Dear Penguin: I get that they’re building the Silver Spring Transit Center, but why are they digging up the middle of Colesville Road? — David Zakar
David –
Our Penguin intern has been wondering the same. It’s not that the construction impedes his morning commute (he sleeps in a kennel outside the mailroom). He just hates navigating around those road barriers during his daily McShake run.
So we emailed Bruce Johnston, who runs the department of public works’ division of capital development, to quell our intern’s frustrations and your curiosity.
According to Johnston, DPWT is building a lane on Colesville Road that would allow southbound buses to turn left into the transit center’s driveway. That new driveway will sit just north of the Metro station’s entrance.
Courtesy of Google Maps.
“A similar left-turn lane for buses is also being constructed on Colesville Road just north of Wayne Avenue, for southbound buses to turn onto Wayne,” Johnston added.
The next logical question, then, is this: Will northbound traffic on Colesville Road be allowed to make a left onto Second Avenue once the work is done?
Nope, according to several sources, including Gary Stith, director of Silver Spring’s regional center. Northbound drivers must get their left-turn kicks somewhere else.
Thanks for your question, David. And good luck scoring that increasingly elusive Big Mac.
– The Penguin
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Not the answer I was hoping for, but so be it. I’m guessing no turn on 2nd also means no turn on Ramsey, either. Too bad.
If northbound traffic on Colesville can’t turn left at Second Avenue, because of left turn restrictions at Georgia Avenue and beyond the most logical alternative is to turn right onto Wayne and then left at the intersection of Wayne and Georgia. That intersection does not have a left turn arrow, which creates problems already because many buses have to make that left turn, which isn’t easy without a left turn arrow. Are there any plans to add a left turn arrow there, especially since there will be even more left-turners?
Funny, I was just pondering that same question yesterday. Wayne Avenue desperately needs left turn signals for both west and eastbound traffic trying to turn onto Georgia. Yesterday I was stuck in the Wayne Ave parking garage unable to move for 30 minutes because of the backup created partially by the lack of a left turn signal at the Wayne/Georgia intersection.
Another thing: before the Colesville construction traffic was able to turn left onto Second Ave going north on Colesville. Are we saying that that ability is going to be taken away now?
And, also, I keep strict kosher, so the big macs aren’t happening either way. :)
Yea… that no left turn is a pain in the rear for anyone who lives up that way coming home from Blain-Giant-land… or DC for that matter…. east-west to 16th to spring is the best alternative that i’ve found, if ya live in the georgian towers, twin towers, cameron hills, alexander house part of the world. I think it’s time for some angry letters, make sure they realize what an inconvinience that is…
A left turn arrow on both east and west bound Wayne on to Georgia Avenue is already being installed and should be functional in a couple of weeks.
If you want to turn left off north bound Colesville, turn at 16th Street and come into downtown off Spring Street or take a right at Georgia and a right at Wayne to Second Avenue.
[...] construction on Silver Spring’s new transit center. The work on Colesville Road will create permanent left-turn lanes for buses, the press statement [...]