BACKGROUND

As a commuter and recreational trail, the Metropolitan Branch Trail will link people to jobs, schools, stores and Metro. For Washington area residents and visitors, the trail will offer recreational opportunities, health benefits, outdoor art, on- and off-street bicycle commuting, access to and from the surrounding neighborhoods, and access to public transportation. The MBT will comprise a variety of trail types that change with each segment as the trail travels through parks, along major roadways, and through revitalized industrial areas.

The Metropolitan Branch Trail is named after the “Metropolitan Branch,” the first rail line built through the corridor by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The corridor is now home to Amtrak and Metro as well as freight lines. It is anchored by two significant railroad landmarks, Union Station and the old B & O Railroad station in Silver Spring.

Since the trail planning began in the 1990s, three segments have been completed (New York Avenue to Union Station, 1st Street NE and John McCormack Road).

Location

The Metropolitan Branch Trail will be an important transportation route providing direct access from Northeast DC neighborhoods to the heart of Washington and seven of Metro’s Red Line stations. The MBT will generally follow Metro’s Red Line and the CSX railroad right of way to join the Capital Crescent Trail in Silver Spring and the National Mall near Union Station. A 1.7-mile segment extending from Fort Totten to the West Hyattsville Metro Station will connect the MBT to Maryland’s Anacostia Tributaries Trail System. Through the MBT, neighborhoods such as Takoma, Lamond-Riggs, Brookland, Edgewood, Eckington, and NoMa will connect to the regional trail network, including the National Mall trails, the Capital Crescent Trail, Rock Creek Park Trail, the Sligo Creek and Northwest Branch Trails in Prince George’s County, and the East Coast Greenway, which runs from Maine to Florida.

The Silver Spring portion of the trail extends into Montgomery County, Maryland and the connector segment at Fort Totten extends into Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Funding & Construction

Portions of the trail will be funded by federal transportation funds and matching funds from the District of Columbia. DDOT is managing most of the design and construction for the District segments, while the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is constructing the New York Avenue Metro Station segment. In Maryland, the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) has completed plans for the trail. The City of Takoma Park constructed the first trail segment in Maryland in summer 2003. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation and Prince George’s County M-NCPPC are managing additional design and construction in their respective jurisdictions.

Partners

DDOT has partnered with numerous governments, non-profit organizations, the public, and other stakeholders to develop the trail into the showcase trail it should be. Partners have included:

• DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities
• Washington Area Bicyclist Association
• National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program
• National Park Service, Rock Creek Park
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
• Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission
• Coalition for the Capital Crescent Trail
• Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Segments

The Metropolitan Branch Trail is frequently identified by segments as follows: