Prince George’s County

Trail Ambassadors could come to Prince George’s County.

| Pedro Dana
Kids on a trail in the Anacostia Tributary Trails System. Photo Credit: Robert Meyers.

Prince George’s County is home to miles of beautiful and well-used paved trails for transportation and recreation. Bladensburg Waterfront Park alone sees more than 1,000 people on an average summer Saturday, and the trails are a great place for walks with friends, training for a 5K or going to the grocery store on a car-free, stress-free corridor.

Prince George’s County is working towards creating and expanding a regional network of world-class trails, and world-class trails networks require consistent field presence to support trails users and address maintenance issues. 

Support better trails!

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), in collaboration with Maryland Milestones/ATHA Inc., proposes an expansion of our current trail maintenance program into Prince George’s County. These trail ambassadors will help maintain the bicycle commuter and recreation routes made up by the Anacostia Tributary Trails (Northwest Branch and Northeast Branch) and Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail. The program is modeled on the success of the Trail Ranger program that has been in operation in the District of Columbia since 2013.

Are you a resident of Prince George’s County? Sign our petition to let the Prince George’s County Planning Board know that you would like to see WABA’s friendly ambassadors on County trails! 

This petition will be included in WABA’s written comments to the County Planning Board’s annual budget process. Prince George’s County Planning Board is part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), the bi-county agency that administers parks and planning in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland. 

Click here for more information on WABA’s Trail Ranger program in the District of Columbia and here for more information about the Prince George’s County Planning Board’s annual budget process.

Prince George’s County Has A New Countywide Trail Plan

| Garrett Hennigan

Last month, Prince George’s County’s Planning Board adopted a new plan to improve, greatly expand and better care for the county’s network of paved off-street trails. The plan is an important step towards better trails and more options for getting around by bike in the region.

Prince George’s County has some of the most popular and well-connected trails in the region. The Anacostia Tributary Trails, the Washington Baltimore & Annapolis Trail, and the Henson Creek Trail are fantastic. But those trails only reach a subset of the county and need substantial attention to meet increasing demand. Residents in Largo, Oxon Hill, and Glenarden rightfully want a trail near them that links into a broader network. They want safe, reliable options for getting around without a car, and they see new trails as the obvious choice. These are some of the many issues the new plan tackles.

 

The Strategic Trails Plan lays out a new vision for what the county’s trail system could and should be. It proposes an interconnected, countywide network of high-quality trails that link parks, major destinations, and neighborhoods. The plan calls for 250 new miles of primary trails and a feeder network of secondary trails to bring convenient trail and park access for 300,000 more county residents. The future network will encourage walking and biking by creating safe, convenient, and connected routes.

Kids riding along a trail on the Anacostia Tributary Trails System in Prince George’s County.

Prince George’s County doesn’t currently reward folks who travel by bike with safe, protected, dedicated infrastructure. In fact, in many places, the roads discourage and punish people who get around without a car.

But this plan changes that. The vision is a connected county that is easy to navigate by foot and by bike. To achieve that vision, the Department of Parks & Recreation needs to make significant changes to its approach to planning and managing trails. The plan identifies a comprehensive roadmap of strategic investments, policy changes and new programs to support existing trails and develop new ones.

The county will need more dedicated funding, additional staff, new partnerships with state and local land stakeholders, and a new, proactive approach to fix trail problems before issues become irreversible. But the payoff—a connected county that encourages active transportation—is more than worth it.

There is a lot of work to do, but for the first time, Prince George’s County has a countywide vision and a roadmap to implement it. And WABA, the Capital Trails Coalition, and the broader community of trail advocates are ready to help make it happen!

Click here to see the approved network map and read the full plan.

Is the WB&A Trail along MD 704 feasible? Study says YES

| Garrett Hennigan

A critical gap in the region’s trail network is closer to completion! Prince George’s County took a big step forward on the WB&A (Washington Baltimore & Annapolis) Trail by publishing a feasibility study of a trail extension along Martin Luther King Jr. Highway (also known as MD-704) to connect the existing WB&A Trail to DC.

