Northwood News ♦ June 2005

Changes Proposed for the Rachel Carson Trail

By Charles Pritchard

On 19 April 2005, I attended a public hearing held the Montgomery County Park and Planning Commission (MNCCPC) on plans to extend the Rachel Carson Trail (formerly the Northwest Branch Trail) from its present location between Piney Branch and Randolph Roads north to the Sandy Spring area (south of Piney Branch Road, the trail is still designated by the Northwest Trail nomenclature and part of it is hard surfaced) and from there, via Rachel Carson Conservation Park, to the Patuxent River State Park.  Here, the trail would join with the Seneca Greenway Trail, which extends from Riley’s Lock on the Potomac River to the Patuxent River State Park.  Depending on the route taken, the combined trails would provide a “nature trail” through some of the most scenic and historic terrain in the county.

Members of our community lobbied for the current trail plan and worked physically as volunteers — along with members of the Conservation Corps of the Americorps and the Montgomery County Conservation Corps — to build the trail.  We also supplied an input of volunteer labor on the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail, anticipating the ultimate union of these two trails.

The Sandy Spring community is particularly rich in historic buildings such as the Afro-American Slave Museum, the route of the Underground Railroad, a Friends (Quaker) Meeting House, and close proximity to the Trolley Museum.  The trail would link the Potomac and Anacostia watersheds.  The southern portion of the combined trails also has historic features such as the Kemp Mill original mill run that powered the mill, the Burnt Mill dam, and two associated water supply and filter buildings that were purchased from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission by MNCCPC when a larger such Blue Plains facility was expanded in D.C.

Most MNCPPC plans for trail modification raise problems with the communities through which the trail passes.  In the current plan, the Sandy Spring community is concerned about the effect of extending the trail to them.  This concern led the Commission to offer two options:  “A” and “B.” Option A would pass well west of the community through currently undeveloped land, which is, of course, ripe for development of residential and commercial construction projects.  The Commission would seek trail easements as a precondition for permits.  The B Option would pass more directly near or through Sandy Spring and requires partial use of major roadways such as Route 108.  The community itself is divided, but appears to prefer Option A.

Some other options were offered at the meeting.  One presented by the Legacy Open Space Advisory Committee (LOSAG) called for a “loop trail” that would include the best features of A and B by providing both continuation of a natural trail in the Rachel Carson tradition and access to the historical features in Sandy Spring proper.  An Option C also offered alternatives to A and B.

MNCPPC will reach a decision in June.  Wishing not to arouse a neighboring county community, I confined my testimony to the plan for linkage with the Seneca Trail and retention of the current restrictions on use and surface.  We will keep you informed.   ■