Bike lanes, concrete islands and new parking restrictions could come to Pooks Hill Road in Bethesda after county engineers flagged speeding, unsafe driving and pedestrian safety concerns on the 0.4-mile neighborhood connector.

Montgomery County's Division of Traffic Engineering and Operations is hosting a virtual meeting Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. to present the proposed changes and take questions from residents. The comment period stays open through Tuesday, Aug. 25.

The project targets the stretch of Pooks Hill Road between Linden Avenue and MD 355 (Rockville Pike). The speed limit is 25 mph. The road feeds into one of the county's busiest commercial corridors, and DTEO's review examined crash history, traffic speeds and pedestrian volumes, identifying three problem areas: excessive vehicle speeds, dangerous crossings for pedestrians at intersections and violations of on-street parking rules.

The proposed fix includes bicycle lanes, concrete median islands to slow traffic, new pavement markings and changes to where drivers can park along the road. The county has posted a project location map and concept plan on its website, both dated July 2026, though specific design dimensions have not been publicly released.

The effort fits within Montgomery County's broader Vision Zero push, a county-wide traffic calming program that has also brought speed reductions to residential roads across the county, including in the Potomac area. According to Patch, the county had reduced speed limits on 33 roads since July 2025. MCDOT Director Chris Conklin said in a July 20 announcement about the broader Vision Zero program that engineers conduct safety and traffic analyses before implementing changes "to ensure the reduced speed limit will work in that location."

District 1 County Councilmember Andrew Friedson, whose district includes Bethesda, was tagged in MCDOT's social media posts promoting the meeting. The department did not name a specific project engineer or spokesperson for the Pooks Hill proposal.

Residents can join the Aug. 11 meeting via Microsoft Teams or by phone at 443-692-5768 (conference ID: 662 622 025#). Written comments and questions can be emailed to [email protected] through Aug. 25. Invitations are also being sent to civic groups and homeowner associations along the corridor.