Rendering courtesy of Wallace Montgomery and Prince George’s County.

A 12-mile rail-trail in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties, the WB&A Trail is already one of the region’s great recreation and transportation trails. Along the tree-lined route, the trail rises over and tunnels under major highways, connecting neighborhoods, parks, schools and jobs.

But the trail is far from complete.

The trail ends miles from DC’s northeast border and remains isolated from the rest of the DC trail network. Extending the trail to DC would fill a substantial gap in the regional trail network (in fact, the trail would go all the way across Prince George’s County!), creating safe walking and biking options for the communities along the corridor. That’s one reason why the trail has been at or near the top of the Prince George’s County’s Bicycle and Pedestrian transportation funding priorities since 2011!

The WB&A Trail was converted from an old railroad. Unfortunately, planners didn’t make the entire rail corridor into a trail—some was converted into a highway. That highway is Martin Luther King Jr. Highway (MLK Highway), a straight shot from the trail’s southern terminus to the DC line.

WB&A in Green, trail extension in Red

MLK Highway was built to move cars quickly, making the corridor a hostile place for people biking and walking. Despite close proximity to neighborhoods, schools, parks and stores, sidewalks are missing on more than half of the 6.5 mile corridor. Wide intersections make safely crossing the street challenging even where crosswalks and traffic lights are present. It’s a stressful place to bike and walk, so few people do it.

MLK Highway is a 6-8 lane speedway. Building a trail alongside it would make it accessible to people outside of cars.

That’s exactly why WABA, together with Prince George’s County, Oxon Hill Bike and Trail Club, the Capital Trails Coalition and many others are working to change MLK Highway. This major highway is the only connection between dozens of communities, and we strongly believe it should be a safe place to bike and walk.

With a new multi-use trail, MLK Highway could transform from a barrier that separates communities into a safe, inviting corridor that unifies them with new options for getting around.

And the neighbors would benefit tremendously from a safe place to bike and walk along MLK Highway! The corridor has 16 parks and recreation centers, five schools, two libraries, and over 30 places of worship all within a half mile of MLK Highway.

WABA has been with this project from day one. We’ve been leading rides on the trail and on MLK Highway, meeting with elected officials along the corridor, supporting the planning department, researching the economic effects of extending the trail, and organizing trail advocates across the county.

A WABA-led ride on the WB&A! Here we are at Mile 0.

The feasibility study identified places along the corridor that have plenty of room for a multi-use trail, and other areas that are more challenging (based on physical and engineering constraints). The study gives us solid footing, and helps all partners understand what the hurdles will be as the vision for this trail and a path towards completion takes shape.

And we’ll continue to be involved, because closing this gap in the trail network is critical to WABA’s mission. A feasibility study is a significant milestone, but we’ve got lots of work to do before we’re safely riding a completed WB&A Trail.

Want to get involved in this project?

Join neighbors and advocates to build momentum and support for a new 704 trail. Sign up below!

I want to support the WB&A!





A new trail bridge over the Patuxent!

| Katie Harris


Great news! About a month ago, we learned that the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis (WB&A) Trail will receive $4.7 million for a bridge over the Patuxent River, connecting Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties!

This long-awaited bridge will close a key gap in the trail network. Currently, the WB&A Trail is in two segments— six miles in Anne Arundel County (from Odenton to the river), and six miles in Prince George’s County (from the Patuxent River to the trailhead on Annapolis Road). The bridge will connect these segments, connect communities on either side of the river to jobs, retail, parks, amenities, and much more.

The WB&A Trail has been a WABA priority for decades, and this funding commitment is an important win. Please join us in thanking Secretary Rahn for investing in trail infrastructure:

Say thanks

The first of several important connections

The WB&A Trail is a converted railroad corridor, and not surprisingly, the railroad line used to connect all the way into DC. While 12 miles were converted into a rail-trail, the other seven miles to the south were used to create a state highway, Maryland 704.

