Anne Arundel County’s Office of Transportation was awarded a $600,000 Kim Lamphier Bikeways State Grant, to complete the design of an extension of the BWI Trail spur from Maple Ave. to the Nursery Road Light Rail station. Of the $3.8 million available by competitive application, this was the largest grant award in the State this year. This grant will accelerate closing the trail gap between the existing BWI and B&A Trails in Anne Arundel County with the Gwynn Falls Trail near Harbor Hospital in Baltimore.
A separate grant-funded study secured by Harbor Hospital in collaboration with the Greater Baybrook Alliance will identify a connecting trail route from Nursery Road.to the hospital. These new trails provide safe biking and walking routes to a variety of destinations in the area including light rail stations, employment centers, schools, a library, parks, shopping and other places that people will be able to get to without using a car. This also closes a gap in national trail routes including the 3,000 mile East Coast Greenway (Maine to Key West), the 911 Memorial Trail (connects the three 9/11 sites) and the Grand History Trail.
“A key element of our vision to make Anne Arundel County the best place for all is to provide safe, equitable transportation options” said County Executive Steuart Pittman. “Safe biking and walking alternatives are the best way to reduce traffic, protect our environment, improve health and make the county more livable and affordable. We are especially pleased to extend this trail in north county.”
The Maryland Bikeways program was named this year by the General Assembly in memory of Kim Lamphier, a tireless advocate for bike safety. The City of Annapolis also received a grant for $224,000 for design of low-stress connectors to close gaps in the City’s bike network. Anne Arundel County has been awarded numerous bikeways grants, which have funded important projects. These include the recently completed B&A Trail Connector to Broadneck Trail/Anne Arundel Community College; a design grant to extend the Poplar Trail connecting the South Shore Trail and Parole; construction to extend the Broadneck Trail to Sandy Point State Park, a design grant for a trail connection from Odenton to BWI; and the design of the WB&A Trail Hiker/Biker Bridge over the Patuxent River connecting Anne Arundel and Prince George’s County. Public comment periods for the BWI to Odenton connection and the extension of the Poplar Trail to the South Shore Trail are forthcoming.
Jon Korin, president of Bicycle Advocates for Annapolis & Anne Arundel County (“BikeAAA”) and chair of the Anne Arundel County Bicycle Advisory Commission said, “We are working with our county, city and state government partners to build our envisioned trail network that will connect people with the places they need and want to get to, without using a car. Bicycling has increased in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and with more safe routes, that will last beyond the pandemic.”
Visit FY2021 Maryland Bikeways grants for a complete list of grants.