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.