Today, Route 704 is an over-built highway and a barrier to safe travel by foot or bike. Luckily, leaders in Prince George’s County see the value in a trail along the entire corridor. Planners and engineers are looking into converting a portion of the roadway into a trail— extending the trail to the DC line. A feasibility study  is currently underway, but it will take a lot of work to get our vision to reality.

All told, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced more than twenty million dollars in grants to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety and connectivity across the entire state. With Secretary Rahn’s leadership in funding the Patuxent River bridge, the future looks bright for WB&A Trail users.

 

Want updates on this project by email? Yes!





Speak up for a bridge across the Patuxent River!

| Katie Harris

The Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail (WB&A) is a 12-mile rail trail in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel County. It’s a wonderful trail- except for one critical gap.

The trail has no connection over the Patuxent River. No bridge means the two segments of the trail are totally disconnected. It’s a critical gap that stands in the way of what could be an incredible trail experience.

But, with your help, that could change! Anne Arundel County has proposed a bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the river. Please sign the petition to show your support!

Why is the connection important? With the bridge, the trail could connect communities on either side of the river to jobs, retail, parks, amenities, and much more.

Why is this significant, regionally? The WB&A Trail is not a stand-alone project. It’s an important piece of a handful of regional and national trails, including the East Coast Greenway, the American Discovery Trail, and the September 11th National Memorial Trail. It’s also a key spoke of a network being defined by the Capital Trails Coalition, a collaborative effort to connect the regional trail network in the Washington, DC region.

Where are we in the process? Anne Arundel County is considering three alternatives (a no-build alternative and two build alternatives) and accepting public comments. From that point, the county will move into the initial design of the bridge, which will allow the counties to pursue funding to complete the design work and construction.

Patuxent River bicycle and pedestrian bridge- Alternative #2

Patuxent River bicycle and pedestrian bridge- Alternative #3

What are the two build alternatives? There is a northern and a southern option.

Alternative #2 is the northern option. It is the shortest distance and the most direct route. During the initial assessment, the County noted this alternative will have the least negative environmental impact, although the approach to the bridge will be a bit steeper than Alternative #3.

Alternative #3 uses a previously cleared segment on the Anne Arundel County side of the river, and would include building a longer section of trail to approach the bridge. The bridge would cross into Prince George’s County a bit further south than Alternative #2. The County anticipates a larger environmental impact, and would require that easements from an adjacent homeowners’ association be secured. Both of these factors could slow the process down.

How else can I take action? WABA will submit the petition signatures to Anne Arundel County before the deadline, but if you’d like to dive deeper with your comments, you’re welcome to send your thoughts directly to the county, using this form.

When is the deadline for submitting comments? The deadline is April 17.

Did you know? The WB&A Trail is one of WABA’s advocacy priorities. You can learn more about our continuing work on the development of the trail here.

Summer Advocacy Roundup

| Tamara Evans

Exploring a missing trail connection along Route 1 in Hyattsville

Exploring a missing trail connection along Route 1 in Hyattsville

 

Low-Stress Bike Network

Prince George’s County Trails Master Plan

Brief Explanation: The county’s Trails Master Plan (still in draft form), identifies how Prince George’s County intends to build and manage nearly 400 miles of new trails. The plan takes the mileage of primary trails (trails that are mostly paved, with high-quality design features, a park-like experience, and used for both recreation and transportation) from 65 to 293 miles, and secondary trails (connectors, along roads, or within neighborhoods) from 110 to nearly 400 miles.

Current Status: The public comment period for the draft plan has closed, but we will provide further opportunities for engagement as the process moves forward.

Campaign Launch— Finish the Trolley Trail

Brief Explanation: A half mile separates the Rhode Island Trolley Trail in Hyattsville from the rest of the Anacostia Tributary Trail network. It’s a half mile that stands in the way of a regional trail system connecting Beltsville and Bladensburg, College Park and Capitol Hill, Silver Spring and Southeast Washington. It’s a half mile that isolates communities and makes getting around by bike or foot more difficult and dangerous. It’s a half mile blocking economic development and opportunity.

