The Prince George's County planning board has approved a 440-unit transit-oriented apartment complex on a parking lot just south and east of the College Park Metro Station. That project will also build a parklet and add amenities for cyclists.
The development of the apartment complex also includes redeveloping and landscaping the area in between the property and the Metro station known as Brooks Parcel. The vision for the patch of land, north of the proposed complex, is a public pedestrian plaza that will also be home to an M Bike station and the bikeshare program the county chooses to install in the coming years.
Other tasks detailed as conditions for approval by the planning board staff include updating the nearby bike and pedestrian tunnel with lighting and paint, replacing and relocating old and damaged signage in the area, and adding crosswalks through nearby streets.
Commissioner Will Doerner also made two other suggestions for the developers to consider as they go further along in the approval process. He suggested they consider adding a tool station for bikers near the bike share docks and that they consider adding wayfinding maps near the stations as well.
“That would be an obvious place for someone with a bike, who owns a bike, to kind of go and look and see if they could repair their bike,” he said. “I haven’t seen anything when I’ve been riding up there and it’s a terrible incident when you have a flat or something goes down and you just need to fix your bike really quickly.”
Haller noted that Gilbane is well aware of the need for bike tool stations and that a similar concern has come up as they continue to develop near a metro station in Hyattsville. He also said the history of this area of the county will play a large role in the development of the building and said the maps with local sites and places to visit are a great idea.
Other conditions for final approval include plans for short-term and long-term bike parking, restriping the street at River Road and River Tech Court and have a final internal sound study completed to ensure outside noise is not overpowering.
They should also set aside space along the south side of the stream (name?) through the Brooks Parcel for a trail between the Metro and the Northeast Branch trail. Such a trail could tie several facilities into the trail system and create a direct connection to the Metro.
Regarding a trail along the stream - there's already a paved trail for roughly half the distance, between River Rd and 52nd. But it's pretty narrow and not well-suited to biking. Heading east from River Rd you can follow a dirt/grass service road to the NE Branch trail. I agree than an updated trail (including connection on west side of River Rd on this parcel) is a good idea.
Posted by: Purple Eagle | November 15, 2017 at 09:50 PM
They only mention updating the tunnel with light and paint--nothing about widening it, which I think is the most urgent need.
The MARC commuters often huddle around in this tunnel and make it impossible for bikes to pass through. I've been injured twice by following the rules and walking my bike only to fall over trying to make room for pedestrians. I find it is safer to stay on the bike and slowly ride through the tunnel--but then the MARC commuters start lecturing me that I need to walk the bike (yes, these are the same ones loitering in the tunnel).
I'm glad to see that they're going to improve the area, but it will be a disaster if they don't improve the tunnel itself first.
Posted by: Nico | November 16, 2017 at 09:42 AM