The Montgomery County DOT has recently installed new trail wayfinding signs on the Georgetown Branch Trail (a.k.a. Interim CCT) in the Rock Creek Park Area. The signs, like the one shown here at Jones Mill Road, give trail users directions on how to continue on the Trail between Bethesda and Silver Spring and also how to connect to the Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail.

These signs replace the old and confusing trail directional signs that had been in this area since before the trestle over Rock Creek opened for trail use in 2003. Those old signs gave directions to follow the old and circuitous trestle bypass route via. the Rock Creek Trail. They had remained in place for the over six years since the Rock Creek trestle opened, and their continued presence only served to confuse trail users.

The connecting routes to the the Rock Creek Trail from the Georgetown Branch Trail at both the east and the west ends of the trestle can still be confusing if you are not familiar with the area. But the new signs at least give trail users a fair chance at finding the way.

On August 4, 2009 Governor O'Malley announced that the state was selecting light rail to be the Purple Line Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) that would move forward for design and construction. If built, this Purple Line alternative will use the Georgetown Branch Corridor between Bethesda and Chevy Chase. Under this alternative the trail would be rebuilt alongside the double track transit way.

revised June 12, 2009

CCCT Chair Peter Gray makes the announcement.

CCCT Chair Peter Gray used the June 8 2009 Annual Meeting to announce that the Montgomery County Department of Parks and Planning has reviewed the CCCT application to build a trail rest area and plaza at River Road under the Public / Private Partnership program and has determined that the proposal has merit and appears to be acceptable in scope and scale. The plan will undergo further review including meetings between Planning staff and the Coalition. The plan calls for building on County land and will thus require acceptance by the County Executive and Council as well.

Under the plan, the CCCT would take the lead in managing construction, and would contribute up to $75,000. The Parks Department will contribute plantings and construction services. The Citizens Coordinating Committee of Friendship Heights (CCCFH), the Washington Episcopal School, and individuals will also be contributing to this community effort.

The plan for the plaza, developed by the CCCT, includes seating walls, a pergola, pathways, bike racks, sculptures, a mapcase, and a water fountain on the north side of the River Road trail bridge.

The proposed plaza is described in the CCCT application as follows:

"The CCCT proposes a Public Private Partnership with the M-NCCPC for the purpose of construction of a Plaza area at the intersection of the Trail and River Road on the northwest and northeast sides of the intersection where there currently exists a bench and a parking area adjacent to the trail at the beginning of the bridge over River Road. The Coalition proposes a PPP along the lines described in paragraph 1.3.3 of the Policy for Public Private Partnerships. The "North Plaza" will include two curved concrete seating walls covered with stone veneer, one on each side of the asphalt Trail at the base of the bridge ramp over River Road. A steel Pergola, composed of five vertical posts and attached horizontal beam, secured behind the western seating wall, will symbolize a Gateway to River Road. This Gateway feature will also help demarcate the Plaza area. Also on the western side packed earth with sand and gravel and a curved pathway marked with stone pavers will be bordered by grass. The pathway will include LED lighting built-into the path itself. This pathway will be built over the area formerly used for parking and that space will require remediation prior to building the pathway. The eastern side of the Trail will feature grass and a stone paver walkway. Along the pathways on both sides, will be an alee of trees, including existing trees plus Crepe Myrtles to match the ones at the north end of the paved Trail in Bethesda. Boulder bollards and other seating, bike racks, two earth-mound Turtle sculptures, up to four Cherry Trees, a Kiosk/Mapcase, and a water fountain are also part of the overall plan for this Plaza."

"The North Plaza will be part of an ongoing effort by the County and the Citizens Coordinating Committee for Friendship Heights ("CCCFH") to redevelop the River Road corridor and will help tie the Trail to that effort and the Westbard commercial corridor. The Plaza will be open for use by all users of the Trail in order to provide a place adjacent to the Trail and that commercial corridor where users can rest, get water to drink and review a map of the Trail."

"The total cost of the project, excluding funds for use of design professionals to execute a final design or plan, equal $145,970 approximately."

The CCCT has already supported the development of the Conceptual Site Plan needed for the project.

The Conceptual Site Plan. More drawings are shown in the Site Plan (this is a 4 MB pdf).

The CCCT will bear the largest portion on the project cost, but other area stakeholders are also committed as described in the CCCT partnership application:

"The Coalition's treasury currently has over $170,000, and has committed to contribute up to $75,000 to help realize the plan. In addition, the Commission has mandated that the Washington Episcopal School make a significant contribution towards execution on the plan, and the Coalition has the support of the CCCFH, an umbrella organization covering over 14 civic associations surrounding the proposed location. .... The Coalition and CCCFH are prepared to solicit in kind contributions from their respective memberships and the businesses in the Westbard corridor for benches and other amenities; indeed the Coalition already has begun to solicit individual contributions for seating areas in the Plan. In addition, there is a fund of about $2500 in memory of George Edwards being held by the Montgomery Parks Department for improvements to this site."

The CCCT has been planning and advocating for this major trail amenity for 10 years. We will soon see planning give way to construction. We hope to have construction well underway in 2009. Stay tuned for more information about opportunities to contribute.