An emerging bicycle greenway 

The dream of a showcase urban bicycle and pedestrian greenway linking the heart of Washington, DC, with suburban Maryland and a substantial network of regional parks and trails is becoming a reality.  For WABA's advocacy website please visit take action - met branch trail .

The Metropolitan Branch Trail will ultimately be an eight-mile linear park and trail running parallel to Metro’s Red Line from Union Station to Silver Spring, Maryland, connecting to the Capital Crescent Trail. 

Open land along the railroad tracks between Union Station and Brookland/Catholic University of America, is an ideal place for a linear park and trail.  This land is up to 150 feet wide in places and crosses above some of the busiest roads in Washington.  A major segment of the Metropolitan Branch Trail is planned for this area.  
There is now an opportunity to transform this right-of-way into an urban treasure for people, a bicycle and pedestrian transportation link and a beautiful gateway to the Capitol. A 1.7 mile spur at Fort Totten would connect the Metropolitan Branch Trail to Maryland’s Anacostia Tributaries Trail System at the West Hyattsville Metro Station.

What Will The Trail Look Like? 
Some sections of the trail are planned to run through park land and be completely free of auto traffic.  Some sections will consist of clearly marked bicycle lanes on or alongside city streets, and sidewalks for pedestrians.  A system of signs will make it easy to follow the trail from section to section. 

Trail Funding and Construction 
The trail will be built in segments.  The first segment – along John McCormack Road near Catholic University in northeast DC – was completed in 1999.  Some segments will be completed during 2000, and additional segments will be built every year for the next five years. Portions of the trail will be funded by federal transportation funds and matching funds from the District of Columbia.  

A few portions remain un-funded at this time. The DC Department of Public Works will manage construction of the DC section of the trail.  A growing partnership of government agencies and private organizations is now meeting regularly to advise and assist the DC Department of Public Works with trail development.  The Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission is overseeing planning of the Maryland sections of the trail.  The Montgomery and Prince George’s counties’ departments of public works are expected to manage construction of these sections. 

Trail Safety and Maintenance
Studies of crime statistics show that trails are very safe public facilities; far more crimes are committed in parking lots and on streets.  And the creation of attractive, green parks and trails in cities has been shown to reduce crime in surrounding neighborhoods.   The Metropolitan Branch Trail will, however, need regular maintenance and policing. It is unlikely that any one agency will have enough staff and funding to maintain and patrol the entire Metropolitan Branch Trail when it is completed.  Maintenance and policing, like the trail construction, will most likely be managed by a partnership of government agencies, police departments, private organizations, and citizen volunteers.

The Coalition for the Metropolitan Branch Trail 
The Coalition for the Metropolitan Branch Trail was formed by local citizens in November 1989 to promote the creation of the Metropolitan Branch Trail.  Coalition members include individuals, community organizations, and civic leaders. The Coalition is currently a project of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association.  For more information, call (202) 518-0524.