Contra-Flow Bike Route Opposed by Chevy Chase

Montgomery County has proposed adding a bike route to the west side of the Georgetown Branch Trail

Bikers and pedestrians traveling westbound who would normally go into the [Air Rights] tunnel could instead turn south along the east side of 47th Street, where the existing sidewalk would be widened to eight feet.

47th is a one-way street north. Then users would turn west on Willow, a one-way street east.

Four parking spaces along the north side of Willow Lane would be removed and an eight-foot wide concrete bike path would be installed.

Westbound trail users would continue across Wisconsin Avenue and along Bethesda Avenue before connecting with the existing trail, which emerges from the tunnel south of Elm Street next to the Bethesda Row Cinema.

Chevy Chase opposes this.

Town Mayor Kathy Strom said the town would oppose the use of its right of way for the project because it would "dump" bikers and pedestrians at a busy street-level intersection on Wisconsin Avenue without being able to cross over to any existing bike path.

"We feel this is a waste of taxpayer's dollars when an alternative route outside the tunnel is currently not needed," Strom wrote. There is not a cost estimate available yet for the project, said Aruna Miller, a county planning manager.

The town also expressed concern that the Elm Street Park playground would be disrupted, and that the town would lose tree canopy. Strom also wrote that the uncertain status of the Purple Line and its potential impact on the project should keep the project from moving forward.

The county's justification is that it would give cyclists another option

County officials said the project would meet the demands of growing economic and residential development and give people an additional method of safely biking or walking to work instead of driving.

And they go to great length's to point out they are not closing the tunnel

Officials said the alignment would not be a replacement for the section of the trail that goes through the tunnel, only an alternate route. They also said they want the tunnel to remain open and have been given no indications that it will close.

Johnston said the county fully supports the tunnel remaining open and has not been told by the Woodmont East II developers, who are building a multi-use complex at the southeast corner of Bethesda and Woodmont avenues, that they want the tunnel to close. Original plans for the Woodmont East II development called for the tunnel to close, but subsequent plans preserved the tunnel.

"We're not at all proposing to close the tunnel," Johnston said.

This route is in the 1994 Bethesda Sector Plan, but it seems an odd project. Does anyone think they'll use this option if it becomes a reality?

Photo by Daquella Manera

Comments

[finishthetrail]

I can see three reasons why cyclists will use this route:
1- At night when the tunnel gates are closed for security.
2- At times when the tunnel might be closed for maintenance or repairs. The tunnel was closed for several days last year when fences were installed to stop graffiti, see http://www.cctrail.org/2007_CCT_News_archive.htm#fence>http://www.cctrail.org/2007_CCT_News_archive.htm#fence
3- Anytime a cyclist wants to go to Wisconsin Avenue destinations from the east, such as the Womans Farm Market, Starbucks, Papa John's, etc.

Why would we not want easy access to the Bethesda streets when coming to Bethesda from the east?

[Rick Blum]

I see this as an alternative that would work well for developers of the Woodmont East II site.

[Rick Blum]

... and not as well for us bike commuters.