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County committee backs phased bike‑ped improvements in Germantown, favors separated lane for Wisteria
Summary
Montgomery County transportation staff presented four alternatives to improve pedestrian, bicycle and transit access along Wisteria Drive and Middlebrook Road; committee and Planning Board favored a phased approach and a separated cycle track (Option 2A) for Wisteria with design changes at driveway crossings.
Montgomery County transportation staff on Monday briefed the Transportation and Environment Committee on a multimodal study for Wisteria Drive and Middlebrook Road in Germantown, aimed at slowing traffic and improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.
"Over the last five years, this stretch of road and area has had a total of 145 crashes," said Angel Chang, capital projects manager with MCDOT Division of Transportation Engineering, citing 62 crashes on Middlebrook Road and 83 on Wisteria Drive. Chang described four alternatives ranging from short‑term striping and sidepath upgrades (Option 1) to a long‑term roadway widening to carry two‑way cycle tracks to intersections (Option 3).
Planning staff said the Planning Board prefers Alternative 2A — a separated 12‑foot two‑way cycle track with a raised median in some sections — but flagged a specific safety issue where the design now transitions the bikeway onto the sidewalk and through a commercial driveway near the Germantown Road intersection. "That transition through a commercial driveway is problematic from a safety perspective," said Eli Glasier, acting countywide transportation planning supervisor with Montgomery Planning.
District Councilmember Balcom, whose district includes the corridor, said she concurs with the Planning Board and favors Option 2A for Wisteria while supporting a phased approach for Middlebrook that begins with lower‑cost striping and moves to a separated facility. "I agree that 2A is really the best option for Wisteria," Balcom said, but emphasized the importance of modifying driveway crossings and considering funding and phasing timelines.
Chang provided conceptual construction costs for the Wisteria options: Option 1 about $2.3 million; Option 2A about $3.0 million; Option 2B about $3.0 million; and Option 3 about $4.8 million. He noted estimates exclude utility relocations and right‑of‑way acquisitions. Staff also said the project is included in previous Safe Streets for All grant applications but has not yet secured that funding.
Committee members stressed connectivity: they asked how new bikeways would tie into existing town‑center networks and student routes to Seneca Valley High School, and requested that DOT coordinate with planning and MCPS to improve linkages. The committee concurred with the Planning Board and endorsed advancing the phased approach for Middlebrook and pursuing 2A (with driveway crossing modifications) for Wisteria as the preferred alternative.
Next steps include design refinements to address the driveway conflict at Germantown Road and continued coordination with MCPS and planning staff before seeking funding for detailed design and construction.
