WSSC Maintenance Along Old Georgetown Won’t Affect Bike Lane

Planned replacement work on water main pipes under Old Georgetown Road in Montgomery County begins January 17, according to permits filed by WSSC maintenance engineers and approved by the Maryland Department of Transportation. The work is part of a 36-month project to replace 70-year-old pipes along a 4.1-mile span between McKinley Street in Bethesda and Tilden Lane/Nicholson Lane in North Bethesda.

WSSC officials say the Washington suburbs see hundreds of water main breaks each year, particularly when the region’s winter weather taxes them. A March 2021 water main break near Bethesda Row caused 9.1 billion in damage among dozens of retailers.

Repair work begins at McKinley Street on the north bound side of Old Georgetown Road, during which sections of one lane will be closed for up to 12 months. Southbound lane closures are expected to begin in March.

County officials say additional traffic enforcement resources will be directed to the area. “Our top priority is pedestrian safety,” said project supervisor Jeremy Mayfield. “During peak travel hours, the intersection of Old Georgetown Road and Cedar Lane will be treated as a four-way stop, with traffic control officers directing traffic.”

The Old Georgetown Road work is part of the North Bethesda Laying Pipe Project, a 25-year infrastructure improvement plan approved in 1987. WSSC says the work will not impact newly installed bike lanes in the area.