Beginning Thursday, December 6 after the morning rush hour, eastbound Montrose Road, between Tildenwood and East Jefferson Street, will be closed for six months as the Montrose Parkway West project enters its final stage of construction. Eastbound traffic on Montrose Road will be diverted onto the new Montrose Parkway. Two weeks later, westbound traffic on Montrose Road will also be diverted and all traffic will use the Parkway while Montrose Road is reconstructed and a new bridge over Old Farm Creek is built to eliminate flooding problems and provide a safe crossing for wildlife. The project should be completed in summer 2008.

During the temporary closure of 650 feet of Montrose Road, local traffic will still have access to homes, churches, and synagogues from either side of the construction project. A newly installed temporary pedestrian bridge along the north (westbound) side of Montrose Road, across Old Farm Creek, will provide safe pedestrian access along Montrose Road during the road closure.

The County’s Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT) has posted detour and informational signs in the area. Montgomery County’s Traffic Management Center will monitor the detours, adjust traffic signal timings and 
take other measures to minimize traffic disruptions. However, DPWT does expect some delays while drivers become accustomed to the new traffic patterns. To avoid congestion, motorists are advised to use major roadways as alternate routes and avoid local side streets.

Throughout construction of Montrose Parkway, DPWT has worked diligently to ensure that affected residents, employers and others using Montrose Road have been informed about the project’s progress. DPWT has used newsletters, County cable updates, press releases and meetings to coordinate with community groups, homeowners’ associations, religious organizations, schools, Police, and Fire and Rescue services.

Montrose Parkway West is the largest road project ever constructed by the County and is a key component in efforts to relieve east-west traffic congestion and provide congestion relief in North Bethesda and along the Rockville Pike corridor. About 40 percent of the County’s employers are located in the North Bethesda area.

When the entire project is completed, it is expected to reduce traffic volume on Montrose Road between the Parkway and East Jefferson Street by nearly 50 percent.

Residents who travel on the Montrose Parkway portion of the project will see the new 10-foot wide bikeway along the north side and a five-foot wide sidewalk along the south side. Traffic signals, streetlights, crosswalks, bus stops, ramps, bikeways and other features have been designed to maximize pedestrian safety. Enhanced streetscaping will eventually be provided along the new Parkway.

Other Parkway benefits include providing greater safety for vehicles turning onto and off of Montrose Road, safer places for pedestrians to cross the road and reduced cut-through traffic in neighborhoods abutting Montrose Road.

The project design also includes many special features to minimize or mitigate environmental impacts, enhance recreation and beautify the roadway. Special construction techniques developed by environmental consultants were used to control sediment and reduce runoff of pollutants and sediment into streams. Stormwater management basins will preserve stream water quality and control water flow through streams. Other measures to enhance the environment include wetland mitigation and an extensive program of reforestation following construction.

Noise barrier walls have been constructed along the north side of Montrose Road for about 1,300 feet behind homes on Farm Haven Drive in the North Farm community in Rockville and along the south side of Montrose Road for about 1,700 feet behind homes in the Old Farm community in North Bethesda.

For more information about the Montrose Parkway project, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dpwt and click on “Capital Projects and Construction.”