Montgomery County recently awarded Lot 31 Associates rights to redevelop Lot 31/31A, a 279-space surface parking lot located on the south side of Bethesda Avenue at Woodmont Avenue in the Bethesda Central Business District (CBD). 

Lot 31 Associates proposes to build two residential buildings with 245 market-rate, work force, and moderately-priced units and 40,500 S.F. of ground-level retail space, above a 1,138-space public parking garage.  Another 342 parking spaces will be built as part of the public parking structure and sold to Lot 31 Associates residents.  A total of 1,480 parking spaces will be constructed on 4 ½ underground levels. 

Wells + Associates was retained by Lot 31 Associates to prepare a traditional Local Area Transportation Reviews (LATR) of the private mixed use project and public parking garage, and a traffic operations study of the proposed garage driveways, adjacent driveways, and nearby public street intersections. 

The traffic operations analysis evaluated pedestrian safety improvements to the Bethesda Avenue/ Woodmont Avenue intersection, realignment of Woodmont Avenue, alternative traffic signal phasing/ timings plans, turn restrictions at the parking garage driveways, curb parking restrictions, and other factors.  Measures to protect the adjacent Sacks residential neighborhood also were evaluated.

Wells + Associates also provided expert witness testimony before the Montgomery County Zoning Hearing Examiner.