(February 28, 2020) – The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is moving forward with safety improvements on MD 187 (Old Georgetown Road) in Montgomery County after receiving input from citizens, civic groups and elected officials.

“It takes a diverse approach to decrease pedestrian crashes across our state, including education, new technology, enforcement and engineering changes to our roadways," said MDOT SHA Acting Administrator Tim Smith. “We are proud to partner with stakeholders in Montgomery County to work together to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety and access along this corridor."

MDOT SHA hosted a tour of the MD 187 corridor in December, soliciting input from interested parties on potential safety enhancements. Local leaders selected a dedicated bike lane and narrower travel lanes – elements known as a “road diet" – for the section of MD 187 between Cedar Lane and the Capital Beltway (I-495). The improvements will adjust the configuration of the road by installing a five foot-wide dedicated bike lane with a five foot-wide buffer. The measures will be installed as part of an existing resurfacing project scheduled to start this spring.

Pedestrian safety takes combined efforts from users and government agencies. These include motorists stopping for pedestrians and obeying speed limits; pedestrians wearing bright clothing, looking both ways and being extra vigilant at night; local jurisdictions providing speed enforcement and safety direction to municipal service providers; and MDOT SHA providing enhancements such as dedicated bike lanes, lower speed limits and other engineering solutions.

MDOT SHA is implementing a new “Context Driven" guide for engineers that customizes roadway features to fit the characteristics of a locality, such as urban core, urban center, traditional town center, suburban activity center, suburban and rural. These features include lower speed limits, continental crosswalks and specialized signals.

For a list of all major MDOT SHA projects, go to www.roads.maryland.gov. For a look at real-time commute conditions, log onto www.md511.maryland.gov.