Temporary closure on ICC this weekend

Traffic alert: There will be a temporary closure along the ICC this weekend, as the Maryland Transportation Authority begins replacing the electronic tolling gantries with newer, updated ones. Closures are expected between January 24 and 27, 2020 and again next weekend. Follow the detours below this weekend and next.

Beginning at 9:00 PM tonight, Friday, January 24, and continuing until 5:00 AM on Monday, January 27, westbound traffic on the ICC/MD 200 will be detoured at New Hampshire Avenue (MD 650). The detour route will direct motorists north on New Hampshire Avenue to Norbeck Road, west to Layhill Road (MD 182) ,and south on Layhill Road back to westbound ICC/MD 200.

The following weekend, from 9:00 PM Friday, January 31, until 5:00 AM on Monday, February 3, eastbound ICC/MD 200 traffic will be detoured at Layhill Road (MD 182). The detour route will direct motorists north on Layhill Road to Norbeck Road, east on Norbeck Road to New Hampshire Avenue (MD 650) and south on New Hampshire Avenue back to eastbound ICC/MD 200.

Photo via MDTA

Climate activists may shut down commuter routes into D.C. Monday morning with #ShutDownDC protests

Climate activists are threatening to block major roadways commuters use to reach downtown Washington, D.C. Monday morning, September 23, 2019, as part of an ongoing series of protests to coincide with the United Nations Climate Action Summit. Participating organizations are not revealing which roads or intersections they plan to blockade during an action they are calling #ShutDownDC.

Montgomery County, the County Council, and the County Department of Transportation are apparently asleep at the switch, and have not released any statements on the expected protests or possible delays. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has released a statement warning commuters to plan several alternative routes to your destination, or to take public transportation. "The groups have planned first-amendment protected events on Monday to potentially include the intentional disruption of traffic on high-volume roadways around the District," the statement says.

With no way to know what these folks have planned, it would be wise to plan ahead and check traffic reports before leaving for work Monday morning - and give yourself extra time to get there, if your route is affected.

Police to close Maryland Avenue during dueling immigration rallies today

Dueling rallies between opponents and advocates of Montgomery County's new policy restricting ICE agents' access to County facilities, and to prisoners with federal immigration detainers being released by the County, at 11:00 AM in Rockville today have led Montgomery County police to close parts of two streets.

Maryland Avenue will be closed between Fleet Street and E. Jefferson Street between 8:00 AM this morning and 2:00 PM this afternoon; the rallies are taking place in front of the County Council office building at 100 Maryland Avenue between 11:00 AM and noon.

Vinson Street will be entirely closed during those same hours.

The rally against the County's sanctuary policy will be headlined by television commentator and author Michelle Malkin and conservative commentator and talk radio personality Larry O'Connor. A coalition of progressive, immigration, and faith-based organizations has scheduled a counterprotest at the same location. Expect police to try to keep the two groups separate, but if you are not participating in one side or the other, you'll probably just want to steer clear of this area mid-day today.

Montgomery County Interfaith Community Liaison Rev. Mansfield Kaseman released a statement saying he has advised police that he and his team are available to assist in "maintaining peace" at today's rally, and has discussed the event with County Executive Marc Elrich.

Edmonston Drive bridge rehabilitation project completed in Rockville

The rehabilitation of the John C. Brown Memorial Bridge on Edmonston Drive in Rockville is now complete. New support pillars, new bridge fencing, a new road surface, and a new plaque honoring Brown are among the upgrades to this heavily-traveled bridge over the CSX and WMATA tracks. Brown was the first Marylander killed during the Korean War.

Photo courtesy City of Rockville

Rockville Pike southbound ramp to E. Jefferson Street to close

Update: April 4, 2019: The City of Rockville has issued a correction stating that the actual closure is of the southbound ramp from MD 355 to Veirs Mill Road. The detour is to take 355 to First Street, and then make a right onto eastbound Veirs Mill.

Starting tomorrow, April 2, 2019, the southbound ramp from Rockville Pike (MD 355) to E. Jefferson Street (MD 28) will close for several weeks. The Maryland State Highway Administration will be resurfacing the ramp and upgrading safety features during the closure. Drivers are advised by the SHA to use a detour of Veirs Mill Road to First Street to Rockville Pike to get around the closure.

During the project, there will also be intermittent closures of the northbound right lane of MD 355 near Church Street, and mid-day and overnight temporary closures of single lanes of MD 355 between MD 28 and Mannakee Street for resurfacing and concrete work. Those closures will continue through the fall, while the ramp to MD 28 should reopen in mid-spring.

Montgomery County headlines:

Fascino closes at Montgomery Mall

Free Starbucks coffee 24 hours a day? Living the dream in Silver Spring

Powered by Suburban News Network

State collecting soil samples in Rockville for Hogan's I-270 Express Lanes plan

Maryland is collecting preliminary soil samples near I-270 in Rockville, alarming some on the City Council who feel that Gov. Larry Hogan's Express Lanes plan for the severely-congested interstate is moving forward too quickly. Montgomery politicians have tended to favor either a transit-only solution for the corridor, or a pair of reversible lanes in the center of the highway. Hogan's plan would widen 270, and add tolled Express Lanes at little cost to the taxpayer, as they would be built and operated by a private firm.

"They're actually taking soil samples. They're trying something. They're looking for information. This tells me they're not just looking at reversable lanes. And so they have something in mind beyond what they said, so that's upsetting," Councilmember Mark Pierzchala told colleagues Monday night.

Pierzchala asked what options the city has to fight Hogan, and what the County Council and other local bodies could do to help the city. Councilmember Julie Palakovich Carr said she was told by residents of Regents Square that the development's management had told them to expect state inspectors to be collecting soil samples around the townhomes there. Pierzchala urged city staff to seek partnerships with the City of Gaithersburg and local HOAs along the highway.

Hogan, whose popularity has reached the highest numbers recorded by the Washington Post in a quarter century, has picked another winning issue in his Express Lanes plan. To counter him, his opponents are forced to publicly stand in the way of traffic congestion relief, a position unlikely to be popular among angry highway drivers in an election year. Hogan's plan can move forward over the objections of local officials because it requires no funding from County or federal sources.

Nighttime road resurfacing on Shady Grove Rd., Crabbs Branch Way in May

A contractor will resurface parts of Shady Grove Road and Crabbs Branch Way near the Shady Grove Metro station next month. The work will be done at night, between the hours of 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM, to avoid negative impacts on traffic flow and local businesses. Resurfacing will begin the first week of May, and take about two weeks to complete.

Nighttime sewer replacement near Rockville Town Center

A contractor will be replacing sewer lines along E. Middle Lane and Park Road in Rockville starting in September. The work will be performed at night, between the hours of 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM. It will require lane closures, and for that reason, the City of Rockville requested the project be completed at night.

This will require a noise waiver from Montgomery County. Heads up if you live in the Upton apartments, Rockville Town Square, Americana Center (to a lesser extent), or any of the single-family homes off of Park Road.

New speed camera deployed in Rockville

Watch out, or watch your wallet. A new speed camera is being deployed this month in the 500 block of N. Horners Lane in East Rockville. 

The good news? No citations will be issued in July. The bad news? Beginning August 3, citations will be issued for vehicles exceeding the posted speed limit by 12 mph or more.

ROCKVILLE POLITICAL CARTOON

In the best traditions of political cartooning, William Charles is putting pen - and Rockville politics - to paper. And via Rockville Nights, to the internet:

(Click cartoon to enlarge for more detail)