Crossing the Line: Safety Concerns Escalate Over Speeding School Buses and Unaddressed Traffic Hazards

Increased volume and excessive speed are contributing to dangerous areas along Falls Chapel Way. Despite pleas to the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, residents have thus far been unsuccessful in getting a stop sign placed at a busy four-way intersection in a residential area. Falls Chapel Way is an extension of Tuckerman and one of the busiest thruways to Falls Road. The intersection (Falls Chapel Way and Bentridge/Gatewater) has numerous bus stops within feet for two elementary schools as the intersection is the school zone dividing line.

Need for a Stop Sign

Despite a recent transportation study completed in early June of this year that showed nearly 50% of vehicles speed on this main thoroughfare, residents have been unable to get a stop sign placed at the intersection. While the Montgomery County Division of Traffic Engineering and Operations state that stop signs aren’t designed to slow traffic, the intersection is dangerous. Various factors, including the following issues would be mitigated by a stop sign:

  1. Three kindergarten and elementary school bus stops are in the immediate vicinity (two within approximately 100 feet). The intersection is also the dividing line for Cold Spring Elementary School and Beverly Farms Elementary School
  2. A double yellow line without a cross-walk makes it unsafe for pedestrians and bikers to safely cross the street
  3. The closest intersection with a stop sign is more than a quarter mile away; 3. High traffic volume exists, as identified by the traffic study. At times, well in excess of 100 vehicles per hour traverse this section
  4. More than 20 school bus routes turn onto Falls Chapel Way or continue to/from school at this intersection. Several of the buses travel at speeds in excess of the posted 25MPH speed limit
  5. The Fallsreach HOA, as well as resodents of adjacent neighborhoods support placement of the stop sign.
  6. Residents have expressed difficulty in making turns from Falls Chapel Way to/from Bentridge and Gatewater.

School Bus Speed a Concern

More troublesome, residents have witnessed Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) school buses repeatedly exercise blatant disregard for the posted 25MPH speed limit. In discussions with the head of MCPS’ Department of Transportation (DOT), a resident was told that the majority of buses are operating within the speed limit. Residents are unsure if this means 51% or 99% are following the speed limit in this residential area. Equally as troubling is the lack of candor. Residents deserve a direct answer. The supervisor in charge of the MCPS bus depots sarcastically asked if residents had taken radar speed checks of the buses. Instead of resorting to sarcasm and making jokes, residents in the community think MCPS DOT’s time would be better spent looking into the issue with greater rigor.

It takes one accident involving a bus to kill a student. Residents expect the Director’s response to be that ALL buses obey posted speed limits. They expect that drivers who aren’t following the posted speed will face consequences. Despite numerous calls to the Director, residents have been unable to discuss this on the phone and previous emails have largely gone unanswered.

When contacted by a parent, the MCPS Bus Operations Manager responded: “Data was pulled from May 15 – May 23 of bus speeds along this road. Of the buses you identified, only one was geolocated in this area and not speeding.”

Given that so many buses transit Falls Chapel Way, only one bus in that area over that time frame is very hard to believe.

Residents and the local HOA hope that interest from the county council and the Board of Education will force the MCPS Director of Transportation and other stakeholders to make a commitment that ALL school buses obey speed limits.

Stop Sign a Priority

While speed and issues with MCPS school buses need to be addressed, the aforementioned issues easily lay out the need for a stop sign to promote safer conditions for area residents.

Take Action

Email the County Council a prefilled email here or use the prefilled form to start your own letter.

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