A cyclist died on Georgetown Road in Montgomery County at the end of July. He was riding on a narrow sidewalk next to an unfriendly road, fell while trying to navigate around trash cans and was hit by a car.
The same day as the crash, state and local elected officials began organizing a meeting with the Maryland State Highway Administration, which oversees Old Georgetown Road, to discuss flaws in the design of the stretch of road where Cassell was killed.
Korman said it is worth examining the section of Old Georgetown Road where the crash occurred.
“The sidewalk is very close to the street, and the sidewalk being very close to the street is not how infrastructure would be built today. And so you need to look at that and see if it could be modified today,” he said.
There have been 57 pedestrian-involved crashes on Old Georgetown Road since Jan. 1, 2015, according to county data. About half involved bicyclists.
[Does that mean that half of the 57 are pedestrians hit by cyclists or that cyclists are half of the 57?] As far as I know that meeting has not occurred, but the road needs some attention if that many collisions are happening.
That many cyclists involved in accidents tells me they need more than a better sidewalk. They need a separated multi-use path.
Is it possible? Of course! But will residents be willing to give up a few feet of property?
Posted by: Mr Surly | September 18, 2019 at 08:12 AM
Everything about that road is a hazard. My two sons were hit by a car crossing OGR at an intersection, with a light, when the light changed and the driver gunned it from her stop. I've nearly been hit several times now from drivers turning right on red, not stopping for pedestrians, and looking at their phones. The speed limit on that road in parts is 40 mph so people hit 50+ regularly. It's terrible.
Posted by: Brad Kennedy | September 20, 2019 at 04:03 PM