Removal of bus-only lanes on Md. 355 underway as 3 Metro Red Line stations reopen – WTOP News
Drivers returning to work after the Labor Day weekend may notice an easier trip along Md. 355, as Metro’s reopened three Red Line stations and temporary bus-only lanes between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights are no longer in effect.
At the North Bethesda station near Marinelli Road, the former bus lanes were still marked Tuesday morning.
The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration said work to remove the lane markings was to begin Monday night and is scheduled to continue through Friday.
The agency said crews will remove approximately 7.5 lane-miles of bus lane striping following completion of Metro’s summer Red Line construction project. The temporary bus-only lanes supported free shuttle service between the North Bethesda and Friendship Heights stations.
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Crews are working overnight to remove lane markings and signage. The project will also restore original on-street parking along parts of the corridor.
On Tuesday morning, parking meters in downtown Bethesda remained covered. State highway officials said the striping work will restore that parking once the project is complete.
Dotted lane markings remain in areas where drivers previously entered the right lane before turning from the designated bus lanes.
Although the markings have not yet been fully removed, all lanes in both directions are now open to all vehicles along the stretch of Md. 355 where the bus-only lanes operated during the summer.
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