Back in March, Montgomery County planners sought approval of their new Veirs Mil Corridor Master Plan. The plan would include, among other things, a new crossing for the Matthew Henson Trail and a parallel bikeway (see below), both of which are called for the county's new bicycle master plan.
Since then there have been hearings in March and a planning board resolution passed in April.
The Planning Board approved the plan with some revisions, most notably they replaced a recommendation to build an at-grade crossing for the Matthew Henson Trail (where two cyclists have been killed in the last few years) with an overpass. They also add a statement prioritizing road safety over congestion mitigation, lower the speed limit on a section between Havard and Bushey to 25 mph (from 35), and add the following:
As a goal, the number of additional lanes at signalized intersections should be minimized so that crossing distances and exposure of pedestrians and bicyclists to traffic when crossing the road are also minimized. Wherever it is determined to be beneficial to safety and does not create unacceptable congestion levels as defined by the applicable Subdivision Staging Policy congestion standard, the number of left turn lanes at a signalized intersection should be limited to one. Where dual left turn lanes are provided, consider the implementation of strategies to mitigate the speed of left-turning vehicles and to mitigate the additional width of the road that pedestrians and bicyclists must cross.
Revisions also move the interim bike network from Veirs Mill to the parallel service roads, as recommended by Council Staff. They also accept the Staff recommendation to change the Randolph Road interchange from a diamond interchange to a grade separated one that's better for cyclists and pedestrians.
They replaced a recommendation for "Removal of channelized right turns at intersection of Veirs Mill Road and Connecticut Avenue" with
Wherever it is determined to be beneficial to safety, remove the channelized right tum lanes, particularly at the intersection of Veirs Mill Road and Connecticut Avenue, if feasible. If channelized right-tum lanes prove to be necessary, design the lanes to limit the exposure of vulnerable road users, including implementing measures to reduce the speed of turning vehicles so that vehicles yield, as required, to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the tum lane.
One other thing in the plan that was not mentioned before is this.
Consistent with the previous master plans, the Veirs Mill Corridor Master Plan continues to support the abandonment of the Aspen Hill Road extension to further facilitate the synergistic redevelopment of Halpine View, Parkway Woods and Halpine Hamlet. Further, this master plan continues to recommend a trail through the properties to connect to the new Twinbrook Trail and ultimately the Rock Creek Trail.
Interesting reference to "a trail through the properties to connect to the new Twinbrook Trail and ultimately the Rock Creek Trail", since that Twinbrook Connector Trail is only half completed (as paved) and the County has no plans to finish it. (They are adding a temporary connection on the Veirs Mill shoulder, which will be ugly but functional.)
Posted by: Monte Fisher | January 08, 2020 at 02:34 PM