Drivers who use River Road in Bethesda, Maryland, should brace for weeks or months of delays and detours, including during rush hour, as long-term utility work begins.
Beginning Friday, June 28, work will impact the flow of traffic on River Road (Maryland Route 190) between Wilson Lane and the D.C. border at Western Avenue, according to a press release. The work is expected to be completed by the end of summer.
Originally, crews were scheduled to work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. A Washington Gas spokesperson said they hope to complete work by 5 p.m. to avoid the evening rush.
Washington Gas and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration are set to install a remote-control valve on a natural gas transmission line in the median of River Road.
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The work will require closures of travel lanes, shoulders, ramps and a sidewalk; detours for trucks and temporary bus stop relocations.
River Road lane closures and detours
Here’s the full list of closures, according to Washington Gas:
While work is taking place, motorists can expect closures at the following locations:
- Intersection of MD 190 between Wilson Lane and Winston Drive: Southbound left lane closed.
- Intersection of MD 190 and MD 614 (Goldsboro Road): Closed will be northbound (straight) right lane; eastbound (straight) right lane, shoulder and ramp; and westbound shoulder and ramp. There also will be sidewalk and temporary bus stop closures on the northwest and southwest sides of intersection.
- MD 190 (River Road) and Western Avenue: Closed will be southbound (straight) right lane and the sidewalk on the southwest side of intersection.
Detours for trucks will also be in place:
- Southbound trucks approaching intersection of River Rd (MD 190) and Goldsboro Road (MD 614) from southwest will be detoured straight along Goldsboro Road (MD 614), right onto Bradley Boulevard (MD 191), right onto Wisconsin Ave NW (MD 355), right onto Western Avenue and straight back to River Rd (MD 190).
- Northbound trucks approaching intersection of River Road (MD 190) and Goldsboro Road (MD 614) from northeast will be detoured straight along Goldsboro Road (MD 614), left onto Massachusetts Avenue (MD 396), left onto Western Avenue and straight back to River Road (MD 190)
