With a title like that, y'know it's going to be a good post. M-NCPPC is working on the above mentioned plan and have been getting some public input on it.
Recommendations for future land uses and development in Glenn Dale, Lanham and Seabrook will provide for shopping centers, Metro stations, trails and schools to be connected via paths or sidewalks so people can travel by foot and bicycle to their destinations, without their vehicles—plans seconded by community members.
Glenn Dale resident John Shields said during the meeting Nov. 6 he wants sidewalks to connect Old Glenn Dale Road and Glenn Dale Elementary School. Jim Titus, also a Glenn Dale resident, said he wants gaps in guard rails that currently separate communities to allow for bikers to pass through.
"It looks like we're making progress with trails and sidewalks, which the area clearly needs," Titus said.
The meeting is tonight (sorry for the late notice)
Community Advisory Group Meeting 10 - Presentation of Draft Recommendations, 12/04/08, 6:30-9:00 p.m. at DuVal High School, Multipurpose Room, 9880 Good Luck Road, Lanham, MD 20706
But you can get more in the loop here.
And here is the presentation on transportation including bike facilities. They mention a ped bridge over the Beltway to New Carrolton and better bike facilities on Good Luck Road, both of which would be part of my bike commute. Also included are three park trails along streams, five multi-use paths along major roads - including one that would continue the WB&A south along 704 MLK Highway (and for each of those, also wide outside lanes for those who care not for the separated bike facilities), and additional connections and sidewalks. This is not bad stuff.
Update: I went last night. The plan is the update to the 1993 plan out of which not much was done. M-NCPPC made the point that they just make plans. They don't get to spend the money. Local officials can either force developers to build things in the plans in exchange for building permits - a type of silent tax - or get funding through the county or state where they compete with other county and state projects. Most people found this frustrating (that they were working hard on a plan that may or may not amount to anything. Welcome to advocacy).
What was done from the previous plan, for cyclists, as Fred Schaefer pointed out, was to build a sidepath along much of 450, build the WB&A trail and build some of the Folly Branch Trail. Widening 450 was one of the big projects from the 1993 plan that they pointed to as being done.
From the 2009 plan, for cyclists are the trails and sidepaths mentioned above as well as a better bike/ped connection where Seabrook Road is split by the CSX tracks. There's already a tunnel near there as part of the Marc Station, but it isn't ideal for bikes. The planners wanted something a little more spectacular going over the tracks, but that probably won't work due to power lines. Other connections under the tracks were mentioned at Forbes and Glen Dale Avenues.
I mentioned to Fred, who it was nice to finally a meet, a narrow section of Cipriano Road that I use that needs some improvement, as well as covered/secure parking at the Seabrook Marc Station (which is really an MTA issue), but really almost everything else I'd want up there was covered. In the plan. Funding is another issue.
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