Photo: Evan Glass, of the South Silver Spring Neighborhood Association, speaks at the opening of Bottleworks Lane. Courtesy of Jason Gedeik.
County officials and residents last Friday celebrated the opening of a new roadway and pedestrian path connecting two South Silver Spring streets.
“We’ve hit the trifecta,” MoCo council prez-elect Nancy Floreen (D-At large) said of the newly constructed Bottleworks Lane. The one-way, southbound street connecting East-West Highway and Kennett Street “improves pedestrian safety, promotes business and helps to make Silver Spring a generally great place to live.” she said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Other big wigs at the ceremony included MoCo exec Ike Leggett (D), US Rep Chris Van Hollen (D-Md 8), and State Sen Jamie Raskin (D-20). “Southside Evan” Glass, friend of The Penguin and president of the South Silver Spring Neighborhood Association, and Reemberto Rodriguez, director of Silver Spring’s regional center, were also there.
Courtesy of Jason Gedeik.
The new street’s name hollers at South Silver Spring’s industrial past, before the Canada Dry bottling plant on East-West Highway and Blair Mill Road was converted into The Silverton condos. Bottleworks Lane includes pedestrian lighting, county-run parking meters and a filtration system for collecting rain water and snow melt before they seep into the storm-water management system, a press release announced.
The street’s opening puts a wrap on the county’s pedestrian-linkage project for South Silver Spring, the press statement added. The ten-year plan broke up large city blocks and included the Arts Alley and a more pedestrian-friendly Eastern Avenue entrance to the Kennett Street garage.
Photos courtesy of Jason Gedeik.
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Wait — that’s a wrap? Wasn’t there also going to be a crosswalk across East-West Hwy where it meets Bottleworks Lane? Or maybe there is one now, and I just haven’t seen it yet? (Is there?) Though frankly, with Mayorga leaving, now I’m less inclined to want to cross there at all… Maybe in the summer, for Moorenko’s!
Here’s an observation: On Wednesday afternoon, the roadway at Bottleworks Lane was clear of snow. However, the sidewalk there was buried under two feet of virgin snow. Just saying.
Will post a pic on The Penguin’s Facebook page.
M – you are absolutely correct about the need for a proper crosswalk to connect Bottleworks Lane to Arts Alley. But unfortunately an extra pedestrian safety mechanism across East-West Highway was not included in the pedestrian linkages project due to the fact that it needs to be approved by the state of Maryland, since rt 410 is a state road. It is the same overarching issue we dealt with last month with the pedestrian fatality at Colesville and 16th St: how to get the Maryland State Highway Administration to understand the increased needs of pedestrians and bicyclists in an urban area like Silver Spring. I believe that state authorities are finally beginning to understand and that progress will be made, but unfortunately it is being achieved at a snail’s pace, even after some very unfortunate incidents.
Editor’s note: “Southside Evan” Glass is president of the South Silver Spring Neighborhood Association. — JD (Dec 23, 2009)