The 2.5-mile section, which will run from Needwood Road to Emory Lane with a connection to Muncaster Mill Road, is part of what will eventually be a network of 11.5 new and 3 miles of reconstructed 3d trails through the ICC corridor. The road itself is open from Georgia Avenue to Interstate 370.
The SHA said it will open more miles of trail as sections of the ICC east of Georgia Avenue are completed. The agency said the bike trails will eventually allow bicyclists to ride from the Shady Grove Metro station in Gaithersburg to the Muirkink MARC station in Laurel.
I'll have to check out the trail once it's fully built out. It would also be cool to have an outer bike "beltway" someday. Or a bike trail paralleling the inner Beltway.
Posted by: Michael H. | July 29, 2011 at 09:03 AM
Maybe I'll check out the new ICC section this weekend. Anyone have more specific knowledge as to where it actually starts? Is this an actual ICC trail section, or just one of the areas where the bike trail is routed onto an existing road?
Posted by: antibozo | July 29, 2011 at 09:32 AM
I rode this a few weeks ago, it seemed to be complete at that time minus the connection to Muncaster Mill Rd.
What would be more useful is a connection to Lake Needwood and the Rock Creek Trail in the other direction on Needwood Rd. Does anyone know if this is planned?
Posted by: Bill | July 29, 2011 at 10:05 AM
Bill,
There is a map here
http://www.thewashcycle.com/2009/01/icc-trail-goes-before-county-council.html
And it shows an SHA route to lake Needwood.
Posted by: washcycle | July 29, 2011 at 10:33 PM
Thanks, good to know.
Meanwhile, I question the timing of this announcement. I just rode the trail again this AM and it looks the same as it did three weeks ago.
And, it still just ends at Needwood Rd. There is no connection to Muncaster Mill or Lake Needwood. The trail just ends. Lake Needwood is only a quarter of a mile away, so you have to wonder why it was not possible to complete that connection at this time. If it had been, then they would actually have something significant to announce: a connection from the ICC and Olney to the RC trail.
Although it is not particularly bike friendly, (and the road surface is currently milled) it is possible to ride on Needwood Rd. to get to the lake.
At the other end, at Emory Rd, there is an ambiguous "Sidewalk closed" sign that is not too inviting.
This trail is still a plus, but hopefully the future ICC trail openings will be a little more coherent.
Posted by: Bill | July 31, 2011 at 01:21 PM
I tried to get onto the ICC trail this past weekend, and saw no safe way to do so from either end. Riding up Needwood Rd in that milled section with absolutely no shoulder in a fast turn is asking to be hit by a car, and there is nowhere to park either at the Needwood ICC trail entrance nor at the Emory Rd either. Is it just expected that everyone lives right next to the trailhead?
Posted by: Dylan | August 22, 2011 at 02:48 PM