Press Releases
Park Trails
Capital Crescent Bridge Closed September 24-28
Capital Crescent Trail Coalition User Survey
Rock Creek Trail Receives National Distinction
Capital Crescent Trails Bridge Closed
For immediate release:
August 20, 2007
Contact: Kelli Holsendolph, Media Relations Manager, Montgomery County Department of Parks - 301-650-2866
SILVER SPRING, MD -The Capital Crescent Trail Bridge at milepost 6.5 will be closed to all through traffic, daily from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, Monday, September 24 through Friday, September 28, as the Montgomery County Department of Parks makes minor structural repairs to the bridge and replaces the bridge deck. This portion of the Capital Crescent Trail will be open at all other times.
Capital Crescent Trail Coalition Recognized for New Research Findings on County’s Most Popular Trail
For immediate release:
June 15, 2007
Contact: Kelli Holsendolph, Media Relations Manager, Montgomery County Department of Parks - 301-650-2866
SILVER SPRING, MD -The Montgomery County Planning Board awarded certificates of appreciation to 92 Capital Crescent Trail Coalition (CCTC) volunteers for collecting user data on the county’s popular Capital Crescent Trail. CCTC Chair Peter Gray and volunteers Wayne Phyillaier and Christopher Marston were present at last Thursday’s Planning Board meeting to accept the award on the group’s behalf.
“I want to thank the Capital Crescent Trail Coalition for their efforts,” said Montgomery County Department of Parks Director Mary Bradford during last Thursday’s Planning Board meeting, “and pledge our department’s continued commitment to working with the coalition to improve management, safety and future development of the trail.”
The 92 CCTC volunteers gathered data from thousands of Capital Crescent Trail users during the fall of 2006 to produce the May 2007 Capital Crescent Trail/Georgetown Branch Trail Survey Report for the Department of Parks. The Department of Parks will use these survey findings on the amount and type of use on the trail to make future management decisions about park trail planning and proposed development projects near the trail.
“The coalition’s survey analysis is a tremendously valuable resource for us,” said Department of Parks Park Planning Supervisor Tanya Schmieler. “This is the largest, single, park and trail planning volunteer effort to date and we are extremely appreciative of the coalition.”
The 140-hour CCTC volunteer project detailed user counts at 4 locations along the Capital Crescent Trail: Grubb Road, Elm Street Park, the Bethesda Trailhead and Brookeway Drive. The group first conduced a survey of trail users in 1996 and again in 2000. Survey findings from 2006 reveal that Capital Crescent Trail use is up significantly-over 50 percent-from 160 average users per hour in 1996 to over 240 hourly users in 2006. The group’s findings also substantiate the popularity of hard surface trails in the county, with more than 500 hourly users on the Capital Crescent Trail during peak periods. In addition, survey results document trends in the variety of trail use, finding bicyclists were the heaviest users at all survey sites except Bethesda Avenue where walkers predominated, and people using roller blades on the trail have consistently declined-from over 10 percent in 1996, down to only 1-2 percent in 2006.
During last Thursday’s meeting, CCTC Chair Peter Gray told the Planning Board that one of the most pressing issues along the trail was the safety of all of the trail users and avoiding conflicts and accidents among and between users, especially pedestrians and bikers.
The Department of Parks met with representatives from the CCTC earlier this month to discuss trail safety. During the meeting the group discussed current safety measures being employed along the Capital Crescent Trail, such as rule enforcement by Park Police, Park Rangers and Park Police volunteers and public education about sharing the trails; and identified possible safety improvements, such as progressive physical trail improvements and the redevelopment of the trail if required.
The Capital Crescent Trail is an 11 mile paved trail, which follows an abandoned railroad right of way which extends from Georgetown in the District of Columbia to Silver Spring in Montgomery County. It is the most popular trail in the county’s parks system, which includes nearly 200 miles of paved and natural surface trail.
2nd Montgomery County Park Trail Receives National Distinction
For immediate release:
June 15, 2007
Contact: Kelli Holsendolph,
Media Relations Manager,
Montgomery County Department of Parks -
301-650-2866
SILVER SPRING, MD - Earlier this month for National Trails Day, June 2, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne designated Rock Creek Trail in Montgomery County as one of 40 new National Recreation Trails, making it the second trail in the county’s parks system to receive this national distinction.
“I know the millions who hike, bike and enjoy our county’s parks system appreciate the world-class network of trails we have here in Montgomery County,” said Parks Director Mary Bradford. “We are honored the US Department of the Interior has recognized another trail in our system this year as a National Recreation Trail.”
The 10.2-mile paved surface Sligo Creek Trail, one of the oldest in Montgomery County and another in the department’s system, received the National Recreation Trail designation in 2006.
National Recreation Trails are components of the National Trails System and recognize already existing trails that connect people to resources and improve their quality of life. The National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program and the U.S. Forest Service, in conjunction with other federal and nonprofit partners jointly administer the program. Each of the trails inducted into the system receive a certificate of designation and trail markers. This year, Rock Creek Trail joins the network of National Recreation Trails that contains more than 11,000 miles of trails.
“We have nearly 200 miles of paved and natural surface trails in Montgomery County Parks,” added Bradford. “Before the summer ends, I’d encourage county residents to take advantage of our two nationally significant trails or hit one of the other trails. Just download a map at www.montgomerytrails.org to select one that is right for you.”
Rock Creek Trail is one of the most popular in the Washington Metro area. A recent extension of the trail south to Beach Drive allows users to continue from Montgomery County’s Rock Creek Regional Park into the District of Columbia. Rock Creek Trail is an 18.6-mile, paved surface, hiker-biker trail, which is hilly in parts and offers scenic views of lakes Needwood and Frank. The portion of the trail in Rock Creek Regional Park ends at Lake Needwood where rowboats, pedal boats and canoes are available for rent. Parking at picnic area 1 on Needwood Lake Circle at Rock Creek offers easy access to the trail.
