March 1 Future CCT Walk

A walk to explore the future CCT in Silver Spring took place on March 1. This was the second of a series of monthly walks. The first walk was described here in a Feb. 2 post.

Over 30 people gathered at the walk start point at Colesville Road and Second Avenue. It was a blustery day, but good for hiking.

Those joining this March walk had more diverse interests than most on the February walk which focused largely on Woodside. An invitation had been given to the M-NCPPC Purple Line Master Plan working group, and some members came.

People came from East Silver Spring, Takoma Park, and Bethesda. District 18 State Delegate and Kensington resident Al Carr also came.

Many who participated were surprised to find paths and streets close to where they live that they never new existed. The next walk will be April 5, with details to be posted here soon.

I also am hosting a 10 mile long bike ride on March 30 to explore the future CCT and also the future Metropolitan Branch Trail in Silver Spring for those who would rather bike than walk. See details at another post on this blog.

Woodside featured in first "Future CCT Walk"

Over 30 residents from Woodside, North Woodside and Woodside Park accepted the Invitation to walk the future CCT, and took a guided tour of one mile of the future trail on February 2. The walk was led by Webb Smedley and me for the Woodside Civic Association. The tour covered the section of the future CCT from behind the District Courthouse at Apple Avenue to the Talbot Avenue Bridge at North Woodside.

Many guests on the tour were surprised to see how well the Trail can fit along the east side of the CSX corridor, with significant parts of the Trail being in the trees. The Woodside residents were generally very supportive of both the Trail and the Purple Line light-rail. The benefit the Trail can bring to Woodside by giving safe off-road trail access to Rock Creek Park and beyond is especially attractive to Woodside residents, compared to the unsafe on-road access along the Georgetown Branch "Trail".

This was the first of a series of monthly trail walks along the future CCT east of Rock Creek through this spring. Watch this blog for announcements of the future walks. If you have a special interest area on the planned CCT east of Rock Creek, feel free to contact me at phyilla1@gmail.com . We can tailor one of the future walks to that interest, or set up a special walk or bike tour for you.

The "Save the Trail" folks have been giving walks of the CCT for years. But their walks never look at the CCT east of Rock Creek. We hope to put more balance into the "Save the Trail" vs. "Finish the Trail" Purple Line debate by showing the part of the CCT that has been largely forgotten - east of Rock Creek.