TheWashCycle

WABA Alert: Show Your Support for the Lake Frank Trail

An important proposed trail that will connect the Rock Creek Trail to Lake Frank in Rockville is in jeopardy due to aggressive homeowner opposition. This paved hiker-biker trail will be a key link in a five-mile long future trail that will link the Rock Creek Trail to Olney. The trail will be a superb park amenity that will improve access to the park, provide recreational and health benefits and serve as an important upcounty bikeway, benefiting the environment by supporting bike trips instead of driving. But there is a group of neighbors who live adjacent to Lake Frank who are vociferously opposing the trail, a problem we face all too often when new trails are built. The Lake Frank Trail needs your support!

What You Can Do
There is a public meeting on Tuesday May 11th at 7 pm to discuss the trail. The opponents plan to attend to express their opposition. It's imperative that park and trail supporters make their voices heard.  Please SEND EMAILS soon to the officials listed below, and attend the meeting if you can. You can find meeting details with location info at http://tinyurl.com/2w4g2ox.

Send emails and letters to:

Neil Pedersen. Chief administrator of the State Highway Administration at npedersen@sha.state.md.us
Montgomery County Planning Board - mcp-chair@mncppc-mc.org
Montgomery County Council - county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov

If you know your elected statehouse representatives, you can send it to them also.  To determine your state senator and delegates go to http://mdelect.net .

Sample Letter -
(it's helpful to add your own comments and personal perspective, for example you take your kids on trails, you bike to get around, you live near Lake Frank, etc.)

Dear Neil Pedersen: (or other recipient)

I strongly support construction of the hard-surface trail connecting the Rock Creek Trail to Lake Frank. I ask that it be built as soon as possible, and that it use environmental stewardship funding as currently planned. I am a park user and will certainly benefit from this trail. The trail will be an important link of the planned trail from the Rock Creek Trail to Olney. These trails are among Montgomery County's treasures.

(signed... your name and city/community)

Additional Background
Opponents of the Lake Frank Trail first sought to reroute the trail to a much inferior location that would be farther from their homes. Since they failed to do that, they are now seeking to take away state ICC stewardship funding.  They're pushing to implement a parking lot removal project with the same funds so that no funds will be left for the trail. The parking lot project is worthwhile but is already slated to be done later and is not at risk. The trail is very much at risk due to opposition.
  
Thank you for your support!

ICC Trail-Related Stewardship Projects II

Earlier in the month, I wrote about the trail-related community stewardship programs that were being done in conjunction with the Intercounty Connector (ICC) Project. These are trails in addition to the ICC Trail itself.

Since writing that post, I've talked to Rob Shreeve, of SHA's Environmental Management Team on the ICC project and have more details and up-to-date descriptions of those projects.

Paint Branch Trail Extension - Originally there was to be a trail along Old Gunpowder Road and they even went as far as drawing up sketches of it. But Officials within M-NCCPC asked to build a path along Cherry Hill Road instead, in part because they think they can get developers to build the trail along Old Gunpowder. This project would continue the Paint Branch Trail from its terminus to the Beltsville Community Center on Sellman Road (it's one of two "proposed" trails on the old ATTS map - going off the top of the map). Shreeve told me it was a sidepath, but since the community center is pretty far from Cherry Hill Road, but right along Paint Branch, I wonder if the path just uses Cherry Hill Road to cross the Beltway and then follows Paint Branch for 1.5 miles to the Center. Because they were so far along in their Gunpowder Road planning, and have done very little with this; they're negotiating with the county on how to proceed. They could either pay the county what the trail would cost (a plan I do not like, for I fear that money would disappear) or start from scratch and build the trail in a couple of years.

Lake Frank Connector Trail - Originally, this project involved removing two parking lots around Lake Frank that are no longer used and rebuilding the Lake Frank trail through that area, but they have since been directed to build a connector trail instead. The new trail - which paves an existing billygoat trail - will run about a half a mile along the edge of Rock Creek Park parallel to Lake Terrace Drive and will connect on the south to the Rock Creek Park Trail spur near Norbeck Road and on the north to the Lake Frank Trail. There is some local opposition to this as at times trail users would be able to see into the back yards of people who live on Lake Terrace Drive. 

