Back in September, the CCCT formally presented to Montgomery County Department of Parks their proposal to turn an empty lot near River Road into a Trail Plaza.
"This will help connect the neighborhoods along River Road to the trail better, and is a much better use of the land," said Coalition Chairman Peter Gray.
The project would cost approximately $145,000, with the Coalition dedicating $75,000, Gray said. The remainder of the cost would be picked up by The Citizens Coordinating Committee of Friendship Heights, Washington Episcopal School and other individuals.
The Department of Parks would provide maintenance of the site once it is completed.
Montgomery County owns the land so that makes it a bit more complicated. There was supposed to be a public meeting on the proposal in October, but if so, I missed it. Some time after that, it will be presented to the Montgomery County Planning Board. This line made me laugh:
"I'd rather have a park here for sure," Petersen said Monday. "But, I mean, it would be nice to have some parking, too."
Oh, so close.
The master plan for the area is scheduled to be rewritten by the County Council in 2010 and the park would be the first new development in the neighborhood in years.
"This would just be a lot nicer than what's there right now," he said. "There's so much encroachment on the trail. You see trucks going down the damn trail."
What a great idea! How and who to pitch it to? Is it MoCo and DC, or NCPCC (or whatever it is called)? Are there legal ramifications if they start, and then stop, or don't do it all?
My experience is that the worst parts of the trail are between river road and the tunnel near the reservoir, especially because of ice build up.
Posted by: SJE | December 01, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Sorry, posting on the wrong article!!!
Posted by: SJE | December 01, 2009 at 11:17 AM