Last Week at the PHED Work Session -- Transportation

Wow! Interesting discussion on transportation issues at the November 25 Work Session of the PHED.  Of course, only one kind of transportation was discussed - that would be cars, folks. Except of course for those of you that will be interested in bicycling or walking to work.  Please comment here if you walk or bicycle to work, and let us know how far your commute is and how often you commute this way.

Anyway...the staff report, by Glenn Orlin, the Deputy Council Staff Director, included 3 bullet points -- these were suggestions as to how to reduce the anticipated congestion.  Orlin stressed that ALL 3 of these would have to be implemented for the WF Sector Plan to work.  And here they are:

• Increase the Non-auto mode share (NADMS) for residence from 48% to 53%.  Which, would be, as was said, dramatic;
• Remove the median on Montrose Road between I-270 and Montrose Parkway and replace it with a reversible lane.  Of course, thanks to all of you, there were so many emails and such an outcry that the PHED immediately took it off the table.  So, there goes one out of the three required changes that would have to be implemented for the plan to work; and
• Widen Rockville Pike from 6 to 8 lanes between Edson Lane and the Beltway.  And, as some pointed out, given the idea of the dedicated bus lanes, that could in reality mean widening the road to 10 lanes.  And again, the PHED members took that out of the mix.  So there goes 2 of the 3 required changes to make this plan work.

What are we left with? Given the proposed density, the SAME amount of traffic. Just nowhere for the traffic to go.  So, you folks that use Montrose Road; it is not like the traffic generated will go away.  These 3 proposals were an attempt to alleviate the traffic. Somewhat.  Now you are stuck with the SAME AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC; just no way for it to move.  Happy now?  Think you've won the war? The battle? Think again.

You still have not addressed the issue -- the amount of traffic generated cannot be handled by the proposed road network.  We are out of balance.  How did the PHED leave it? Here is what Mike Knapp (D-District 2) said: 'We can change the balance.'

What I think he meant, and this is just my opinion, is that the council has the authority to change the definition of 'balance.'  did not know the council could do that...