD 193) is currently closed at New Hampshire Avenue (MD 650). WSSC crews are on-scene, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration.

Wheaton water main break repaired, rush hour nightmare ahead as SB Georgia Avenue remains closed

The WSSC completed repair of the water main under Georgia Avenue around 1:00 AM this morning, but commuters will have a rough trip down Georgia anyway. Southbound Georgia Avenue will remain closed for the morning commute between Randolph Road and Arcola Avenue. The break occurred yesterday at Georgia and Weisman Road near Glenmont in Wheaton.

Southbound and northbound traffic will share the northbound lanes of Georgia along that stretch, meaning about 33% less capacity for southbound traffic. This will be a good example of what traffic would be like if Montgomery County were to implement its proposed Bus Rapid Transit plan, which would seize one lane from each side of Georgia for BRT lanes. Multiplied by all of the impacts north and south of this segment, of course.

The water main break flooded nearby homes, and cut water service to residents as well as to the Wheaton Park Shopping Center on Wednesday. A 68-year-old 16" underground main was responsible for the failure, according to the WSSC. The utility estimates that 2.5 million gallons of water were lost during the break yesterday.

Water was restored around 11:25 PM last night to customers affected by the break, according to WSSC.

The offending gash in the
68-year-old pipe under Georgia

Photos courtesy WSSC

ROAD WORK IN AUGUST FOR ASPEN HILL, WHEATON

Two road maintenance projects could cause traffic delays in Aspen Hill and Wheaton this month.

Repaving and lane painting on Arctic Avenue, between Bel Pre Road and Aspen Hill Road, is scheduled to begin in late August.

Similar work will also be performed on Newport Mill Road, from Veirs Mill Road to University Boulevard, in Wheaton, starting at an unspecified date this month.

This is probably a good time to plan your personal detour route in advance...