Current Status: The Maryland-National Capital Parks Planning Commission has a design for a trail connection that would bridge this gap. Right now, it’s just that—a plan on paper, waiting in a desk drawer for someone to take it out and make it real. A united community demanding action can make this happen.

Action to Take: The Prince George’s Acton Committee meets the second Tuesday of the month at the Hyattsville Municipal Building (4310 Gallatin St. Hyattsville) at 7:30 pm. Click here for more information and to sign the petition.

Beach Drive Rehabilitation

Brief Explanation: National Park Service (NPS) recently announced that construction on the much-anticipated rehabilitation of Beach Drive and the adjacent trail will begin after Labor Day of this year. The construction project will happen in four stages, beginning in the south and working north. While Beach Drive will be closed to car traffic in both directions for the segment under construction, bicyclists and pedestrians will still be able to travel through the corridor. While the road is being reconstructed, the trail will remain open, and when the road is completed but not yet open to car traffic, and the trail is being reconstructed, then bicyclists and pedestrians will have access to the road.

Current Status:  The funding is allocated, the engineering designs are complete, and the contract has been awarded. You can see a project map on our April 2015 update, and find more information on the NPS project website.

Action to Take: National Park Service is hosting a public information meeting on August 18 at the Petworth Neighborhood Library at 6:30 pm. Join us and learn more about this exciting project!

Monroe Street Bridge and MBT

Brief Explanation: The Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) will eventually connect Union Station to Silver Spring Maryland. For years, advocates were told that the time for routing the trail under the Monroe Street Bridge through a tunnel behind the west abutment would come when the bridge was ready to be rehabilitated.

Current Status: The time for bridge rehabilitation has come. But the tunnel for the trail is off the table.  The scope of the bridge rehabilitation does include the installation of a traffic signal at 8th and Monroe Streets. In its current condition, this intersection is unsafe for trail users because of low visibility for cars coming eastbound over the bridge and lack of crosswalk alignment with the trail.

Action to Take: We are still waiting for the intersection designs, but we want to hear from you. What would it take for you to feel completely safe at the intersection of 8th and Monroe Streets NE? What have you seen work in other places? Take this quick survey and share your ideas with us.

New York Avenue Trail

Brief Explanation: The District’s 2005 Bicycle Master Plan includes plans for a trail along New York Avenue that would connect NoMa to the National Arboretum, serving all the neighborhoods in between. New development along the corridor, specifically in NoMa and Ivy City, is renewing interest in the trail concept.

Current Status: WABA will work closely with DDOT, Rails To Trails Conservancy, and other stakeholders to move the trail development process forward. But there’s a significant possibility that this could get complicated. Virginia Railway Express (VRE), a commuter rail service linking DC and Northern Virginia, has plans to relocate its railcar storage in light of the expansion of Union Station. Their chosen location is from 4th Street NE to 16th Street NE- right below New York Avenue, right where the concept plan routes the trail.

Action to Take: Scroll to the bottom of this blog post to sign up for updates.

Updates to Trail Rules in Maryland

Brief Explanation: The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is updating its Park Rules and Regulations. Good changes have been proposed, including when trails close, speed limits for bicycles on trails, who has to yield the right of way at trail crossings, and whether e-assist bikes are allowed. You can read the whole discussion draft, and a set of policy alternatives, on the M-NCPPC website.

Current Status: WABA supporters submitted a strong showing of public comments on the proposed rules during the comment period.  Additional public meetings will likely be scheduled in the fall.

Action to Take: Click here to send an email to M-NCPPC to make sure that trails stay open when people need them, that parents can haul their kids to school on them, and that no one gets ticketed for riding their bicycle at a reasonable speed.

Veirs Mill + Matthew Henson Trail Crossing— Still Not Safe.

