SHA presents Intersection Improvement Plan along MD 124 (Montgomery Village Avenue)

On September 18, State Highway Administration (SHA) Senior Safety Officer Joseph Moges presented SHA’s proposed Intersection Improvement Plan along MD 124/Montgomery Village Avenue to the community. Members of the Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) Board of Directors, staff, District 39 Senator Nancy King and Delegate Greg Wims, and representatives from the Montgomery County Council and county Department of Transportation joined interested residents at North Creek Community Center.

The plan includes proposed improvements to four existing intersections—MD 355/Frederick Road, Russell Avenue, Lost Knife Road and Midcounty Highway—as well as a new, proposed intersection for an entrance to the planned redevelopment of the Lakeforest Mall property, all along the portion of MD 124 owned by the state. Moges detailed each intersection, providing a comprehensive scope for the project, and citing pedestrian safety through the corridor as the main driver. Residents in attendance shared traffic impacts and general safety concerns in their reaction to the proposal.

Moges explained that in 2019, the Maryland legislature enacted a Vision Zero law, which sets a goal of zero motor vehicle-related fatalities or serious injuries by 2030. In 2023, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced that it is an Ally in Action with the National Roadway Safety Strategy—a US Department of Transportation initiative—to bring agencies and stakeholders across the country together, sharing ideas and best practices to save lives on the nation’s roadways. The initiative sets a national vision for safety, and identifies courses of action based on five core objectives: safer people, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer speeds and the highest standards in post-crash care.

In response, MDOT SHA has been actively developing and applying a data-driven approach to identify and prioritize corridors where safety and access needs are most prevalent, which was formalized in their Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP). After studying state-wide data between 2015 and 2023, the MD 124 corridor was rated as one of the highest priorities that could benefit from both safer speeds and pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements.

To illustrate, Moges showed speed study data and slides of the intersections where SHA is proposing removal of the channelized right turn lanes to eliminate vulnerable points of contact between motorists and pedestrians: MD 124 at MD 355; MD 124 at Russell Avenue; MD 124 at Christopher Avenue/Lost Knife Road; and MD 124 at MidCounty Highway, as well as signalized intersections at MD 124 at Street One (entrance to Lakeforest development); and MD 124 at Antezana (commercial building near the Gaithersburg Library).

He noted that no through lanes would be eliminated, and the intersection at MidCounty Highway would be expanded to include two signalized right turn lanes. Each existing intersection would be converted into a normalized four-way traffic pattern where vehicles must enter the intersection to complete a right-hand turn. Other safety improvements at each intersection include: reduced curb radii, crossing islands and continuous lighting.

Moges also outlined other current or planned projects along MD 124, identifying status as active or complete, as follows:

• MD 124 at Russell Avenue
  • Reconstruct the intersection to improve overall safety. Design recommendations from the PSAP include removal of all channelized right turns and installation of a crosswalk across the Russell Avenue west leg – Active.
• Lost Knife Road
  • Identified by the county as a High Injury Network road; therefore, a road safety audit was conducted between MD 124 and O’dendhal Avenue. Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) requested the Lakeforest Mall developer install a shared use path along southbound Lost Knife Road – Complete.
• MD 355 Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
  • This project will provide upgraded bus service along the entire MD 355 corridor. However, within the vicinity of MD 124, the BRT will run along Russell Avenue, which will be outfitted with BRT lanes, potentially removing a through lane in each direction of Russell Avenue. This project is in the design stage and is planned to be under construction in 2025 – Active.
• MD 124 from Russell Avenue to Lost Knife Road (abutting Lakeforest Mall redevelopment)
  • Full color signal, pedestrian crossing with APS/CPS along the south and west legs at “Street One” is planned – Active.
  • Redesigned full color signal, pedestrian crossing with APS/CPS along the west leg at “Antenzana” intersection is planned – Active.
  • Shared Use Path along frontage is planned – Active.
• MD 124 at Pier Point Place
  • Full color signal, pedestrian crossing with APS/CPS along the south leg, and a relocated RideOn bus stop along northbound MD 124 to better align with the crossing – Complete.

Several residents voiced their support for pedestrian safety, but raised strong opposition to the removal of the channelized right turn lanes, noting with traffic already backed up on Montgomery Village Avenue during rush hour—especially at ingress and egress points to MD 355 and I-270—traffic will likely back up even further. Additionally, as motorists try to avoid longer wait times, the reconfiguration has the potential to increase pedestrian accidents; the combination of these two would make it even more difficult to travel into and out of Montgomery Village.

It was also surmised that traffic bottlenecks along MD 124 could push traffic to other roadways within Montgomery Village, such as Watkins Mill Road, which is not part of SHA’s pedestrian safety high priority corridors. In addition to potential pedestrian and vehicle accidents, residents voiced their strong concern over the inconveniences to Village residents who will be caught up in much longer traffic delays all along Montgomery Village Avenue.

When asked if SHA’s intersection improvement plan was affiliated with the WRS Lakeforest redevelopment plan, Moges replied that SHA’s plan is completely independent of the ongoing plans for the Lakeforest property. He also said that SHA did field safety studies in coordination with associated state, county and city agencies to ensure that the SHA plan served those agencies’ needs as well. One resident raised the issue of a new traffic study which would incorporate impacts of the new units from the Lakeforest, Bloom Village and Village Center developments. Moges said an updated study would likely be performed once the developments are completed.

Another resident asked about coordination between all entities that have an impact on these changes, citing the worry that each agency is looking at the project from its own perspective and needs, but not holistically to ensure that in the end, a bigger traffic and pedestrian problem does not emerge. Moges acknowledged the need to bring all entities together for a collaborative solution.

At present, the Intersection Improvement Plan is only conceptual; Moges noted there was not an identified implementation timeline. Additional opportunities for Montgomery Village residents to provide feedback, engage in the process, and suggest alternatives to the plan would be identified and communicated when available. Residents are encouraged to check the Village News Online, the MVF website and social media channels for updates.