Traffic Light at River Road and Braeburn Parkway/Pyle Road.

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WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, are residents living near the above intersection, students at Walt Whitman High School, or parents of such students. We are dissatisfied with the repeated rebuffs by highway administrators of community demands over the years for a traffic light at the intersection of River Road and Pyle Rd./Braeburn Pkwy. in Bethesda. Each time over the years that a light has been requested, the issue has been committed to some study that invariably results in determination that the intersection does not qualify. Even now, with a recent serious accident at the intersection, the highway administrators reject our requests for a light or propose alternatives that are either inconvenient or inadequate.

The intersection is a dangerous back-exit on to River Road from the large Walt Whitman High School parking lot. New, inexperienced high-school student drivers entering and exiting the high school through this intersection must negotiate the hazards of turning on or off of River Road, a heavily used thoroughfare, sometimes crossing oncoming traffic. Cars turning left from eastbound River Rd. line up between 7:15 and 7:45 am on school days while others are trying to negotiate the intersection in other ways. Similarly, traffic is very heavy coming out of Pyle Rd. at River when school lets out in the afternoon. A traffic light could operate at limited times and otherwise blink amber to minimize disruption to the flow of traffic on River.

The excuse that the traffic does not justify a light does not wash when this intersection is compared to others nearby that have traffic lights already. The Holton-Arms private school, a half mile west on River Rd., has a light for less traffic (with a small street, Royal Dominion, on the other side). The entrance to Kenwood Golf & Country Club, a half mile east on River, has a light, and the traffic there and from the street across from that entrance (Springfield) is not significantly heavier on average, and never as heavy as Pyle Rd. and Braeburn Pkwy. when classes at Whitman are beginning or concluding. The entrance to Congressional Country Club, a couple of miles west similarly has a light.

The attempted fix of limiting traffic exiting Braeburn Pkwy. and Pyle Rd. to a right turn only during certain hours proved to be yet another insufficient solution, failing to prevent a recent serious accident involving a car from a different direction. Does a high school student or other driver have to be killed before those who can get this done will listen?

We demand appropriate action in promptly approving and installing a traffic light at this intersection because we know from daily experience that life is at stake. The cost and occasional inconvenience of a traffic light is minor in comparison to what, with great justification, we fear will otherwise occur.

We await with limited patience a favorable response to our concerns.