Brief Explanation: On Sunday July 17th, Oscar Mauricio Gutierrez Osorio, 31 of Silver Spring, was killed crossing Viers Mill Road in Silver Spring where the Matthew Henson Trail crosses a high speed Maryland State Highway. The exact details of the deadly crash involving Mr. Osorio are not public, but the trail crossing is a known safety hazard. This is the same location where Frank Towers, 19 was killed in December 2016,  just days after receiving a new bike for Christmas.

Current Status: WABA reached out to local and state elected representatives, and transportation officials requesting action, as we did after Frank Tower’s death. On Thursday, July 21st, the entire Montgomery County Council sent a letter to Maryland Governor Hogan, Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn and Maryland State Highway Administrator Greg Johnson requesting immediate prioritization of trail crossing improvements. The letter calls out the current dangerous conditions and the need for immediate action. On July 29th, the delegation from Maryland’s 19th District sent a letter to Maryland State Highway Administrator Greg Johnson requesting immediate corrective action at the Matthew Henson Trail crossing of Veirs Mill Road.

Action to Take: Maryland residents: write or call Governor Hogan, Transportation Secretary Rahn, and MD State Highway Administrator Johnson, as well as your state delegates and county representatives. Tell them that the status quo is not working and demand effective solutions.

Bike Routes for Commuting Around Red Line Safetrack Closures

Brief Explanation: WABA and Montgomery County Department Of Transportation hosted two events to help new commuters learn safe routes to avoid red line disruptions.

Current Status: Resources for biking around upcoming safetrack surges are here.

Action to take: Avoid hassle and delays by biking!

Crosstown Study

Brief Explanation: Getting from Columbia Heights to Brookland is a frustrating experience on a bike. It’s not a whole lot better on a bus, and really not great in a car either. DDOT is conducting a study aimed at improving travel through this corridor for all modes.

Current Status: At present DDOT has two concepts for this project. You can read more about them here.

Action to Take: The comment period for the current concept plans has closed, but another community meeting will be scheduled in September. Project updates and timelines will be posted here.

Street Calming and Bike Lanes for Maryland Ave NE

Brief Explanation: More than six years ago, the D.C. Council gave DDOT money to make a long stretch of Maryland Avenue, NE safer for pedestrians and cyclists.  DDOT used that money to establish a new initiative that it called the “Maryland Avenue Pedestrian Safety Project.”  That initiative included implementing a road diet along Maryland Avenue and installing bike lanes, wider medians, and curb bump-outs. Mayor Bowser, DDOT Director Dormsjo, and Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen have made Maryland Avenue a priority, and they have been pushing to get the project done. You can read more about the history of the Maryland Avenue Project here.

Current Status: A recent community meeting held to explore DDOT’s 30% design plans for the project turned acrimonious. While meant to be a chance for residents and neighbors to get a detailed look at the design for the street and offer constructive feedback to improve the project, the packed library meeting rooms were instead filled with heated concerns about parking. We’ve seen this movie before.

Action to Take:  The DDOT employees responsible for this project are George Branyan and Ali Shakeri (george.branyan@dc.gov; ali.shakeri@dc.gov). If you live, work, or bike around the project area, please send them an email letting them know you support this project and want to see it move forward.

Bike Laws

Contributory Negligence

Brief Explanation: The D.C. Council voted unanimously to approve the Motor Vehicle Collision Recovery Act of 2015  as part of the consent agenda. This vote is a huge step towards final passage of the bill, and is the result of years of organizing efforts. In spite of roadblocks, delay, and concerted opposition from AAA and the insurance lobby, we’re the closest we’ve ever been to changing the unfair doctrine of contributory negligence for vulnerable road users.

Current Status: The bill has now cleared a major obstacle to passage. The Council will vote on the bill a second time in late September / early October, after which it will require a signature by Mayor Bowser, (who sent a congratulatory tweet to Councilmember Cheh after the successful first vote) and will undergo a 30 day Congressional review.

