Community Issues
Traffic & Roads
Route 28/198 Expansion
SHA will discuss the possibility of widening these two local arteries at Blake High School on November 18, 2008. DetailsLeggett Responds to Manno
State Delegate Roger Manno received a response from County Executive Ike Leggett, addressing current and future traffic volume issues in the community.maintenance schedule. For details on our request for "Residential Traffic Only" signs, speed bumps on Tierra Drive and Drury Road, and a speed monitor on Tierra, see Traffic Tales: Leggett Responds to Manno in the Fall Newsletter.MD Route 28/198 Expension Project
On November 18th at Blake High School, the State Highway Administration (SHA) will discuss the resurrection of a task force to study the widening of Route 28 and 198 to address traffic congestion. This project is considered mutually exclusive of the ICC, and this is the response one will hear from the SHA. Why would the state consider widening these routes, which would serve the same purpose of the ICC, providing a county East-West route? Unofficially, the state is faced with a critical shortage of funds and as a result state highway projects have been delayed for the foreseeable future. Financing Section A of the ICC is supported by anticipated tolls, but financing for the other two sections, especially section B may be beyond state's capability during this global economic crisis. In theory, it would be possible to complete Section A of the ICC, but abandon the construction of the middle and eastern segments in favor of expanding MD 28/198. In addition to monies saved by the state, funding would likely be available to address the Georgia/Randolph and Georgia/Norbeck intersections. The business community would also have a direct route connecting I-270 to I- 95.Road Resurfacing Completed in 2007
Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Board, AGWG successfully navigated the county bureaucracy in 2007 to achieve resurfacing of most of the roads within AGWG boundaries.The process used, known as micro-chipping, is now standard treatment for residential streets that are not major thoroughfares. It is an improvement over the slurry that was applied some years ago, but not equal to the traditional repaving process. Mr. Hawkes, Chief of Operations in the County's Department of Public Works, responded to the association's inquiry about Willson Hills, explaining those streets had slurry applied within the last five years. As a result, they are not scheduled for repaving in the immediate future, in accordance to the County's adopted road maintenance schedule.
County Exec Leggett Confirms Roads Will Be Paved [February 2007]
In a letter dated Feb. 14, County Executive Ike Leggett responded to an inquiry from AGWG Civic Association President Joel Mazelis about the sorry condition of roads in the AGWG area. Leggett acknowledged the county’s intent to take care of this problem. Here, word for word, is the text of Leggett’s letter to Mazelis:Dear Mr. Mazelis:
Thank you for sending me a copy of your recent letter to Mr. Holmes (Arthur Holmes Jr., the director of Department of Public
Works), regarding the resurfacing of the AGWG community’s streets. I am pleased to hear Mr. Holmes informed you that the
streets will be resurfaced soon after the beginning of this fiscal year’s construction season. I appreciate your bringing your
community’s concern to my attention.
Sincerely,
Ike Leggett, County Executive
The AGWG wishes to thank the efforts of Jim Wilkerson in bringing this matter to the county’s attention and assisting the AGWG Board of Directors.
Association Continues Fight to Have Roads Fixed [January 2007]
January 19, 2007
Arthur Holmes
Director, Department of Public Works and Transportation
Montgomery County Maryland
101 Monroe St. 10th Floor Rockville, MD 20850
Dear Mr. Holmes:
I am writing you to seek your assurance of a commitment made by your colleague, Al Roshdieh, to our community’s civic association through Natalie Cantor, Director – Mid County Service Center. This past May, DPWT responded to our request for road repaving within the boundaries of the AGWG Civic Association. Since 2005, individual residents and I have written to your department and the former County Executive about the deplorable conditions of our roads.
Upon our request last spring, Carol McKenzie, Assistant Director-Mid County Service Center agreed to conduct an on-site investigation into this matter and communicate her findings to the center director, who contacted your department. Your department responded (Attachment A) that potholes would continue to be repaired until early spring 2007 when permanent patching would take place followed by repaving later in the summer. This was welcome news to community especially since the previous year (2005); the County Executive sent us a letter stating that our community was scheduled for resurfacing during 2006. However, upon contacting DPWT at a later date, we were told that our community was not scheduled for repaving.
Without shoulders and sidewalks, all of the residents, big and small, have no choice but to use our streets (Attachment B) as a thoroughfare, which have worsened in recent months with water line installation. Based upon your department’s response to our request in May 2006, I hope that I can report to community that we still have your commitment to repave our roads during the coming year.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Joel P. Mazelis
President
AGWG Civic Association
2161 Marymont Road Silver Spring, MD 20906
301/598-8553
Admin@agwgcivicassociation.org
Cc Ike Leggett, Montgomery County Executive
County Council President Marilyn Praisner
Councilmember Nancy Floreen, Chair-Transportation and Environment Committee
Natalie Cantor, Director-Mid County Service Center
attachments
Traffic Issues at the Layhill/Baughman Intersection
Don MacIntyre. October 4, 2006
We will not forget the sight: a dump truck resting on the soccer field on its side, its large wheels facing Layhill Road at Baughman Drive. Although we did not witness this accident, we believe, based on the history of difficulties at this intersection, the truck's resting place resulted from a near rear end collision of a vehicle stopped waiting to turn left onto Baughman Drive. Speed and the lack of a right shoulder were contributing factors to this accident.
What followed our observation that day has been a series of letters to State and County officials seeking safety improvements at this intersection. We gave a copy to AGWG, our Civic Association, for we wanted its support.
After more than a year of letters writing, we finally got results on August 29, 2006. A 30-minute roadside meeting took place at the intersection. Attending this meeting were representatives of the State Highway Administration (SHA) including Jeffrey Wentz, Assistant District Engineer for Traffic (Montgomery County), one of his assistants, Joe Giacalone and Roger Manno, AWGW Board Members, and my wife carol and me.
During our letter writing campaign, we had written Council President George Leventhal. He responded to us in a letter dated January 26, 2006. The final paragraph of his letter stated that he was sending a copy of his letter to SHA’s District Engineer asking SHA to evaluate and address the current safety of MD 182 at the Baughman Drive intersection and at the bridge south of it.
At our roadside meeting, we showed Mr. Wentz the January 6th letter we received from Council President Leventhal. To our surprise, the State’s Montgomery County traffic engineer said he had never before seen this letter. He has the letter now! But nonetheless, my wife Carol and I plus the AGWG delegation, had a meaningful discussion of traffic safety issues, including issues at Park Vista Drive, with the two SHA representatives. Mr. Wentz promised to study the issues presented and observed, and to follow-up with us as his point of contact. Carol and I will continue to keep our Civic Association informed.
In the meantime, here are a few safety suggestions:
* Watch out for the drop-off on the eastside shoulder of Layhill Road at Park Vista Drive. We have asked the State to add gravel to the erosion plagued gully there. According to Mr. Willson, a County police vehicle became stuck with its drive wheel off the payment due to the gully’s condition. He has pictures of this incident.
* Signal a left-turn on to Baughman and slow your vehicle as soon as you pass Park Vista Drive. Remember the posted speed limit is 40 MPH, but most vehicles are exceeding this speed, and at Baughman, unlike at Park Vista, there is no paved or unpaved right shoulder for right-side passing.
* When approaching Layhill Road from Baughman Drive, watch for vehicles turning left onto Baughman, for many vehicles make a 45-degree, rather than a 90-degree, turn.
* Contact members of the Montgomery County Council, and the County Executive, seeking their support in improving the safety of this intersection. Copy the AGWG (Admin@agwgcivicassociation.org) with your correspondence.
