(August 9, 2013) – Travelers in Bethesda will have a smoother ride by late fall as construction crews complete the final phase of pavement resurfacing on two sections of MD 355 as part of two ongoing safety projects.   Beginning this Sunday night, August 11, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) will resurface several sections of MD 355 (Wisconsin Avenue) in Bethesda, Montgomery County. The total cost of the two projects, which are approximately 1.5 miles apart, is $2.9 million. Weather permitting, the projects should both be complete by late fall.

SHA will resurface one mile of MD 355 from Montgomery Avenue to Jones Bridge Road and more than a mile of MD 355 from the Washington, D.C. line and MD 191 (Bradley Boulevard).  The project will improve conditions for motorists and pedestrians on MD 355 in the heart of Bethesda. To date, curb and gutter, sidewalk, ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps, drainage improvements and traffic signal adjustments have been completed on both projects.  Crews will also replace the signal systems at Wisconsin Circle and Battery Lane.

“The final surface, new sidewalks and improved drainage provide a refreshed and safer corridor for those who live and work in the area,” said SHA Administrator Melinda B. Peters. . “We thank motorists and pedestrians for their patience as crews work to complete these projects.”

During resurfacing on both projects, crews may close up to two lanes on MD 355, overnight Sunday through Thursday, between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. and one lane, Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All work is weather permitting.

As part of the resurfacing work on both projects, SHA will remove the top layer of pavement, patch, grind and resurface all lanes, reconstruct traffic signals at Battery Lane and Wisconsin Circle and apply new pavement markings. The traffic signal reconstruction work at Battery Lane and Wisconsin Circle will add audible countdown signals (APS) and countdown pedestrian signals (CPS) to each intersection. New mast arms and signal heads will be installed at the reconstructed signal at Wisconsin Circle.

On average, 67,000 vehicles travel daily within the limits of both projects inside the Wisconsin Avenue corridor in Bethesda. SHA’s contractor for the work is M. Luis Construction Company of Baltimore, which will coordinate lanes closures between both projects.

SHA will maintain access for pedestrians and residents during the road work for both projects. Residents and travelers are advised that equipment used for construction can be loud and disruptive.

Motorists should make alternate parking arrangements along MD 355 within the project limits through late fall as parking will be temporarily unavailable during resurfacing work within the work zones. The pair of resurfacing projects are located along the same MD 355 corridor where SHA is currently working to complete utility relocations for a Bethesda Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) project between Cedar Lane and Jones Bridge Road.

This project was made possible with funding from the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013, which maintains crucial system preservation investments and allows Maryland to activate long-term strategies to invest in Maryland’s transportation systems. By putting people back to work in the transportation industry with $4.4 billion in new investments in the next six years, Maryland is creating hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and providing Marylanders with the transportation infrastructure necessary to grow and prosper for decades to come.

As crews work to keep work zones safe, each driver needs to actively modify his or her driving style to help prevent crashes. Stay alert – look for reduced speed limits, narrow driving lanes and highway workers. Slow down and don’t follow too closely. Safer Driving. Safer Work Zones. For Everyone!

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