Trail Advocacy & News

Your voice matters! As we see them, we'll post articles and opportunities here so that you can weigh in with local jurisdictions and advocacy groups.


Current Advocacy Efforts & Opportunities

Great Maryland Outdoors Act -
Advocacy Opportunity

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.


Advocacy for Natural Surface, Sustainable, Public Trails at
LOCH RAVEN RESEVOIR

Baltimore County and Baltimore City residents, with the support of MORE, are currently working to develop a plan for a more sustainable forest management strategy by bringing trained volunteers, funding and community engagement to the Loch Raven Reservoir. The ultimate goal is for residents to have a place close to home to ride, hike and enjoy the outdoors. For more information, contact MORE's Loch Raven Liaison,Jaron Shaul.


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.

Please participate in the process and make your voice heard! Go to https://engagerockville.com/redgate-park and then register/sign in and answer a series of questions on what you think Redgate Park should include as a redeveloped public venue. The list of options includes trails for mountain biking and you can provide additional comments and suggest a bike skills park/pump track, which is very popular with kids and families.

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.

 


Updates on Recent Advocacy Efforts

Kent Island Update (12/8/2020):

After years of advocating and legal navigation (thanks Ernie and Dave), the Queen Anne's County Commissioners approved (by a vote of 5-0) to approve an MOU allowing us to break ground in QAC. Our first project will be a very basic 2-3 mile trail at Terrapin Nature Park located along the Chesapeake Bay with a view of the Bay Bridge.

 


Past requests for Input

 

Date

Location

Info

12/4/2020

Kent Island, MD

Who wants trails? ***WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW***Our fate will be decided this Tuesday Dec 8th at the QAC commissioners meeting. They will be voting on whether or not to approve an MOU between Parks n Rec and M.O.R.E. If approved, we will have new single track multi-surface trails to ride this spring. If not approved, we likely will never have dirt trails or bike parks in the county. Please call or email your commissioners today to show your support qaccommissionersandadministrator@qac.org

 

 

Washington, DC

DC Residents: Please participate in the DC citywide survey regarding direction and priorities for its new DC Parks & Recreation Master Plan, Ready2Play

.

https://ready2playdc.com/citywide-survey

 

 

Loudon County, VA

Here's an opportunity to let Loudon County know what your outdoor recreation priorities are: https://www.surveymonkey.com/.../LoudounCountyParksandRec...

 

 

Arlington County, VA

Please click on the below link and then the "share your thoughts" button to give feedback on Arlington’s Public Spaces Master Plan. Comments are due by December 9. Alternatively, you can email pops@arlingtonva.us to give feedback. This is the best opportunity to bring MTB to Arlington County. Please take advantage of this opportunity.

https://projects.arlingtonva.us/.../updated-public.../

 

 

9/2020

Loudon County, VA

Want trails in Loudoun County? Loudoun Parks and Recreation is in the process of creating a comprehensive master plan for the department and we need to make sure that they hear from mountain bikers to be included in the plans.

Tuesday September 29 at 7:00pm

Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../reg.../WN_ji5uAPzOSFiiOhKMxbrvVw

 

 

NOVA

Please help the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation understand how the pandemic is affecting your use of outdoor recreation. Please take this short survey.

Click here to take the survey: http://ow.ly/QCSS50C2Mdp

 

 

SVBC

Our friends at Shenandoah Valley Bicycling Coaltion (SVBC) are asking for input on additional trails on Narrowback in the GW National Forest. You have until September 1 to submit a comment supporting more great trails!

https://svbcoalition.org/comment-for-more-trails-on-narrowback-mountain/?fbclid=IwAR2RbGlXRMuI5FfhNdrj0P9qsktF1ouP4m0pcdSxi6aFX5F3DoUmkjnGSy8#page-content

07/2020

 

https://secure.everyaction.com/MVHz5zjxk06zT-_T6QXEpw2?fbclid=IwAR3kRNpUik0ublzWIebVKzC5goJZH9tKCUqkK-QL-krfvYJDa8ltPMzJ5qA

07/2020

 

Options for trails along Georgetown Pike and to Difficult Run. Enjoy the read and don’t hesitate to contact Fairfax County Park Authority, National Park Service or elected officials to support any of the options.

