For Immediate Release: Friday, August 25, 2017
Ribbon Cutting for Stringtown Road in Clarksburg
on August 31 at 10 a.m.
Wider lanes, a new hiker-biker path and sidewalks
enhance safety and improve traffic flow
ROCKVILLE, Md., August 25—Montgomery County Councilmember Craig Rice, County Executive Isiah Leggett, Kate Kubit, Vice President, Elm Street Development, Al Roshdieh, Director, County Department of Transportation, and community members will celebrate the completion of improvements to Stringtown Road in Clarksburg, Md. on Thursday, August 31 at 10 a.m. at the corner of Stringtown and Saint Clair Roads.
The effort to widen a 3,200-foot section of Stringtown Rd. took nearly 17 months to complete and cost $8 million. The County designed the project. Elm Street Development executed the construction. The County contributed approximately $3.1 million to the project.
“Since taking office in 2010, I’ve advocated on behalf of Clarksburg on the pressing need to widen and realign Stringtown Road due to the grave safety concerns addressed by residents,” said Councilmember Craig Rice, who represents Clarksburg and much of the up-county. “I am pleased that the community can now access Stringtown Road with confidence because of its enhanced accessibility and safety improvements for drivers and pedestrians.”
Before the improvements to Stringtown Road it was a winding two-lane road. Since 2008 at least two high-profile traffic accidents have occurred on the road and there have been a significant number of collisions and near misses with vehicles skidding off the road. One involved a 14-year-old who was struck while crossing Stringtown Road. He suffered injuries that left him paralyzed. Another occurred when two school busses narrowly avoided a collision. The incident resulted in nine elementary school students suffering injuries.
Now Stringtown Road has been widened from two to four lanes. Road improvements have made turns and steep hills safer for drivers. The improvements also provide sufficient capacity to handle traffic near the Clarksburg Town Center and adjacent residential neighborhoods. The addition of a hiker-biker path and sidewalks along the road will improve pedestrian and bicycle circulation in the area.
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