Takoma Park Receives Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) Transportation Land-Use Connections (TLC) Grant Award

City Awarded $60,000 to Study Laurel Avenue Streetery Traffic Impacts

Since early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Laurel Avenue Streetery has offered a popular, public gathering space in the heart of Old Takoma, where previously there was none. The temporary closure was so popular that in 2022, the City Council voted to extend its existence indefinitely.

On Thursday, April 20, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) awarded the City of Takoma Park a Transportation-Land Use Connection program technical assistance grant valued at $60,000 to conduct a traffic study on the streets surrounding Laurel Avenue. The study will look at traffic impact scenarios for a full, permanent, or semi-permanent closure of both sides of Laurel Avenue. It will look at the potential impacts on vehicle traffic flow, emergency vehicle access, cut-through traffic, and any roadway or signal redesigns that would be necessary to accommodate the reconfiguration. The idea to close both sides of Laurel Avenue to create a large, dedicated pedestrian plaza builds on conceptual design work being conducted by the Old Takoma Business Association (OTBA).