The Montgomery County Department of Transportation is lowering speed limits in several residential neighborhoods and downtown boulevards in Silver Spring, Wheaton, and across the county to enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
Since July last year, MCDOT has lowered speed limits on 33 roads in Montgomery County and over 250 neighborhood streets since 2021 following the passage of House Bill 562, which allowed the county to set local road speed limits to 20 mph and sometimes as low as 15 mph.
Announced on Monday, the roads in Silver Spring and Wheaton-Glenmont with new lower speed limits include:
- Indian Spring Drive and Caroline Avenue;
- Red Oak Drive and Columbia Boulevard, and Woodland Drive;
- Saint Lawrence Drive and University Boulevard;
- Woodland Drive and Spring Street;
- Church Lane and Paul Drive, and Newport Mill Road;
- King Tree Street and Newport Mill Road, and Parker Avenue;
- Newport Mill Road and Parker Avenue;
- Paul Drive and Newport Mill Road; and
- Pendleton Drive and Veirs Mill Road.
“Lowering speed limits is an important step toward changing the culture of our neighborhood roads,” County Executive Marc Elrich said in a Monday press release. “Our neighborhoods should be a community space, where residents can ride a bike, walk their dog, or go for a run safely. With schools out on summer vacation, more children are outdoors playing throughout the day. I appreciate MCDOT’s efforts to protect our communities. Reducing speed by just five miles per hour can prevent an unimaginable tragedy. When cars slow down, it saves lives.”…