The Montgomery County Council voted 7-2 to approve the building of the Montrose Parkway, a 1.8 mile road project in North Bethesda.
The $62.8 million project would widen Montrose Road from four to six lanes between I-270/Tower Oaks Blvd. and Tildenwood Drive, where a four-lane Montrose Parkway would be constructed, dipping south and east and running parallel to the continuation of Montrose Road toward Rockville Pike.
The project will be completed in two stages to coordinate with a new interchange at Rockville Pike and Montrose Road. The first section, from I-270/Tower Oaks Blvd. to East Jefferson Street is planned for completion in spring of 2008. The second section, from East Jefferson Street to Rockville Pike, could also be completed by then if the state makes funds available.
The Council approved funds to move ahead with design on both sections.
Much of the funding for the project will come from the county-wide development impact tax approved by the Council on March 12. The impact tax requires developers to pay more toward the costs of transportation projects.
Voting to approve the Montrose Parkway were councilmembers Steve Silverman (D-At large), Isiah "Ike" Leggett (D-At large), Nancy Dacek (R-2), Howard Denis (R-1), Derick Berlage (D-5), Michael Subin (D-At large) and Marilyn Praisner (D-4).
Phil Andrews (D-3) and Blair Ewing (D-At large) opposed the project.
The project will also include: $1.8 million for noise walls to protect the North Farm and Old Farm neighborhoods straddling the project; a sidewalk on the south side of Montrose between I-270/Tower Oaks Boulevard and Tildenwood Drive; a hike-biker trail; lane widths of 11 feet rather than 12 feet, with a ban on heavy trucks.