Muncaster Mill Road Sidepath - This project extends a sidepath on the south side of Muncaster Mill Road (MD115) about 1100 feet from Applewood Lane to Olde Mill Run Road, so that it connects to Redland Middle School. It's currently under design. The right of way is narrow, so they're working with neighbors to deal with those issues. The hope to be finished with this project by summer 2011.

[This trail will eventually become part of the ICC trail. The ICC Trail will follow Needwood from the intersection with the ICC north to Muncaster then west to Applewood (which includes this piece) then south on Applewood where someday it will meet up with the Midcounty Highway Extended, along which it will follow straight to the existing intersection of Shady Grove Road and the existing Midcounty Highway

At the ICC/Needwood Rd crossing, a westbound ICC trail user would also be able to turn south onto the Needwood Road sidepath instead of north, and then to the Shady Grove Metro Station on Redland Road. Thanks to Jack Cochrane for the bracketed information.

Layhill Park Spur - The ICC crosses Layhill Road just south of Layhill Park (or Layhill Local Park on the picture). This project will build a short spur from the ICC trail to the Park. Not sure where on the map it would run.

Wayfinding - They're working with Montgomery County Parks and  the Anacostia Trails Heritage Area to define a signage system to direct users to various trail heads.

All of these trails will be built 8-10 feet wide - to current AASHTO standards I was told. They'll all have a storm water management plan, and they're looking at pervious materials they can use. They doubt they'll have to cut down any big trees, and will avoid it wherever possible.

It's a little over two miles of trail and about 50 signs, altogether.

ICC Trail-Related Stewardship Projects

There are a lot of people who hate the Inter-County Connector project. I suspect most readers of this blog are in that group. There are many reasons to dislike the project such as the fact that it's monopolizing much of Maryland's transportation money, damaging a swath of Maryland countryside, evicting people from their homes and that the bike trail that was sold with it was significantly downgraded. But, there are some smaller projects that are associated with the ICC that will benefit cyclists.

Because the highway does so much environmental and community damage, the project must include some environmental and community stewardship projects. This is pretty standard. Part of the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail in PG County was built as community stewardship by the Wilson Bridge Project. The ICC has something like 63 environmental projects that include stream restorations, wetland construction, fish passages etc...They also have 7 Community Stewardship projects of which five are bike trail related.  

There isn't a wealth of information on these. I've contacted the ICC media office, but have yet to hear back. [Update: I interviewed them and you should read that post for more accurate information than what is listed below]. Here's what they do list and show on a map.

• Wayfinding Signage north of Lake Bernard Frank. It includes 47 signs with a budget of $100,000-$500,000. It is to be completed April 2011
• Layhill bike/pedestrian trail in the area of Northwest Branch Recreational Park
• Improvement to 5500 feet of the Rock Creek Park Trail. Budgeted at $2.5M-$5M and to be completed October 2010.
• A bike/pedestrian trail near the intersection of I-95 and Cherry Hill Road
• Old Gunpowder Road Bike/Pedestrian Trail. A 14500 foot long, 8 foot wide sidepath along Old Gunpowder road from MD 198 to Briggs-Chaney Road. 5-10M, Completion date TBD

It may not make up for everything, but it's better than a sharp stick in the eye. All though not every one sees it this way. John Mathwin of Rockville wrote in the Post this weekend.

Because of the damage done to the watershed by the intercounty connector, Maryland has proposed various mitigation projects. One such project would connect two bike paths near Lake Frank in Montgomery County. To make this connection, trees and other plants now occupying this section of Rock Creek Park would be replaced by a nearly half-mile stretch of asphalt 10 feet wide. Thus to mitigate against the loss of trees, more trees will fall; to mitigate against the loss of permeable groundcover in the watershed; impermeable surface will be added.

This project does not mitigate, it exacerbates.

To be fair, this project (probably the Rock Creek one listed above?) isn't meant to be environmental mitigation but rather community stewardship and has a separate goal. And I'm not really supportive of labeling bike trails as items that exacerbate environmental damage. This is really an argument against all trails.

