@dasgeh 130644 wrote:
It’s basically a very nice rail-trail.
Still something to celebrate if it is actually built. The potential utility and the width of the trail could merit a different description than just a nice rail trail though. The W&OD Trail is our own local long-distance rail trail. But it doesn’t connect major metro areas as well as it could. It passes near Tysons and Dulles but doesn’t provide a direct connection. The western end is mostly rural other than in Leesburg.
Imagine if there were a similar trail between DC and Baltimore with a connection to Annapolis. And an extension to Philadelphia. All paved with only limited crossings of roads. The East Coast Greenway project is trying to make that a reality, but existing routes fall far short of the ideal. Baltimore is close enough for many amateur cyclists to bike to, if only occasionally. The trail would make it much easier for many in that part of Maryland to bike to and from DC, Baltimore and Annapolis. The WB&A Trail doesn’t actually connect with any of those cities. It probably won’t for many years, if ever. But I hope some progress can be made.
The few threads I’ve seen on the forum about biking between DC and Baltimore don’t make the trip sound appealing at all. I rode around some parts of that area over the past month, but I relied on MetroRail, buses and their front bike racks to travel between DC and Maryland. Those bus bike racks are very convenient. I’ve known about them but I never used them before. They are easy to use after you figure it out the first time. But it would still be nice to have the option to have a low-stress bike route from DC to Baltimore too.
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