C&O Canal Towpath resurfacing project could improve more sections in Montgomery County

The National Park Service is currently a few years in to a multi-phase project to resurface parts of the C&O Canal path. Some of the repairs have already been in Montgomery County and more might be (there's a TBD element at play).  The repaving evolved out of a 2016 engineering study done with the assistance of the Allegheny Trail Alliance (ATA) that identified 80 miles of the towpath urgently in need of rehabilitation. Much of that was far from DC. Some of the problems identified include poor drainage, tree roots and a green strip of grass down the middle which inhibits drainage and full use of the path. Some damage was caused by heavy rainstorms in 2018.

In the past six years, over 200 towpath injuries were reported, 71 percent of which involved towpath defects such as root exposure

In 2018, Maryland dedicated $3.45 million of TAP funding for the C&O Canal National Historical Park—including $1 million for “Towpath Rehabilitation."

According to NPS, the phases are 

1. Phase One: Edwards Ferry (Mile 30) to Whites Ferry (Mile 35) and Brunswick (Mile 54) to Ferry Hill (Mile 72.5) COMPLETE
2. Phase Two: Whites Ferry (Mile 35) to Brunswick (Mile 54) CURRENT
3. Phase Three: Spring Gap (Mile 173) to Cumberland (Mile 184.5)
4. Phase Four: TBD
5. Phase Five: TBD

Meaning the first two phases were partly within northern Montgomery County. (This doesn't include this piece of towpath repair).

Resurface towpath near Edward's Ferry 

According to the Canal Trust, Phase Three will include Mile 16.8 (Swains Lock) to Mile 30.8 (Edwards Ferry); Mile 35.5 (Whites Ferry) to Mile 39.3 (Lock 26). They note that the order might not always be followed, but it means these sections closer to DC are also included in the long-term plan. It doesn't appear that any sections closer than Swains Lock are on the agenda, but this should still benefit DC area cyclists. 

Comments

[Purple Eagle]

Some of those segments get pretty muddy in wet conditions, so I am glad they are doing this!

[twk]

This is great news!

In 2015 my wife and I did a cross country trek that included the C&O canal. We were on a loaded tandem with a BOB trailer. The day before we got on the C&O it rained. It took a lot of physical effort to drive our train through so much mud for 3 days. Amazingly we never took a spill, but was exhausted at the end of each day. Not to mention some serious cleaning of the bike at the end of each day.

[Zack Rules]

I recently rode on part of the resurfaced section and it is night and day in terms of comparison to the old surface, NPS, the C&O Canal Trust, and the other stakeholders did a really great job.

[JorgeGortex]

I may be one of the naysayers to this project. Part of what made the C&O special was the trail itself. It wasn't a bike trial or multi-purpose trail... it was the C&O. It was rugged, and challenging at times because of its surface. That in itself was nice, but it also kept every Tom, Dick, and Harry from making it as congested as some of the other area DC trails. The other issue I have is the way it has been built- the sloping edges can become a hazard. You never had to worry about running off the trail into trouble. If you got that close to the edge you knew it! Now, you can be pedaling along and get close to the downward slopping edge and away you go.I suspect you will see many more accidents in these sections of the trail than you did before. In the end, it feels like they are turning this into yet another bike trail and that is sad.

[fongfong]

Sorry, but complaints that other people will use a trail in addition to me don't really merit recognition. Any effort that gets more people out as cyclists is okay by me.

I've heard too many identical comments from folks who live nearby any potential new trail that say the same thing. Ergo, don't build a trail here. See CCCT, Palisades Trolley Trail, Metropolitan Branch Trail et. al.

This is great news. When this part of the C&O canal meets the same standards as the Great Allegheny Passage Trail we can really celebrate.

[Jonathan Krall]

I agree with all the other community-minded folks. This is great news. Thanks for sharing this info

[mike]

i ride c&o trail all the time.

it is much improved...and the first thing that happened was wealthy folks on horses rode down the trail and caused HUGE divots. just awesome...

the problem is that the section needing the most attention is from edwards ferry to pennys lock. it is a mud fest on the best day...

[M. Fluke]

Anyone that complains about improvements; ride the GAP trail from Cumberland to Pittsburgh and get back to me. Improving this trail will make it better for everyone. New York is doing the same to the Erie Canal trail.

[Paul]

I do agree towpath parts that collected water or had raised hazards had to be fixed, but I like the old C&O better since it was the actual C&O and blended in naturally. It seems fixes could have been done without doing the whole canal at a huge expense which could have been used to fix problems. The edge of the original canal blended into the grass but the new design has a sloping edge that has thrown me into the wooded area (vs. smooth transition) -- be careful if you move close to the edge! This will be a problem and cause injuries as bikers/hikers move over or pass.