November 1, 2021 Update:
Open Parkways Winter Schedule:
Open to pedestrians and cyclists from Fridays at 9 a.m. through Sundays at 4 p.m.
- Sligo Creek Parkway
- Old Carroll Avenue to Piney Branch Road (1.1 miles)
- Forest Glen Road to University Boulevard West (1.5 miles)
- Beach Drive from Connecticut Avenue to Knowles Avenue (2.7 miles)
Open to pedestrians and cyclists from Saturdays at 7 a.m. through Sundays at 4 p.m.
- Little Falls Parkway from River Road to Arlington Road (1 mile)
Originally Published March 15, 2021:
Modified portion of the parkway will be open for exercise and recreation (closed to vehicles) beginning Saturdays at 7 a.m. and ending Sundays at 6 p.m.
WHEATON, MD – Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is reopening Little Falls Parkway between Arlington Road and River Road for pedestrians and bicyclists to exercise and recreate beginning Saturday, March 27, 2021. The parkway will be open every weekend, on Saturday at 7 a.m. through Sunday at 6 p.m.
“Over the winter, we temporarily returned Little Falls Parkway to vehicular use due to certain operational challenges. Since then, we have heard the many requests from the public to reopen it for pedestrians and bicyclists on the weekends, and we are happy to be able to do so,” said Mike Riley, Director of Montgomery Parks.
Little Falls Parkway is one of several routes included in the parks department’s Open Parkways program, which launched at the start of the pandemic to provide additional space for safe outdoor recreation and exercise. The program includes the following parkway segments:
- Sligo Creek Parkway:
- Old Carroll Avenue to Piney Branch Road (1.1 miles)
- Forest Glen Road to University Boulevard West (1.5 miles)
- Little Falls Parkway from River Road to Arlington Road (1 mile)
- Beach Drive from Connecticut Avenue to Knowles Avenue (2.7 miles)
With the return to spring and longer daylight hours all parkways will stay open until 6 p.m. on Sunday evenings instead of the 4 p.m. time which was implemented for the winter months. Sligo Creek Parkway and Beach Drive are open for pedestrian and bicycle use from Fridays at 9 a.m. through Sunday at 6 p.m. Little Falls Parkway is open Saturdays at 7 a.m. through Sundays at 6 p.m.
To ensure public safety, gates have been installed at each parkway where they are closed to vehicles. In addition, Montgomery Parks is working collaboratively with Montgomery County Department of Transportation to address concerns about diverted traffic on neighborhood streets. The public is urged to obey driving laws and use caution when driving on these streets.
The Open Parkways program was launched at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Montgomery Parks is evaluating options for long-term solutions to maintain the program.
People using the parkways should follow COVID-19 safety guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as those established by Maryland and Montgomery County.
For the most up to date information please visit Montgomery Parks COVID-19
About Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 424 parks. Montgomery Parks is a department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems.
Accessibility
Montgomery Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Program Access Office at 301-495-2581 (Voice), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org to request a disability modification.
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