Black Hill Trail Renovation
Division: Park Development
Project Description
Black Hill Regional Park
This project upgrades an existing 2-3/8 mile hiker-biker trail along the eastern shore of Little Seneca Lake from Wisteria Drive north to Spinning Wheel Drive. The existing six-foot-wide trail does not meet park standards and is seriously deteriorated. The trail renovation and upgrade provides an eight-foot-wide trail that meets park construction standards and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in all locations.
Background
Several plans, including the 2002 Black Hill Regional Park Master Plan and the 1998 Countywide Park Trails Plan, envisioned a hard surface trail network that links the residents of Germantown and Clarksburg to Black Hill Regional Park. Renovation of this existing trail is part of a larger network which will make the regional park accessible to thousands of residents and make the amenities accessible to those living in the vicinity of the park.
Developers built the existing trail as the adjacent residential communities developed, and conveyed the land and trail to the Commission in 1982. The trail was constructed using little or no base material and a substandard asphalt layer that is deteriorated. In addition, the trail was built before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines were developed. It is too narrow to safely accommodate the growing number of users and contains several areas of steep slopes, three of which are near access points to the trail. The proposed eight-foot width affords minimum space for bicyclists, wheelchairs, strollers, maintenance crews, and emergency vehicles.
A facility planning study was conducted and the plan for the trail was approved by the Montgomery County Planning Board on April 24, 2003. The project was approved and funded for detailed design and construction by the Montgomery County Council.
Status/Project Update
The project was bid in Spring 2011 and construction began on July 2011, with completion anticipated in July 2012. The stream restoration work began on June 2011 and was completed in late August 2011.
Click on the titles below to view various sections of the plans:
- Cover Sheet and General Details
- Trail Plans – Part 1
- Trail Plans – Part 2
- Additional Project Information
Calendar and Meeting Notes
Links to review meeting notes and Planning Board memos will be attached to each applicable calendar event as it is scheduled and completed.
DATE/TIME |
DISCUSSION AND MEETING NOTES |
LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| April 24, 2003 | Planning Board Meeting – Facility Plan approved | Montgomery Regional Office Auditorium 8787 Georgia Avenue Silver Spring, MD |
| Summer 2009 | Community Meeting to discuss upcoming construction impacts | |
| Fall 2009 | Design in progress to renovate trail and stream restoration | |
| April 10, 2010 | Churchill Village South HOA Board Meeting to discuss project implementation and community concerns Click here to view the meeting summary |
|
| April 19, 2010 | South Shore HOA Board Meeting to discuss project implementation and community concerns Click here to view the meeting summary |
|
| April 26, 2010 | Community Meeting to discuss project implementation and community concerns | Up-County Center 12900 Middlebrook Road Germantown, MD |
| May 22, 2010 | Trail Walk and Informational Session to view and discuss trail issues and concerns Click to view announcement and trail sign |
Waters Landing Assoc., Inc. 20000 Father Hurley Blvd. Germantown, MD |
| December 8, 2010 | Community Briefing/Update to view design progress of trail renovation | Waters Landing Assoc., Inc. 20000 Father Hurley Blvd. Germantown, MD |
| Spring 2011 | Advertise for construction bid | |
| June 16, 2011 | Stream restoration begins | |
| July 2011 | Start of construction | |
| September 2011 | Stream restoration completed | |
| December 12, 2011 | Safety Railings/Fencing Options Poll Poll closed on January 26, 2012 Click here to view railing/fencing options |
|
| January 18, 2012 | Community Briefing/Update to discuss concerns with the Safety Railing/Fencing Options Poll and locations Click here to view presentation Click here to view the meeting summary |
|
| January 26, 2012 | Safety Railings/Fencing Options Poll closed View poll results and the selected fence (Option #4) |
|
| March 10, 2012 10:00am |
Trail Fence Location Field Walk Click here to view email announcement Click here to view announcement flyer |
Meet across from the intersection of: Neerwinder Street & Waters Landing Drive (Northwest of Ambassador Drive crossing) |
| Late Summer 2012 | Construction to be completed and the entire trail to open |
M-NCPPC Staff Contact
Kurt Wiebusch, Construction Section Supervisor
Kurt.Wiebusch@montgomeryparks.org
301-495-2493
Bob Kane, Construction Manager
Bob.Kane@MontgomeryParks.org
301-495-2555