Development and Planning, Rockville Reports, Transportation and Mobility

Safety Improvements and Asphalt Art Begins to Take Shape in Rockville Town Center

Work began in early September on improvements to Beall Avenue on a first-of-its-kind project for the city to improve safety and make the street more attractive for residents, visitors and businesses. 

A roadway resurfacing and new alignment between MD 355/Hungerford Drive and North Washington Street will create one travel lane in each direction, buffered bicycle lanes, and on-street parking and loading spaces. The addition of traffic-calming features and the reduction of pedestrian-crossing distances will improve roadway safety. 

It will also create a new space for public art. 

Rockville, in partnership with VisArts, was among 25 North American cities chosen last year from a pool of 200 applicants to receive Asphalt Art Initiative grants through Bloomberg Philanthropies. The $25,000 grant from the Bloomberg Asphalt Art Initiative will supplement funding from Rockville’s Art in Public Places program to create a mural directly in the street. 

The artwork is expected to be added by the end of October. For more information about the Asphalt Art Initiative, visit bit.ly/RkvAsphaltArt.