 

06/2020

 

Please consider writing our elected officials in support of permanent funding of the Land Water Conservation Fund from Oil and Gas Leases through the Great American Outdoors Act.https://secure.everyaction.com/E_eB5Ms5TE6kx7IKYyWHSg2?fbclid=IwAR3Z4bSgrjf9adTYfsGiPBwF3X9STTuzeNohwgN6hiJDj_wIAAVutz7A3l0

 

05/202

 

A proposed rule for managing e-bikes on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land is open for public comment through June 9.

.

IMBA has detailed information about eMTB access and management on their FAQ page: https://www.imba.com/education/emtb.

.

Analysis of the proposed rule change can be found here: https://www.imba.com/.../IMBA-analysis_BLM-proposedrule...

.

You can submit your comment here: https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=BLM-2020-0001-0001

 

04/2020

 

MTBing community, please share common sense MTBing guidance with our new trail users. We are welcoming, just want to be safe.

https://www.imba.com/mountain-bike-covid-19-faq

 

03/2020

 

Please support the Land Water Conservation Act permanent funding by sending an email to our Senators.

https://secure.everyaction.com/9qr-HO9hoEOdtEUo06j1jw2

 

03/2020

 

 

Come out in support of paved paths and trails as part of the 495 Next project. Location and Design Public Hearing Materials
March 12, 2020, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Langley High School
6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101
https://495northernextension.org/.../march_12_2020_ld... 

 

 

Trails in the News

River’s Edge

https://www.patagonia.com/stories/at-the-rivers-edge/story-94306.html?fbclid=IwAR1CFgUFAILsKKzoDAMABBlj5w3yj6se4T0biS1IqQqXHcnTriCdvnte8zM

CONGRATULATIONS CARLO! Thanks for all of your hard work!

SMOKETOWN ROTARY CLUB HONORS CARLO ALFANOAS PAUL HARRIS FELLOW

In socially-distanced ceremonies at Brunswick’s River’s Edge Trail, the Rotary Club of Smoketown, Brunswick, Maryland presented a Paul Harris Fellow Award to Brunswick resident Carlo Alfano, a driving force behind Brunswick’s Mountain Biking Rivers Edge Trail and the Bike Brunswick organization.

----------------------------------

Patuxent River State Park

https://mtb.shimano.com/en-us/discover/dig-in-patuxent-river-state-park-trail-project?fbclid=IwAR0dFbIfZehcPpr_jJYUZAykRTUIoRqDYau5DoBL-jmWcnPZFoKt8-ivUkI

----------------------------------

Annapolis Area

https://www.capitalgazette.com/maryland/annapolis/ac-cn-annapolis-bike-ride-20200702-20200702-bu4kshp4avfwvjgxvh6u57uliu-story.html?fbclid=IwAR3ENr5Tj_QQdPEJZu6jlnbGJHz70XK_JbSJ9xvLJdUUWyghosxPkmGK9Us

----------------------------------

Arlington County

https://www.arlnow.com/2020/06/19/mountain-bikers-push-to-legalize-trail-use-in-arlington-parks/?fbclid=IwAR2mfBmFqbTh5F_m3crP2X8zBY74G3aYQs0FtvbsvaqwcV3ZR8hsZnGGBAM

----------------------------------

East Coast Greenway

https://www.greenway.org/stories/momentum-grows-for-greenway-stimulus?fbclid=IwAR1NSFox3PIuEc9qInLa6plLZqfzUHb0nQ3uzq2dcFByjFm0BzEZXNAc92A

----------------------------------

W&OD

https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/commentary-dual-trail-proposal-on-w-od-offers-advantages/article_55a0e406-a4fc-11ea-83fd-db5b6a33144e.html?fbclid=IwAR2AJunjZp71GKJWqu4RsPu0Y786zidIfkZR36zLyRcjeRrMT7xsulF9hYE