Little Paint Branch Trail extension out for re-bid, work could begin before summer

Earlier this year, M-NCPPC put the Little Paint Branch Trail extension project out for re-bid earlier this year. This project, for which design began in 2012, has been repeatedly delayed, in fact on M-NCPPC's website they still announce that work will commence in 2016 (they also still report the results of the 2015 National Harbor 5K race at the top of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Trail page, so maybe they're a little behind), but it seems as though start on the work is coming soon. The bids were due at the end of February, with work expected to start in the Spring of this year. 

This project, part of the Intercounty Connector environmental Stewardship program, will extend the Little Paint Branch Trail - part of the Anacostia Tributary Trail System - by 2.2 miles from its current terminus at Cherry Hill Road just inside the Beltway, to the Little Paint Branch Trail north of BARC. 

Starting at the Paint Branch Trail at Cherry Hill Road, just inside the Beltway, the project will build a new trail bridge over Little Paint Branch and then a trail along the south and west sides of Cherry Hill Road.

To get over the Beltway, it will use the existing, narrow sidewalk along Cherry Hill Road. 

At Sellman Road, the trail will cross Cherry Hill Road at grade and then proceed along the north side of Sellman. 

Just past the driveway to the Beltsville Community Center, it will turn north, running between the driveway and Little Paint Branch all the way to the Little Paint Branch Trail, just before the parking lot. That trail extends along the east side of I-95 all the way to Ammendale Road. 

The trail will be 10' wide (except over the Beltway) and the bridge will be 12' wide. It will be primarily asphalt, but for a section near Buck Lodge Road and west of Woodbine Road.

Comments

[Purple Eagle]

Glad to see this is finally happening, though I admit I am still disappointed that the trail could not be routed through BARC along the stream corridor. Would have been more direct and also a more interesting route. Looks like the section on Sellman will have to cross a bunch of driveways near Woodbine Rd - I see 6 houses in a row, each with a separate driveway intersecting with Sellman. Any word on what material will be used instead of asphalt for the two sections indicated, and for what reason? I can't find a Buck Lodge Rd in the vicinity of this trail. There is a road with that name nearby, off Riggs, but it does not seem to intersect the trail route.

[washcycle]

Where the trail isn't asphalt it will be a concrete sidewalk. Buck's Lodge Road is what they're calling the driveway to Cherry Hill Manor.

[Adam]

I like it!