While it's true that it increases impermeable surface, most new projects have methods for controlling and treating storm water runoff of trails. I've heard Heather Deutsch of DDOT talk about it, so it is something that trail planners think about and plan for. I'd be surprised if this project doesn't.

As for cutting down trees, yes I suppose that will happen - though I've seen trails rerouted to preserve bigger trees. A 5500 foot long 10 foot wide trail will take up about 1.3 acres. Not a huge area. And if it reduces car trips and gets people to enjoy parks and nature, the benefits could outweigh the costs.

The Bike Trails Bring Crime Myth Lives On

Last time we checked in with Bob McFadden, president of the Tanglewood homeowners recreation association, he was calling the bike tunnel to run under the ICC from Briggs Chaney Road to Fairland Drive "a crime waiting to happen." Now he's sure it will bring crime and this, unlike the ICC, is worth fighting.

Residents of the Silver Spring neighborhood of Tanglewood know the Intercounty Connector is coming, but a proposed ICC bike tunnel near Briggs Chaney Road is something they're willing to fight.

A bike tunnel will likely bring more crime, said Bob McFadden, president of the Tanglewood Homeowner's Recreation Association, the body that oversees the 820 homes in the neighborhood.

"Kids are going to be breaking out the lights," he said. "Someone is going to get hurt and someone is going to be robbed."

Current Design of the ICC criminal Fort.

That sounds pretty definitive. And it's not just bike trails that bring crime. Another culprit is trees.

Dave Evans, a member of the association's board of directors and participant in Tanglewood's Community Watch program, agreed that a bike tunnel would result in more crime. A positive aspect of the ICC construction, he said, is that robberies that once took place in the woods near Briggs Chaney no longer occur because the trees have been cleared.

While Evans said a bike tunnel could bring more crime, Tanglewood would likely be spared any crime spikes since the tunnel is in Briggs Chaney, he said. But other residents may not be as a fortunate, he said.

"You might as well build [criminals] a fort," Evans said. "We're concerned for the general area that someone is going to get hurt."

ICC officials have allowed Tanglewood residents to submit any plans that they feel would be better than the bike tunnel, Evans said.

Here's more on the myth. As RTC puts it "numerous studies refute that rail-trails increase crime."

Photo by livinginacity

Not really an ICC trail update

WARNING: I fell behind on my reading of the Gazette - which does a great job of covering cycling issues - and am just now trying to catch up, you can expect to see a few articles from the wayback machine over the next few weeks as I catch up. This one is from way back in March.

The Montgomery County Council, back in March, unanimously voted to approve two separate plans for the ICC trail. One (on the map in purple) that would divert bike traffic along New Hampshire Avenue, Route 29, East Randolph and Fairland roads, cost $3.2 million, use 8 foot sidewalks in several places and avoids environmentally-protected areas including the Upper Paint Branch Stream Valley Park; and the other (on the map in green) that goes along the ICC right of way on a MUP, costs $11 million and uses some park land.

These dollar figures differ a bit from what was last reported ($4.3 million and $16 million).

The council approved the options with the idea that one or both would be exercised. As part of its approval, both options were included in the ICC Functional Master Plan amendment that guides future development.

Bob Simpson, senior planning specialist for the county Department of Transportation, said current off-road sidewalks along area roads are "sufficient" and don't need to be widened.

"The sidewalks are not overcapacity in terms of bike use," he said. "They are plenty good enough for the bicycling that currently exists."

Those sidewalks, again, are four feet wide. If you make them one feet wide they might also meet current needs since no one will ride them.

Despite support from the Council

"The committee's view was it does want to encourage the ICC alignment … as its first preference," Councilman Roger Berliner (D-Dist 1) of Potomac said

Councilwoman Nancy Floreen (D-At large) of Garrett Park said she supports a bike trail along the ICC. She said a continuous bike trail would be consistent with the county's philosophy of "connectivity."

It does not look good for the ICC as planned

But according to a Feb. 5 council staff report, a lack of useable space near the Upper Paint Branch Stream Valley Park, combined with stiff environmental challenges, could keep that stretch of the trail on the drawing board.

