The Metropolitan Branch Trail will be on the agenda for the Montgomery County Council T&E Committee at its Tuesday, March 2 work session on the CIP budget. The Council Staff report has been released, and staff recommends that the T&E Committee change the proposed CIP budget – to include construction funds to build ‘phase 1′ including the trail bridge over Georgia Avenue.
would be included in Phase 1
The Council Staff report is available here (caution – large pdf). The report covers all of the bikeways projects at MCDOT, and the staff concurs with the recommendations of the County Executive for many of the projects. But staff takes strongest exception to the County Executive’s recommended budget for the MetBranch Trail project – see pp. 6-7 of the report:
“Council staff recommendation: Program design and construction of this first phase, for $11,485,000, on a production schedule to be developed with DOT. The main impediment in this segment of the Metropolitan Branch Trail is crossing Georgia Avenue, and that can be overcome with this first phase. The second phase will have to wait until CSX and WMATA grant concurrence. In the meantime the bikeway will have to continue as an on-street route between the eastern terminus of the Georgia Avenue and Montgomery College, most likely via Philadelphia Avenue and Fenton Street.”
The County Executive’s proposed CIP budget would not begin final design work for another two years, would defer the trail bridge over Georgia Ave. indefinitely, and would program no funds for construction for at least the next six years. This Council staff recommendation is a huge improvement, and if accepted by the Council will finally get the MetBranch Trail back on track in Montgomery County. Under this recommended ‘phase 1′ the MetBranch Trail would be designed and built from the Silver Spring Transit Center south through the Ripley District and across Georgia Avenue on a new trail bridge. The ‘phase 2′ completion of the last section in Montgomery County along Selim Road and under East-West Highway will have to wait longer to resolve CSX and SHA issues, but there is a better alternative on-road bike route to temporarily bypass this section than is available for the ‘phase 1′ section.
The staff recommendation is only advisory to the County Council. A favorable decision during the T&E Committee work session this Tuesday will be crucial.
This is an excellent time to ask the Council to support the bikeways program, and especially the Metropolitan Branch Trail. An email to Councilmember Nancy Floreen, at
councilmember.floreen@montgomerycountymd.gov would be well directed – She is the Council President and also the Chair of the T&E Committee. Alternatively you can reach the County Council through the WABA action center.