The Greenbelt East Trail would run from Greenbelt's Eleanor Roosevelt HS to the Glenn Dale Splash Park, effectively connecting the WB&A Trail with the Anacostia River Trail System, and providing a critical link in the East Coast Greenway.

In this newsletter, we're proposing to expedite "Sector 2" of the proposed trail, which would allow safe bike and walk access to NASA and between Greenbelt and the new shopping and residential areas east of NASA. If you'd like to permanently join this newsletter for additional (usually monthly) trail updates, please sign up at www.greenbeltnasatrail.org.

Sector 2 of the trail would run from the Greenbelt City limit (where the sidewalk ends) to Good Luck Road. This section is entirely in front of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (see map below). In this section, the trail would run on existing shoulder and acceleration/deceleration lanes; there are only two crossings at both of the NASA entrances. This is easiest-to-build, and the most safety-critical section of the trail, vital for NASA bike, walk, and bus commuters, and connecting Eleanor Roosevelt HS with DuVal HS and the Owens Science Center.

Here is all the News:

1. The State Highway Administration (SHA) says their feasibility study will start in September and be completed by December.
2. The WB&A Trail Bridge over the Patuxent River should also be completed by December, making the Greenbelt East Trail connection from the WB&A to the Anacostia River Trail System even more important.
3. Friends of the Greenbelt East Trail had our kickoff meeting with the National Park Service in June, and also formally applied for tax-exempt (501c3) status with the IRS, so that future donations will be tax deductible. This official status as a charitable organization should also help us with grant applications.
4. Which is good, because we just applied for a "rocket grant" from ATHA. If we win the grant, it would help us pay a landscape architect to do some conceptual illustrations of how the trail could look, particularly in Sector 2.
5. Here's the problem: Even assuming MDOT's study confirms the obvious -- that the trail is feasible -- I'm afraid of unnecessary delays in the MDOT design process, mostly related to "standards;" that is, engineering guidelines for the ideal design and construction of trails that may not be necessary in this context. In my opinion, trail advocates will have to be prepared for a lengthy campaign to urge MDOT to work quickly and avoid undue delay and over-complexity. Don't let the perfect design standards be the enemy of basic safety for all road users!
6. Even factoring in time for design, bids and construction, this project shouldn't take longer than two years, and our cost estimates show that it shouldn't cost millions of dollars. The cost is mostly flexposts, heavy duty curbstops, and paint.

Our Motto: "Less than 2 Years, Less than $2 million, start Sector 2 now!" Let's get this project done and show what's possible in Prince George's County!

Full Trail Resources:

• Friends of the Greenbelt East Trail basics
• Street View of the proposed route
• Preliminary Cost Estimate (full trail)
• MDOT SHA Feasibility Study Letter
• Prince George's County Support Letter
• Greenbelt Support Letter
• County Council Request Letter (Eric Olson, Ingrid Watson)

Sector 2 (NASA) Resources:

• Cost Estimate for Sector 2
• Rough Route Slides Starting at Sector 2
• Draft Expedite Sector 2 Letter Template
• Trail Walk Video Starting at Sector 2

Our community partners in this effort are the City of Greenbelt, WABA, ATHA, the East Coast Greenway, the Greenbelt Community Development Corp., and the Glenn Dale Citizens Association. Would your company or organization like to help the trail effort? Please use reply email to this newsletter to contact us for more info.

What We Have on Greenbelt Road

What We Want on Greenbelt Road