A University of Maryland professor of Architecture, Planning, and Historical Preservation briefed the Hyattsville city council on a proposal that would include a trail running from Riverdale to the Northwest Branch Trail in Hyattsville. The trail would be placed on narrow band of land between Route 1 and the train tracks. It's highly unlikely this will ever be acted on and it seemed like more of a thought exercise, but it's not a bad idea. Though at first glance it seems redundant, since it runs parallel to the Northeast Branch Trail, the proposed trail would run through a more urban, developed area and would serve a greater role as a commuter route.
The idea of developing land along a railroad into a linear park is the same idea behind the Metropolitan Branch Trail and linear parks have been very successful elsewhere.
Addition: The narrow band of land mentioned above is actually the remaining rail bed for the DC to Laurel trolley line. The same rail bed makes up part of the Paint Branch Trail and the College Park Trolley Trail.
To be honest, I think it would be more useful to extend the College Park trail down Rhode Island, then behind the post office/national guard building into Riverdale at the old MARC stop. There's pavement from there over to the NW branch already. That would make it possible to ride from 193 on the west side of the tracks down to the trail.
Posted by: taleswapper | October 17, 2005 at 09:48 AM