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Bike Lanes Temporarily Added to University Boulevard in Pilot Program
University Boulevard from Amherst to Arcola Avenues in Silver Spring is expected to become a shared streets pilot project to enable bicyclists to have their own travel lanes this summer until late fall.
Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration has designed plans with the goal of balancing different forms of transportation to and from commercial, residential and recreational centers in this area of Wheaton and Silver Spring. Travel lanes temporarily will be repurposed adjacent to the curbs on westbound and eastbound University Boulevard, which is MD 193, for bicyclists.
Bike lanes will soon be added a portion of University Boulevard between Arcola Drive to Amherst Avenue, thanks to an MDOT SHA pilot. Image by the author.
This summer, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) will install bike lanes along University Boulevard in Wheaton by closing one lane of traffic to cars on each side of the road. The temporary bike lanes will be marked by flex posts.
The bike lanes will go from Arcola Drive to Amherst Avenue, and advocates for “open streets” are hopeful this road diet could lead to both a transportation alternative for those who want to ride a bike, and safer sidewalks for those who walk or wait for a bus nearby.
More Than $640,000 Awarded to County Environmental Projects
More than $640,000 in grant funding has been awarded to 15 environmental projects in Montgomery County, officials announced Sunday.
“Great start to #EarthWeek!” County Executive Marc Elrich wrote on Twitter.
“These awards provide funds directly to Montgomery County organizations and communities for projects that will help clean our air and water,” County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Director Adam Ortiz said in a release. The projects are part of the county’s Watershed Restoration and Outreach Grant Program, which “funds public outreach and stewardship projects, community-based restoration water quality implementation projects and litter reduction projects in the Anacostia River Watershed,” according to the county.
‘Spring’ Forward Increases Car-Free Trail Hours
Daylight Saving Time (DST) is prompting Montgomery County Parks to increase the hours residents can enjoy car-free streets. The change takes place on Sunday.
The new hours for these roads, which include sections of Beach Drive and Sligo Creek Parkway, will be Friday 9 a.m. to Sunday 6 p.m. This is an extension of two hours, as currently the walkways close at 4 p.m.
DST begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 14. Clocks will “spring” forward one hour.
Daylight saving time begins this weekend, and the time change alters hours on our car-free streets.