Action to Take: We aren’t taking anything for granted. We will stay vigilant through the final stages of the process to ensure there are no surprises, and keep you updated along the way.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act Passed!

Brief Explanation: On June 28, the D.C. Council voted unanimously for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Amendment Act of 2016 (B21-335). Mayor Bowser signed the bill in late July. The legislation is the culmination of the efforts of the Bicycle Pedestrian Working Group convened by Councilmember Cheh last summer, on which our Executive Director Greg Billing served.  It contains all kinds of good stuff, including open source crash data, bicycle and pedestrian priority areas, and codifying Complete Streets.

Current Status: The Act will become DC law at the end of August after 30 day period of Congressional review.

Advocacy 101 Training—Join us!

Brief Explanation: The training, hosted by WABA’s advocacy team, is for Prince George’s folks interested in making their community more bike-friendly. We’ll explore how decisions are made in the County, dive into some of the fundamental tools and approaches to influencing those decisions, and see how we, as individuals or groups, can push Prince George’s County to be more bike-friendly. (You don’t have to be a Prince George’s county resident to attend, but it will be Prince George’s focused.)

9am-1 pm Saturday August 27th
Hyattsville Municipal Building
4310 Gallatin St. Hyattsville, MD.

Action to Take: Register for the training!

 

Registration now open for Aug 27 Advocacy 101 Training for Prince George’s Advocates

| Garrett Hennigan

advocacy on a map

Want to learn how to be an effective bike advocate in Prince George’s County? Register for training on Saturday, August 27th.

What: The training, hosted by WABA’s advocacy team, is for Prince George’s folks interested in making their community more bike-friendly. We’ll explore how decisions are made in the County, dive into some of the fundamental tools and approaches to influencing those decisions, and see how we, as individuals or groups, can push Prince George’s County to be more bike-friendly.

Why: Every week, our advocacy team gets emails from local citizens, asking what seems to be a simple question: “I have a great idea that will make it easier and safer to bike in my community. How do I make it happen?”

We love these questions because behind every one is someone riding a bike on the way to work, to the grocery store, or with their kids, thinking “biking is great, but it could be better, and I know how.” Sometimes that idea is as simple as restriping a lane or trimming a bush to improve sight lines. Sometimes it is bigger: a new protected bike lane, lighting a dark stretch of trail, improving an intersection or changing a city policy. We hope that the ideas never stop coming because while parts of the region have made great strides recently, we have  a long way to go.

But the idea is usually not the challenge. Getting a solution implemented is. And that’s what advocacy is all about. That’s what we work towards every day. And while advocating for a great solution can be challenging, it doesn’t take a degree or years of training. Anyone can be an effective bicycle advocate. A little training helps, though.

When/Where:

9:30 am – 1:00 pm
Hyattsville Municipal Building— 4310 Gallatin St. Hyattsville, MD

 

Breakfast and light snacks will be provided. Registration is free and open to all. No advocacy background or experience required.

Register Here

 

All of These People Want a Gap-Free Trolley Trail in Hyattsville

| Garrett Hennigan

On July 13, over 50 people gathered at a city park at the corner of Rhode Island Avenue and Charles Armentrout Drive in Hyattsville, MD to learn about WABA’s campaign to Finish the Trolley Trail.  Joined by numerous elected officials, community leaders, and members of WABA’s Prince George’s Action Committee, attendees walked north along the proposed trail alignment to see why this a half mile trail extension is so important to the regional trail network and to talk through the remaining hurdles to building the trail.

This busy road intersection is also an important crossroads for the Anacostia Tributary Trails, which extend for miles in each direction, connecting to Silver Spring, College Park, Beltsville, Bladensburg and, this fall, DC’s Anacostia Waterfront. While these connections are seamless, traveling directly north into downtown Hyattsville, Riverdale Park and University park by bike requires mixing with the fast and busy auto traffic of Rhode Island Avenue.

