Speed limits on Maryland Route 97 (Georgia Avenue) in Wheaton and Silver Spring will be reduced this week to enhance pedestrian safety, according to the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA).
The coming changes are part of the MDOT SHA’s new program focused on improving driver and pedestrian safety in business districts with dense populations, such as Georgia Avenue, which is considered a hotspot for deadly pedestrian crashes.
The program plans include speed limit reduction, upgraded crosswalks and narrowed lane widths across Prince George’s County and Montgomery County, according to MDOT SHA.
“MDOT SHA is approaching pedestrian safety differently than we have before,” Greg Slater, MDOT SHA Administrator, said in the department’s press release.
Beginning this week, speed limits will be reduced at the following locations along Maryland Route 97:
- Between Maryland Route 586 (Veirs Mill Road) and Arcola Avenue in Wheaton from 35 mph to 25 mph
- Between Glenallan Avenue and Maryland Route 185 (Connecticut Avenue) in Silver Spring from 45 mph to 35 mph
- Between Maryland Route 185 and Cherry Valley Drive from 50 mph to 45 mph
This is not the first highway in Maryland to be a part of this program. Speed limits were already reduced on Maryland Route 190 and Maryland Route 187 in Montgomery County.
MDOT SHA plans to improve other highways this year, including Maryland Route 410 and 188 in Montgomery County, as well as Maryland Route 210, Maryland Route 410 and US 1 in Prince George’s County.