"It is reasonable to assume that [the bike trail along the park] will never be built because of the extraordinary topographical challenges it poses," the report said. "The question should be asked then: Should it be designated as a bikeway anyway, so as not to close out the possibility of its being rebuilt, no matter how miniscule?"

Deputy Council Staff Director Glenn Orlin echoed that opinion last week.

"It may be a very, very, very long time before resources, financially and otherwise, are pulled together to build [the ICC trail]," Orlin said. "[The trail diversion option] may be more achievable in the short term."

E. J. Pipkin sponsors bill to kill ICC

Maryland State Senator E. J. Pipkin sponsored a bill to stop spending on the ICC (One would assume this would include the trail). Back in 2005 E.J. Pipkin (R-District 36, Queen Anne's County) voted in favor of a bill to add a bike path to the ICC project.

Random links

ICC toll

Shady Grove

Route 1

ICC Trail May Go Unfinished

Here's the story

A plan reviewed by the Montgomery County Council Monday (2/9/09) called for sections of the trail to go unfinished. Portions of the bike trail would be rerouted onto some local roads and streets, crossing driveways in the process.

"We don't know who is going to construct the other pieces," says Glen Orlin, deputy staff director for the Montgomery County Council. "The question is, should there be other pieces built in the future by someone?"

"Here's what people like myself struggle with -- how can this be the environmental tipping point given what we are doing and the protections that are necessary?" A frustrated Councilmember Roger Berliner says. "And how can the costs be that much greater to add 15 feet on a six lane highway, in which we pledged to the community that we are going to make this piece connected?"

Good questions.

ICC trail gets through County Committee

This story always confuses me. Let's see if I can get it right. The main issue focuses on the east end of the ICC trail (pictured). As part of the ICC, the trail will be built east to New Hampshire Avenue. The planning board then wants to route the trail along New Hampshire, Fairland, Route 29 and Briggs Chaney Road  (red line) to save $12 million and avoid building on park land. Mobike and other cyclists have argued that if they can find the money and room for the highway they can fit in a trail (green line). To follow the Planning Board recommendation would leave a two-mile gap in the trail.

"Frankly, we can't find or think of a place in this region where you have a paved, two-lane bike path with no connection for about two miles," Hardy said.

Jack Cochrane, chairman of Montgomery Bicycle Advocates, said the two-mile stretch is significant, particularly since it links the path with Interstate 95.

A council staff report on February 5th was less than rosy in its assesment

According to a Feb. 5 council staff report, a lack of useable space near the park, combined with stiff environmental challenges, could keep that stretch of the trail on the drawing board.

"It is reasonable to assume that [the bike trail along the park] will never be built because of the extraordinary topographical challenges it poses," the report said. "The question should be asked then: Should it be designated as a bikeway anyway, so as not to close out the possibility of its being rebuilt, no matter how miniscule?"

The report recommended that the ICC trail be adopted, as well as the shared-use paths between New Hampshire Avenue and Route 29.

That seems reasonable, though the shared-use paths will cost about $4.3 million. It seems the Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee agreed

A County Council committee recommended that part of a proposed bike trail along the Intercounty Connector remains along the Upper Paint Branch Stream Valley Park, contrary to recommendations from Planning Board staff.

I'm not sure if this is a win or a loss. On the upside, the trail would remain in the Master Plan and the sidepath built as an interim solution. On the down side, 'interim' might be synonymous with 'permanent' in this case.

The next step for the Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment committee is to submit its recommendations to the County Council.

I'm not sure what happened with this (Jack?)

In addition to examining the Upper Paint Branch Stream Valley Park, the committee also weighed in on portions of the bike trail near Needwood and Muncaster Mill roads, as well as the trail along Layhill and Bonifant roads near Georgia Avenue.

ICC Trail at the MoCo Council's Transportation committee

This Monday at 9am.

The council held a public hearing Jan. 16, when bike advocates called for leaving the trail intact along the ICC.

Planning board staff recommends some of the trail be rerouted along roads including New Hampshire Avenue, Route 29, Fairland and East Randolph roads, citing environmental impacts near the Upper Paint Branch Stream Valley Park.

"We want the county to keep the trail in the county master plan," Jack Cochrane, chairman of Montgomery Bicycle Advocates, said.