As we walked, we discussed the many new connections the trail will enable, the challenges of building a trail between a state highway and an active railroad, the work already done, and the many, many steps and complications ahead. We heard from leaders, officials and staff who have put so much work into this extension, including State Senator Paul Pinsky, State Delegate Alonzo Washington, Aaron Marcavitch of the Anacostia Trails Heritage Area, and Fred Shaffer of the Prince George’s County Planning Department. Just as important were the local leaders, mayors, councilmembers and business owners, also in attendance from University Park, Hyattsville, Edmonston, Riverdale and Brentwood. It will take many partners to see this trail to construction, and we are grateful that this campaign has so much interest and support.

Thanks to everyone who came out to walk with us. Want help make this trail a reality?

  1. Sign our petition to voice your support
  2. Join the Prince George’s Action Committee and attend our next meeting
  3. Register for our Advocacy 101 Training for Prince George’s Advocates on August 27

Exploring a missing trail connection along Route 1 in Hyattsville
Maryland State Senator Paul Pinsky talks about the importance of filling the gap
This wide paved shoulder could be part of a new trail
Need to walk on this road? Tough. A trail will fix that.
Fred Shaffer, a planner for Prince George’s County,, talks about work done thus far

Matthew Henson Trail Crossing at Viers Mill Road is Still Deadly

| Greg Billing

On Sunday July 17th, Oscar Mauricio Gutierrez Osorio, 31 of Silver Spring, was killed crossing Viers Mill Road in Silver Spring where the Matthew Henson Trail crosses a high speed Maryland State Highway, according to the Washington Post. The exact details of the deadly crash involving Mr. Osorio are not public, but the trail crossing is a known safety hazard. This is the same location where Frank Towers, 19 was killed in December 2016,  just days after receiving a new bike for Christmas.

Trail users must cross 7 lanes of traffic where drivers regularly exceed the 45 mph speed limit. For reference, a person walking or biking struck by a driver at 40 mph or greater has an 80 percent chance of dying. At this trail location, there is no traffic light requiring drivers to stop for people walking and biking across the road. Compounding the problem, the trail crosses Viers Mill Road at the bottom of a hill with poor sight lines.

After the death of Frank Towers, the Maryland State Highway Administration “improved” the trail crossing with overhead flashing yellow lights which must be activated by trail users. The crosswalk beg button provides visual and audio cues that the yellow lights are active which was a deficiency of the previous design. This was a flawed approach from the beginning, as yellow lights only require drivers to exercise caution, but not to stop. Any design that requires less than a full stop will continue to cause safety issues. WABA pleaded with engineers to design and constructed a traffic light or HAWK signal which would require drivers to come to a full stop. The request was denied, now with deadly consequences.

Montgomery County is committed to Vision Zero. This is the principle that we must design our streets so that no person (bicyclist, pedestrian or driver) will be killed while using them. This requires that policy makers and traffic engineers be ultimately accountable for design decisions made in our transportation system. People make mistakes when they use our streets, but streets should be designed to be so safe that those mistakes aren’t deadly.

Following Sunday’s crash, WABA reached out to local and state elected representatives, and transportation officials requesting action. On Thursday, July 21st, the entire Montgomery County Council sent a letter to Maryland Governor Hogan, Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn and Maryland State Highway Administrator Greg Johnson requesting immediate prioritization of trail crossing improvements. The letter calls out the current dangerous conditions and the need for immediate action.

Fixing the Matthew Henson Trail crossing at Viers Mill Road is just the beginning. This needs to happen now to prevent future injuries and death at this location. But there are dozens of other trail crossings in the Montgomery and Prince George’s County that need attention too. We need the leadership of the Maryland State Highway Administration to work with localities to protect vulnerable road users by focusing on critical street and trail crossings. This means prioritizing the life and safety of people walking and biking over the convenience of people driving.

No one should die walking or biking across the street.

July 29th, 2016 Update: The delegation from Maryland’s 19th District sent a letter to Maryland State Highway Administrator Greg Johnson requesting immediate corrective action at the Matthew Henson Trail crossing of Veirs Mill Road.  A special thank you Senator Manno (D-19th) for organizing this action on this important community safety issue.

