anchor Description
This project provides for the extension of Dorsey Mill Road from Century Boulevard to Milestone Center Drive for approximately 1,500 feet including a bridge over I-270, the reconstruction of Dorsey Mill Road from Milestone Center Drive to Observation Drive for approximately 1,000 feet, and the widening of Village Green Circle at the east of the Dorsey Mill Road/Observation Drive/Village Green Circle intersection for approximately 160 feet to add a westbound left-turn lane. The improvements will provide a new four-lane divided roadway (one 11' outside lane and one 10.5' inside lane in each direction) along Dorsey Mill Road, a distance of approximately 0.5-miles, within a 150' minimum right-of-way. A ten-foot shared-use path on the north side and an 8' two-way separated bike lane with a 6' sidewalk on the south side along Dorsey Mill Road, in compliance with ADA requirements, will provide connectivity for the existing sidewalks and shared-use paths along Century Boulevard, Milestone Center Drive, Observation Drive, Waters Hollow Road and Found Stone Road that intersect with Dorsey Mill Road. An 8' parking lane is proposed on both sides along the Dorsey Mill Road from Milestone Center Drive to Observation Drive to accommodate the existing condition that outside lanes are being used for parking by the adjacent townhouse communities. Protected intersections will be provided as appropriate. Traffic signals will be installed at the intersection with Century Boulevard and the intersection with Observation Drive respectively. The scope also includes the reinterment for existing burials within the Dorsey Mill Road right-of-way.
anchorEstimated Schedule
Most of the design including application for permits by Black Hills Germantown, LLP (BHG), the developer of the Black Hills subdivision, under an agreement (MOU) with the County was completed in December 2018. Burial reinterment is projected for FY30. Design, land acquisition and construction will occur beyond FY30.
anchorCost Change
Cost increase due to inflation.
anchor Justification
The vision of the project is to provide multi-modal access, improve mobility and safety for local travel, and enhance pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular access and connectivity to existing residential, commercial, parks, and recreational areas and planned mixed-use developments on both sides of I-270 in the vicinity of the Germantown Town Center urban area. This project is needed to provide the east-west transportation improvement completing the master planned Dorsey Mill Road that will connect Century Boulevard on the west side I-270 with Observation Drive on the east side of I-270. The latest planned mixed-use developments in the vicinity (the Black Hills subdivision, Poplar Grove subdivision, FFC at Cloverleaf Center subdivision and Century subdivision on the west side of I-270 and the Milestone subdivision on the east side of I-270) provide for a total of 364 units of single family dwellings, 1,435 units of multi-family dwellings, 1,374,182 square feet of commercial space, and 140 assisted living facility units.
anchorOther
The 2009 Germantown Employment Area Sector Plan designates Dorsey Mill Road from Century Boulevard to Observation Drive as a 4-lane Business District Road B-14 and Corridor Cities Transitway with 150' right-of-way and shared use path SP-66. The December 2018 Montgomery County Bicycle Master Plan recommends a two-way separated bike lane on the south side of Dorsey Mill Road. Four potential existing burials within the Dorsey Mill Road right-of-way were identified by a field investigation in 2018. Corridor Cities Transitway proposes a station at the median of the Dorsey Mill Road between Milestone Center Drive and Observation Drive. BHG has completed design and permit applications at its expense under terms of an MOU. The County agreed to certify impact tax credits to BHG for all design and permit costs eligible for impact tax credits pursuant to Section 52-55 of the Montgomery County Code (Impact Tax Credits). The County is responsible for the design changes, permit revisions, land acquisition, construction, and burial reinterment.
anchorDisclosures
A pedestrian impact analysis has been completed for this project.
anchorCoordination
Maryland State Highway Administration, Maryland Transit Administration, Maryland Department of the Environment, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, Utilities, Lerner (Managing Agent for BHG), Maryland Historical Trust, Maryland State's Attorney, Waters Family, Germantown Historical Society, and Symmetry at Cloverleaf, LLC. Special Capital Projects Legislation will be proposed by the County Executive.