New Section of Father Hurley Blvd. Opens

Residents traveling between the residential and commercial areas of Germantown gained a new ally in their battle against traffic and congestion Monday morning, when the newest extension of Father Hurley Boulevard officially opened to the public.

The latest and final extension, which takes road users over the CSX tracks between Wisteria Drive and MD 118, is 1.2 miles long and was constructed at a total cost of $11 million. The stretch boasts of a concrete sidewalk, a bike lane and noise reduction walls in some sections of the road.

Father Leonard Hurley, for whom the extension in named, said the whole exercise was a community project, but added that having a swath of road named after him did not bother him one bit.

“I only ran left, right and center when they were building it,” said Hurley. “I made a lot of noise when I was here but it was a community venture, and although we disagreed we had a lot of respect for each other and we worked with each other. We all worked together step by step.”

 The 80-year-old priest explained that the original road named for him was much shorter, running from the Giant shopping center to Waters Landing. Developers and residents extended it by changing the name of Germantown Drive which ran parallel to Germantown Drive and became too confusing for everybody.

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Legget said access to the road meant improved access for emergency vehicles enhanced traffic flow and reduced congestion for the future.

 “This road is about enhancing the livability of one of our fastest growing communities," Legget said. "It is about easy access to jobs, services and programs.”

 Germantown resident Ken Kuhn particularly welcomed the extension because he had been pushing for it. He said it took him 40 minutes to get to his work place in the southern part of the county and waiting at the intersection of MD 118 and Wisteria Drive added to his commuter frustrations. He estimated the new extension would shave five minutes off his commute either way.

 “It may not seem like a lot but I appreciate that. I think it is good that they are connecting the two sides of town.”

Deputy Director for Transportation Policy Edgar Gonzalez said the new section was built to accommodate 40,000 vehicles in one day. He noted that the next big construction project will be the corridor super transit, which will connect the Germantown to Shady Grove Metro Station.