Hundreds of miles of trails are coming to Prince George’s County

| Katie Harris

TrolleyTrail-08

Photo: Leah L Jones

Hundreds of miles of trails are coming to Prince George’s County, and you get a say in the matter!

The county’s Trails Master Plan (still in draft form), identifies how Prince George’s County intends to build and manage nearly 400 miles of new trails, a benchmark set forth in Formula 2040 (the 2013 functional master plan for parks, recreation and open spaces).

The county set the bar high for trail development. Now it’s time for implementation, and the Trails Master Plan identifies how to make trail development and maintenance a functional and operational priority across the county.

That’s important because the demand for trails in Prince George’s County is incredible. Our members and supporters have made it clear—trails are important to them. And they’re not alone. Trails are the #1 amenity that residents want, according to a 2012 Prince George’s County survey. Having a trail network that connects the whole county will serve both residents and visitors, and the Trails Master Plan is a critical step to closing key gaps, getting trails to new parts of the county, and elevating the importance of bike and pedestrian infrastructure within the county’s parks and planning processes.

Some of the plan’s highlights include a three-tier designation for trails (primary, secondary, and recreational), depending on the expected type of use. Primary trails are classified as mostly paved, with high-quality design features, a park-like experience, and used for both recreation and transportation. The Plan takes the mileage of primary trails in the county from 65 to 293!

Secondary trails are also mostly paved, but are connectors, along roads, or within neighborhoods. The intention for these trails are not as major commuting routes, but as connectors and shorter trips. The Plan takes the mileage of secondary trails in the county from 110 to nearly 400.

Recreational trails are mostly unpaved and serve a nearly-exclusively recreational purpose. The Plan takes the mileage of recreational trails in the county from 153 to 255.

But it’s not just about trail development. The County’s plan also has recommendations for maintenance and operations for the existing and future facilities. The plan stresses the importance of dedicated funding sources for trails to allow the county to stay up to date on maintenance needs of the trail network.

The plan still needs refinement, and Prince George’s County is accepting public comments until 11:59 p.m. on June 23, 2016. Read the plan and submit your comments here.

The draft plan includes a handful of long-time Prince George’s priorities. For example, the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis (WB&A) Trail has been on the county priority list for years, and is one of WABA’s advocacy priorities. When completed, the WB&A could become the eastern spoke of the Washington area’s trail network. Just over 10 miles of trails are already built, but it does not yet connect to the District of Columbia or the rest of the regional trail grid.

Since 2008, WABA has urged the County to extend the WB&A Trail west along MD-704. Since 2011, building a trail along MD-704 has been at the top of the County’s bike and pedestrians transportation funding priorities for Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA). And with inclusion in the county’s Trails Master Plan, the message is clear- it’s time to finish the WB&A.

Do you support the completion of the WB&A Trail? Are there other trails that are equally important to you? Tell the County which trail corridors you’d like to see completed first.

We encourage all Prince George’s County residents to submit their input about trails in their county. Do you use trails to get to work, school, or the store? Let the County know that trails are a vital part of our transportation system.

Would you ride year-round if you knew the trail would be plowed? Do you have to ride over the same bumpy section of trail everyday on your way to school? Let the County know that you depend on the off-road infrastructure, and trails should be treated with the same maintenance concern as roads.

Would you like more lighting on the trail corridor near your office? Would you take your kids on the trail network if there were more bathrooms, water fountains or parks? Would you like wayfinding signage to help you navigate the network? Speak up for the trailside amenities you want.

Are you far from a trail that would get you anywhere? Are you frustrated by a “trail to nowhere” in your neighborhood? Let the County know that you want to be connected by trail to the larger network.

Your input is needed to make Prince George’s Trails Master Plan even better. Speak up before it’s too late! Take the county’s survey before 11:59 p.m. on June 23, 2016.