Drivers traveling along Rockville Pike this week may notice new markings appearing on sections of MD-355 between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights.
According to public safety reporter Cordell Pugh, Maryland State Highway Administration contractors are currently installing temporary bus lane markings along the busy corridor to support transit operations during Metro’s upcoming Red Line shutdown this summer.
The bus lanes are part of a larger transportation plan designed to help move commuters through the area while four Red Line stations are closed for construction work between July and September 2026.
Metro previously announced that service will be suspended between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights from July 6 through September 6 to allow crews to continue work associated with the Purple Line project at Bethesda Station and complete several major infrastructure improvements.
The closure will allow construction of the second mezzanine at Bethesda Station, which will connect Metro riders to the future Purple Line. Additional work includes rehabilitating the platform at Grosvenor-Strathmore Station by replacing slab edges and tiles, upgrading lighting, and improving drainage systems. Crews will also replace the raised railway structure that crosses Rockville Pike between Grosvenor-Strathmore and Medical Center stations.
During the shutdown, Metro plans to provide free shuttle bus service between the affected stations. The newly marked bus lanes along MD-355 are intended to help those shuttles move more efficiently through one of Montgomery County’s busiest traffic corridors.
Metro officials have encouraged riders to begin planning alternate travel options now and to expect longer travel times throughout the two-month closure period.
This week, Maryland State Highway Administration contractors are installing bus lane markings along MD-355 between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights to support bus operations during this summer’s Red Line shutdown. #MDTraffic #WMATA https://t.co/uYJi8lJzSC https://t.co/bbmckLJt1y pic.twitter.com/LsfkTcGKM7
— Cordell (@CordellTraffic) June 4, 2026