534 Signatures

  • Richard Boltuck & Misook Yu
    • Comments
    • Failing to fix this dangerous intersection, which is used by so many high school students, is inexcusable!
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6015 Cairn Terrace, Bethesda, MD 20817
  • Susan Wexler
    • Comments
    • The combination of speed and inexperienced drivers at this intersection will result in fatalities. There is no excuse for allowing this dangerous situation to persist.
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6507 East Halbert Road Bethesda, MD. 20817
  • Hans Engler
    • Comments
    • There is a lot more cross traffic at the intersection than can be managed and the layout of the intersection is utterly confusing
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6507 East Halbert Road Bethesda, MD. 20817
  • Susan Baker
  • Simon Engler
    • Comments
    • I am a new driver and a student at Whitman. I always feel apprehensive about using that crossover.
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6507 East Halbert Road Bethesda, MD. 20817
  • Deborah Stein
    • Comments
    • As a parent of a Whitman student, I feel it is critical to ensure that a light is placed so that our kids, who drive that intersection early in the morning when they are not fully alert, will be safe
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 8217 Beech Tree Road, Bethesda, MD 20817
  • Claudia and George Kousoulas
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6011 Cairn Terrace
  • Ruth Lozner
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 20817
  • shauna simon
    • Comments
    • you know it's right-keep our citizens and especially our children safe
  • Joan and Roger Ishimoto
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 7704 Beech Tree Road.Bethesda, Maryland 20817
  • Susan M Sparacino
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6002 Benalder Dr, Bethesda MD
  • Charles E Sparacino
    • Comments
    • We have forbidden our high school student from using this intersection to cross or join River Rd. Without a traffic signal, it is EXTREMELY dangerous.
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6002 Benalder Dr, Bethesda MD
  • Lucy Alexander-Montecino
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 7110 Wilson Lane, Bethesda 20187
  • Diana Huntress Deem
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 7605 Sebago Road, Bethesda 20817
  • Philip Schrag
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6600 Selkirk Drive, Bethesda 20817
  • Karen Finucan Clarkson
    • Comments
    • This is a necessity not a convenience
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 9225 Villa Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817
  • Terese Bernstein
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 8610 Garfield Street, Bethesda, MD
  • Judy Brazen
  • Lorraine Driscoll
    • Comments
    • This traffic light is sorely needed, and should be prioritized for swift action.
    • Address and Zip Code
    • Bethesda, 20817
  • Lisa Levine
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 20817
  • L.A. Fues
    • Address and Zip Code
    • Bethesda, MD 20817
  • sheryl israel
    • Comments
    • Safety is paramount! There is no excuse for failing to put a light at this intersection.
  • SUSAN NIBLOCK
  • Debbie & Jud Sommer
    • Comments
    • The intersection is a dangerous place. We have lived on Braeburn Pkwy for 15 yrs and have witnessed numerous accidents and near misses. Insanity is the only reason the state has not put a light in place.
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6610 Braeburn Pkwy, Bethesda, MD 20817
  • Lily U Hale
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6202 Vorlich Lane, Bethesda, MD 20816
  • Roxana Radley
  • Dale Sorcher
  • Peter Graves
    • Comments
    • The most important line in the petition is the one about not waiting for a death to occur before county officials take action. Put a signal there now, before anyone else is seriously injured.
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6431 Bannockburn Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817
  • Barbara Schreiner
    • Comments
    • There is no excuse for not making this intersection safe for our children
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6300 Crathie Lane 20816
  • Lawrence H. Bennett
    • Comments
    • A traffic light is essential to the safety of a large number of walkers and drivers.
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6524 East Halbert Road, Bethesda, MD 20817
  • Henriette de Bruyn Kops
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6511 Dalroy Lane, Bethesda, 20817
  • Lori Zerbib
    • Address and Zip Code
    • Orkney Parkway Bethesda 20817
  • Leslie K. Shedlin
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 7903 Springer Road Bethesda, MD 20817
  • Hilary Joel
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 13 Pepperell Ct. Bethesda, MD
  • Alejandra Vallejo
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 7614 Winterberry Place, Bethesda, MD 20817
  • Anne Hollander
    • Comments
    • В
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6904 Carmichael Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20817
  • Linda Morelli
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 7100 Wilson Lane, Bethesda, MD 20817
  • Richard Morelli
  • Edward Kelty
    • Comments
    • Additionally, the intersection is dangerous because westbound River Road traffic is split turning left onto Braeburn around the awkwardly placed double lines marking the center of the intersection. Half the cars make the legal turn to the right of the center point, and half intuitively turn to the left of it not to block the eastbound cars turning. This light would have prevented the accident involving our daughter's friend 15 year ago.
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6709 Selkirk Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817
  • Brenda Holt
    • Comments
    • I have seen too many near misses at this intersection!
  • Kevin Shinaberry
  • Scot Cody
  • Douglas McManus
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 7810 Maple Ridge Rd., Bethesda MD
  • Julie Wade
    • Address and Zip Code
    • Bethesda 20816
  • Alexandra Koneff
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6103 Benalder Dr. Bethesda 20816
  • Larry Slesinger
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 5016 Westpath Terrace Bethesda 20816
  • Karen Riibner
    • Comments
    • В
    • Address and Zip Code
    • В
  • Julie Noble
    • Comments
    • I suffered a serious accident at this intersection Oct, 2007, which left me with a pelvis broken in 5 places and a permanent displacement of the pelvis. If my daughter had been in the passenger seat, as she usually is, we would have had the first fatality. Let's fix this now!
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6522 E. Halbert Rd, Bethesda 20817
  • Caterina Hatcher
    • Comments
    • As I wait for the T2 bus, I have observed drivers darting across all 4 lanes with barely enough time to make it across. There needs to be a light at this intersection before someone gets killed.
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 6522 Elgin Lane, Bethesda, MD 20817
  • Christine Williams
    • Comments
    • Whitman parent
    • Address and Zip Code
    • 20854