Montgomery Parks will host two public listening sessions to receive public input on Capital Crescent Trail improvements

WHEATON, Md. – Montgomery Parks wants to hear from the community about future improvements to the Capital Crescent trail. The two upcoming meetings will provide an opportunity for trail users to share ideas for renovations to the 3.5-mile portion of the trail in Montgomery County from downtown Bethesda south to the District of Columbia line. 

The meetings, one in-person and one online, will be listening sessions where Parks staff describe the intent of the project and collect ideas and information from the public about the future trail renovation. The content of both meetings will be the same.

What: Future Capital Crescent Trail Improvements Meetings
Listening Session #1
Thursday, November 2, 2023, 7-8:30 p.m.
Somerset Elementary School, All Purpose Room
5811 Warwick Place, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Listening Session #2
Wednesday, November 8, 2023, 12-1:30 p.m.
Online: Zoom link: mocoparks.org/CCTZoom

Registration for the meetings is optional but encouraged, so attendees can be updated on future developments in the project. Please register by filling out this form.

The Capital Crescent Trail 2.0 project will reimagine the trail by evaluating features such as width, signage, access, trail connectivity, and amenities. Parks planners will consider public input and best practices in trail design to produce a long-term vision for the trail.

“These listening sessions are just the beginning of this project,” said Montgomery Parks Trails Planner Kyle Lukacs. “They are a great opportunity for the thousands of people who use this portion of the trail every year to weigh in with their preferences for the trail design. Once we hear from them, we will develop concepts and go back for more input.”

The Capital Crescent Trail follows an abandoned railroad right of way and extends 11 miles from Georgetown in Washington, D.C. to Silver Spring, Maryland. Approximately 3.5 miles of the trail in Montgomery County are managed by Montgomery Parks. It is the most popular and heavily used paved trail in Montgomery County with 650,000 users each year.

The portion of the trail between downtown Bethesda and Silver Spring is currently closed and detoured due to the construction of the Purple Line light rail system. That portion of the trail is managed by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. It is expected to reopen in 2027.

About Montgomery Parks     
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 419 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. MontgomeryParks.org 

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. Visit Montgomery Parks Accessibility for more information.  

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