Delegate Eric Luedtke and Senator Sarah Elfreth have introduced the Great Maryland Outdoors Act which seeks to build a world-class parks system in our state. This bill will pay down the park service critical maintenance backlog, require the hire of 100 additional staff, address frequent capacity closures, create new state parks, fund historic preservation, create an oversight commission for the parks, and more!

As the sponsors seek to pass this legislation, they are looking to the volunteer community for support. You all know your parks, how people use them, and the support they need. This experience can be a vital tool in explaining the issues of the park system and how this bill will impact communities all around the state.

Contacting your legislators’ offices to request a meeting or sending them an email to express your support can be hugely helpful in building support for this bill. If you are not familiar with who represents you in Annapolis, you can find out by searching your address on this webpage.

More information can be found here in a "Maryland Matters" article.

NATIONAL - (01/21/21)

The new Congress has an incredible opportunity to protect public lands in a package they're calling Protecting America’s Wilderness Act Plus (PAW+). The mountain bike community and our fellow IMBA Local groups have actively participated in negotiations about access to some of the lands in the proposed package, this bill carefully preserves and enhances mountain bike opportunities in addition to other major land and water protection goals. This is the first important vote that Congress will be taking on outdoor issues, and can set the precedent to simultaneously conserve public lands and make sure mountain bikers' voices are heard for the next couple of years. Reach out to your legislators via the Outdoor Alliance's FastAction form..

VIRGINIA - STATEWIDE (01/12/2021)

Want to show support for trail funding in VA? Let your legislature know that you support the $5,000,000 (#HB-1800, Item 447-H) in the Governor’s budget to provide support for the development of multi-use trails. Find your legislator here by entering your address: https://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov.

Send them an email and let them know how important trails are to YOU!

MARYLAND (Montgomery County) - (04/05/2021)

Help plan the future of Redgate Park!

Help plan the future of Redgate Park in Rockville and promote mountain bike trails/skills park. The City of Rockville is in the process of collecting suggestions from the public on the future of Redgate Park, located in Rockville at the old Redgate Golf Course. This 131-acre park is located just west of Rock Creek Park and could provide a great location for additional natural-surface hiker-biker trails and a local pump track/bike skills park.

Virginia (05/18/2021) The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) are partnering with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and other stakeholders to determine the feasibility of converting an inactive railroad segment into a 48.5-mile multi-use recreational rail trail in the Shenandoah Valley. The study focuses on an out-of-service Norfolk Southern line in the counties of Rockingham, Shenandoah and Warren.

The study process includes an online survey to gauge interest, need and support for a rail trail project. The survey is designed to gather input from communities along the study corridor as well as visitors to the Shenandoah Valley. The online survey, available in English and Spanish, is open now through June 25, 2021. A link to the survey and additional information about the study may be found at https://www.virginiadot.org/ShenValleyRailTrail/.

The endpoints of the study area are the town of Broadway in Rockingham County and the town of Front Royal in Warren County. The rail line also passes through the towns of Timberville, Mount Jackson, Edinburg, Woodstock, Toms Brook and Strasburg. The entire rail line is within the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District. It passes close to Seven Bends State Park, Shenandoah National Park, Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, and the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.

The Shenandoah Valley rail trail study will evaluate existing infrastructure, such as bridges and culverts, consider potential trailhead locations and roadway crossings, estimate construction cost, and outline options and a budget for operations and maintenance. VDOT and DRPT will provide any technical assistance that may be required in developing the cost assessment.

The study will inform a DCR report to be submitted to the Virginia General Assembly by November 1, 2021.

VIRGINIA (Arlington County) - (05/11/2021)

If you've enjoyed the outdoors as a respite during this past year, you have a sense of the value of access to trails and parks. Arlington County does not have a managed, multiuse, natural surface trail system. The current system is not environmentally sustainable, inclusive of all users, or reach underserved populations. If you're interested, let them know to include managed multi-use, natural surface trails in the Arlington County Public Spaces Master Plan

 http://chng.it/w8HmGvWYvb 

VIRGINIA - American Legion Bridge Transit Study (01/12/2021)

The I-495 American Legion Bridge Transit/TDM Study is underway, ask that bikes be included in current planning--> Submit Comments by February 1, 2021.

VIRGINIA - I495 Parallel Path/Tysons Area (01/12/2021)

VDOT is still accepting comments regarding the proposed I495Next project which includes a propose shared use path which would provide connections to the Tysons Area. Long term impact of this path could be HUGE, as it could connect VA trails (W&OD & CCT) to the C&O Towpath trail and all fo the goodness of the MoCo trails system via the proposed bike lanes on the American Legion Bridge Expansion.

Currently no deadline for submitting comments.

Arlington County, VA (ongoing)

What’s your vision for Arlington County’s forestry and natural resources? Share your thoughts here --> Arlington County Forestry and Natural Resources Plan.

MORE, in conjunction with Arlington Trails group, is meeting with the Arlington Forestry Commission on 12/10/2020 to talk about the role of sustainable, natural surface trails in Arlingonton County, VA as Arlington County begins the process of updating the Urban Forest Master Plan. As part of the effort to open natural surface trails in Arlington to bikes we've met with Arlington County board member Takis Karantonis to talk about sustainable, multi-use, natural surface, and visited Mt . Vernon District Park to highlight a community park with sustainable trails for bikers, hikers and nature enthusiasts.

Montogmery County, MD - (12/6/2020)

Open Town Hall seeks input on various trail related topics in Montgomery County. Current topics include Wheaton Regional Park Master Plan and access to and through the Upper Paint Branch Stream Valley Park.