Beach Drive in Kensington Closing Aug. 30 for Bridge Replacement

Beach Drive, between Kensington Parkway and Old Spring Road, will close Aug. 30 and remain closed until mid-June of 2022 while the two-lane bridge that carries Beach Drive over Silver Creek gets replaced.

Traffic will be detoured through MD 185 to MD 192 to Stoneybrook Drive and Beach Drive, according to a Montgomery County press release. The pedestrian path will only be blocked off for a few weeks while paving and railings are installed on the new pedestrian bridge.

County residents living near the bridge can expect to hear construction noise during the week. Construction on the vehicle bridge will take place Monday through Friday between  7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Occasional Saturday work may be conducted as well.

This work was deemed necessary after a 2020 bridge inspection found the steel arches of the traffic bridge to be in poor condition.

Other expected construction includes the relocation of Rock Creek Trail to a separate alignment and removal of the right turn lane on Kensington Parkway at Beach Drive. The project, which will be partially paid for with Federal funds and the rest from the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), also includes plans to plant trees to assist in erosion control measures.

National Geographic defines erosion on their website as “the geological process in which earthen materials are worn away and transported by natural forces such as wind or water.” By planting trees, the county can help prevent erosion since plants hold soil in place.

MCDOT has a tree-planting program that helps the county to plant approximately 1800 trees per year, according to their website. County residents can also call the county’s 311 call center and request to have trees planted in certain areas if they find it necessary.

Questions about the construction can be directed to the MCDOT Onsite Construction Representative Glenn Hane at Glenn.Hane@montgomerycountymd.gov or the MCDOT Field Supervisor Bill Sittinger at Bill.Sittinger@montgomerycountymd.gov.

About Sarah Dilworth

Sarah Dilworth was an intern with Montgomery Community Media during the fall of 2021. At the time, she was also a senior at the University of Maryland where she studied journalism and creative writing.

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