WHEATON-GLENMONT, Md. — Maryland Governor Wes Moore took a stroll through downtown Wheaton Wednesday afternoon to discuss safety along state-controlled Georgia Avenue.
District 6 Montgomery County Councilmember Natali Fani-Gonzalez says the visit to the neighborhood was a campaign promise Moore made to her when she also was a candidate.
"All people have the basic right to movement access in a way that is safe. So that's why we are here. We want people to know we are prioritizing this," said Gov. Moore following the walk.
Moore pointed out concerns like the speed of cars along the stretch that has a 25 mph speed limit, as well as drivers not stopping for pedestrians attempting to cross the busy avenue.
Wheaton High School Sophomore Jennifer Hernandez shared similar worries with the Maryland Governor. "Pedestrian safety is a main concern as I take public transportation every day from and to school," she told Moore.
Five pedestrians have died in the downtown Wheaton area between 2015 to 2022. During that same seven year period, 51 people have been seriously injured and 28 of those were pedestrians, according to the Wheaton Downtown Study.
Councilmember Fani-Gonzalez says the purpose of the walk was to show the governor what her constituents deal with daily. "Georgia Avenue is a street that is so dangerous, where people are getting killed just because they are crossing the street," she told WUSA9.
Moore brought key members of his administration to the walk, including Secretary of Transportation Paul Wiedefeld and Secretary of Commerce Kevin Anderson.
Fani-Gonzalez pitched a revitalization plan to improve Georgia Avenue. During a brief presentation, she told attendees she wanted that stretch of Wheaton to look similar to Bethesda. Among her top priorities, are improved walkability and connectivity with other local jurisdictions like Prince George's County and the District of Columbia. She also says that the planning needs to prioritize increasing density near metro to increase ridership as well as include bus rapid transit.
The proposed changes to Georgia Avenue come with a hefty price tag. The redevelopment project that spans nearly a mile from Veirs Mill Road to Wheaton Library, has an estimated cost of 75 to 100 million dollars.
In the meantime, Fani-Gonzalez says that the state can take immediate actions to improve Georgia Avenue like maintaining the sidewalks and increasing lighting for improved safety.