A New Bridge for Patapsco!
Dear MORE supporters!
Recently, Governor Hogan included $700,000 in the FY 2017 budget to build a pedestrian bridge connecting the McKeldin section of Patapsco Valley State Park with the Woodstock area!
This is a huge win for our Maryland advocacy program, but this budget isn’t final yet. Getting the legislature on board with the proposed bridge funding will be key to making this exciting proposal a reality.
What can you do to help? Contact your state Senator before March 1st and let them know you support the new Patapsco bridge! We’ve attached a sample letter below to help you on your way. This is a great opportunity for the state to support human-powered recreation and transportation in your backyards, so let’s let them know how important that is!
Thanks for your support!
Ryan Delaney
Executive Director, MORE
Dear {Your Senator},
Thank you for your continued support of Maryland State Parks and specifically, Patapsco Valley State Park. Patapsco Valley State Park is one of the main reasons I live in your district and the Park’s success is critical to our neighborhood’s vibrancy.
Last year the General Assembly’s Capital Budget included funding to remove Bloede Dam. This project will improve public safety and benefit the environment by improving fish passage and stream connectivity–thank you for supporting this project.
The FY2017 Capital Budget includes $700k under the Natural Resources Development Fund to build a pedestrian bridge across the Patapsco River, thereby connecting the McKeldin and Woodstock areas of the park. This bridge will serve all trail users: hikers, runners, mountain bikers, and equestrians, and provide access to an area of the park that is currently difficult to reach, including historical landmarks such as the Granite Quarry and the old train bridge abutment below Davis Ave.
During the summer months, many weekends the Park is over capacity and has to turn away visitors during the weekend. This bridge will help users spread out across the park and alleviate the population pressures, especially in the Avalon area.
Situated only a few miles from the Inner Harbor, Patapsco is one of the largest suburban parks on the East Coast and with its more than 200 miles of trails, it has the most extensive trail network of any suburban park on the East Coast: Patapsco is within 90 miles of 6 million people. These trails and this park are an economic driver for this area and one of the main reasons I live in your district.
Thank you for supporting the Park and helping make the bridge connecting the McKeldin and Woodstock areas a reality.
Sincerely,
{Your Name}
{Your Town}