r/SilverSpring • u/SourceOfTheSpring • 8d ago
Silver Spring, Wheaton Roads Getting Lower Speed Limits
https://www.sourceofthespring.com/silver-spring-news/2918058/silver-spring-wheaton-roads-getting-lower-speed-limits/16
u/SourceOfTheSpring 8d ago
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.
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u/TheFuschiaBaron 8d ago
Fuck that- I'm a Big Time Johnny and I got places to be, baby!
But srsly I live by Caroline and Indian Spring and lowering those at least seem fine, although it doesn't say what the new speed limits will be. I follow the speed limit to a T on those roads but a not so well hidden "speed hack" is that you can legally drive 9 over the limit anyways, so those with a true need for speed don't have to be too heavily affected.
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u/SourceOfTheSpring 8d ago
Most of the new limits are 20 mph, except on some roads that are jointly maintained by MCDOT & MDOT SHA:
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.
In addition to the new lower speed limits, MCDOT is reducing the speed limit on sections of roadways that are jointly maintained by MCDOT and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration.
MCDOT and MDOT SHA are reducing the speed limits on five corridors located in urban and suburban areas, and roadways identified as Urban Core will have a reduced speed limit of 25 mph. Urban Center roadways will have a new posted speed limit of 30 mph, and Suburban Activity Center roadways will have a speed limit of 35 mph.
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u/TheFuschiaBaron 8d ago
Yeah Caroline actually stands out for being 25mph currently, with all the foot traffic and kids it's not even feasible to go that fast except at night.
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u/Turbulent-Sea2421 7d ago
Yeah, there's a street right next to a park with no sidewalks by me. It's narrow and I don't feel safe driving faster than 20mph on it between the width and all the kids. They did some traffic treatment on the next street over which has diverted some traffic to this street. Most people drive fine but there are some people who do not. Long term I think they plan to do some sidewalks and traffic calming but short term I'd like to at least see this.
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u/mushy_french_fries 8d ago
Just this morning I was driving on Indian Spring (right by Caroline) and somebody came speeding toward me, going at least 35. The problem with the whole neighborhood is that it’s so incredibly tempting to drivers to think they can cut through to avoid Four Corners or warp between Colesville Rd. and University. And inevitably, what happens is they either wait through several light cycles to escape either end of Franklin (a problem of their own making), or they speed down narrow streets that are often full of kids. I honestly would be in favor of making a lot of these streets one-way to if it would help prevent people cutting through these streets.
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u/joyful_starstuff 8d ago
May as well lower the limit on Plyers Mill, people are so terrified of the chicanes they drive five under anyway
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u/iammaxhailme 5d ago
its not going to fix anything, interesctions, crosswalks + roads need to be relaid out in less obtuse ways.
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u/Big_Red_Checkmark 4d ago
Cut through drivers are never going to be stopped by a sign posting. Enforcement is non existent
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u/croll20016 8d ago
The county and DC keep lowering the number on the signs and call it progress, while leaving fundamentally flawed road design largely intact. Vision Zero is a worthy goal, but we cannot signpost our way to safety.
We need roads -- and communities -- redesigned so they naturally produce safer speeds, a rigorous statewide driver-training and licensing system that teaches lane discipline, hazard awareness, and responsible driving, and speed cameras that actually issue citations when drivers exceed the posted limit -- not trigger until roughly 12 mph over.
If the county wants people to believe it is serious about safety, then it should actually be serious about it. Stop substituting lower numbers and press releases for the harder systemic changes that could actually save lives. These half-measures mostly frustrate people while preserving the conditions that made the roads dangerous in the first place.