The trail of the jubilant cyclist!Pedal Power Dec., 1, 2003 Volume 14 #4 Issue #55
by Barbara Klieforth (CPABC)
The trail of the jubilant cyclist!
On Sat, Nov 1, a beautiful sunny Fall morning, 70 cyclists gathered at the historic B & O Train Station in Silver Spring to ride the proposed hiker/biker Metropolitan Branch Trail (MetBranch) from Silver Spring to Union Station DC (about 10 miles). Many took their bikes on Metro to reach the start of the ride. Paul Meijer and Wayne Phyillaier put together the wonderful ride. The proposed trail, designed to facilitate and encourage commuting and to connect neighborhoods to the greater DC community, is still in the planning stages along most the route, so we rode along the roadways/sidewalks and some off-road trails. We crossed over Georgia Avenues 6 busy lanes east of the station on a path attached to the rail bridge then biked along Philadelphia Ave to an off-road trail along the campus of Montgomery Co. Community College into Tacoma Park, MD and along Blair Rd in DC on the road.
The Metro Trains, CSX and Amtrak travel this corridor, originally the "Metropolitan Branch" of the B & O Railroad. The 1st trains started running in 1832 on the main line from Baltimore to Point of Rocks, Md, on to Wheeling, WVA. and the Ohio River. No train connected to DC until 1873 when B & O the line from Point of Rocks to Silver Spring and onto Union Station - hence into metropolitan DC. The Met Branch hiker/biker trail, being built in this historic corridor and along an active transportation system, will afford a direct convenient safe mostly off-road trail into our nation's capital.
We were not able to Bike in the train corridor on this ride because NOT all the right-away has not been fully available. There is still a lot work to be done before we ride completely Off-Road from Silver Spring to Downtown DC in the Rail Corridor. We crossed at Riggs Rd. and headed for Fort Totten (Prince George's Connector Here) and road along Fort Totten Drive to John McCormack Rd. along Catholic University which has an off-road section, but most found the roadway a better choice. We had a rest and info stop on 8th St. NE and Ellen Jones gave us more history of the trail and "Rest Pocket Parks" planned along the trail. At Franklin St./Edgewood Rd. and 8th.St., we re-entered into the actual rail corridor with a direct view of the Capitol Bldg. Paul Meijer told us that the B & O Emblem of the circle with the Capitol Bldg. was actually conceived from this view of the Capitol from this part of corridor. At New York Ave. we met with the METRO People at the new New York Ave. Metro Station and saw where the new Skyway Hiker/Biker Trail takes to the air and goes over the whole Metro/Train Complex. This part of the trail about one mile long will open next Spring (2004). After New York Ave. we had to go back on the streets(3rd St. NE) to Union Station. All thanked Paul Meijer and Bob Patten for their well documented ride and info we all learned along the way. Many of us stopped for Eggs Benedict over Crab Cakes at Union Station and then retraced our way back to Silver Spring and College Park. We could have taken our Bikes on Metro , but the day was so beautiful most opted to cycle home. Can't wait for the Metropolitan Branch Trail to be completed along with the Prince George's Co. Connector (Should be built Spring 2004) which will connect the Anacostia Trail System to Fort Totten and the Metropolitan Trail. A fun interesting day was had but all who attended.