nne Arundel County has 432 miles of shoreline. The county owns a significant amount of park land, some 5,000 acres. These include community parks, regional parks, historically and archaeologically significant sites, sensitive natural areas and planned future park property. While these lands do not necessarily fit into an existing greenway, many of them can combine with other public open space, school properties, and projected future park acquisitions to begin forming greenway networks. The county is fortunate that it receives title to all flood plains and steep slopes in major subdivisions. This significantly enhances the county’s stream valley greenway system.
1) Baltimore & Annapolis Trail Park
he Baltimore & Annapolis Trail is an established recreational greenway following the route of the old Baltimore & Annapolis Railroad from Glen Burnie to Annapolis. This linear park is 13.3 miles long and encompasses 112 acres. The trail has a 10-foot wide, paved surface within a 66-foot wide, landscaped corridor. The trail has a two percent grade and is used by walkers, runners, bicyclists and equestrians as well as various forms of wildlife. One third of Anne Arundel County’s 400,000 residents live within a mile of the trail, and many residences border the trail. Parking is available at several locations. Click here for a detailed trail map with directions and parking information.
he trail is owned and managed by the county Department of Recreation and Parks and is one of the premier greenways in the state. Initially met with skepticism and opposition from some neighboring homeowners, the B&A Trail is now one of the most widely embraced and most used parks in the county. A detailed map is available from the county.
he B&A Trail was first proposed in the early 1980’s. Nine years later the trail was completed for a cost of approximately $10 million. In addition to the natural and recreational benefits, the trail has provided economic opportunities. Bike shops and refreshment stands have opened along the trail, and existing shops are now catering to the trail users. Real estate agents are finding proximity to the trail to be an incentive for home buyers.
he trail has also become the focus of numerous community projects. Scouts, garden clubs and other organizations have volunteered to put in flower gardens and other amenities along the corridor. The trail also features an exercise course for the disabled. The B&A Trail will be a component of the planned East Coast Greenway connecting major cities between Maine and Florida.
2) BWI Trail
he BWI Trail is a partially completed 14.5-mile trail around the BWI Airport connecting scenic areas, recreational sites, communities and mass transit facilities. The State Highway Administration began building Phase I, the north/south section of the trail, in October 1992. The 4.4-mile spur runs from the Linthicum Light Rail Station past the historic Benson-Hammond House, along Aviation Boulevard and across the Stewart Avenue Bridge to the B&A Trail. Phase I cost $1.4 million of which 40% was provided through the ISTEA enhancement program. Construction of Phase I was completed in May 1994. Click here for a detailed trail map with directions and parking information.
hase II of the trail is 1.3 miles in length from the Stewart Avenue Bridge to the Thomas A. Dixon, Jr. Aircraft Observation Area. Construction began in the winter of 1994. The second phase, including renovation of the Dixon site, was completed in October 1995 at a cost of $373,009. The Thomas A. Dixon Jr. Aircraft Observation area provides a park-like setting for viewing aircraft using BWI. The area features 75 public parking spaces, a recreational tot-lot, bicycle racks and a trellis area with aircraft renderings and bench seating. Phases III through VI are currently in design. Building of the remaining phases is expected to be completed in the spring of 1998.
he trail is a 10-foot wide asphalt trail that is maintained by the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks. The completed trail will connect to Patapsco State Park and greenway system.
3) Chesapeake Beach Rail Trail
he Chesapeake Beach Rail Trail is a proposed multi-county rail trail project that would begin in Prince George’s County, run through the southwest corner of Anne Arundel County and cut across the northern part of Calvert County to Chesapeake Beach. This 28-mile corridor was abandoned in 1935. Although much of the corridor remains intact, ownership is now fragmented among several private landowners. About half of the proposed trail lies in Prince George’s County where the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission is working with developers to secure dedication of the corridor during the subdivision process. About one-third of the corridor lies in Calvert County where local officials are considering options for trail development.
bout three miles of the proposed route runs through Anne Arundel County. While the county supports the trail concept, local officials have voiced concerns about putting a trail through the sensitive Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary and would prefer a route west of the sanctuary. The proposed multi-use, recreational trail would connect Walker Mill Regional Park to Patuxent River Park and would end at the old railroad station that is now the Chesapeake Beach Railroad Museum.
4) Patapsco Regional Greenway
he Patapsco Regional Greenway is a partially established, multi-jurisdictional greenway along the Patapsco River, its branches and tributaries. The Patapsco Valley State Park serves as the spine for the greenway and provides almost 14,000 acres of protected land in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll and Howard Counties. The park includes camping and picnic areas, ball fields, and trails for hikers, bikers and equestrians. Many of the facilities are handicapped accessible.
ost of the Patapsco River in Anne Arundel County runs through protected state land, with only a few small gaps. About 1,000 acres along the river are in Patapsco Valley State Park. Rehabilitation of degraded areas in the lower Patapsco is being explored by DNR and the county. Currently, Anne Arundel County would like to focus on better access to the state park and the river, and connections between the City of Baltimore, Patapsco Valley State Park, the B&A Trail and the BWI Trail.
5) Patuxent Regional Greenway
he Patuxent Regional Greenway is a partially established regional greenway corridor stretching through seven Maryland counties. DNR owns about 12,000 acres along the Patuxent in Howard, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s Counties.
nne Arundel County owns almost 1,000 acres along the Patuxent and its branches and has plans to acquire more. The river enters Anne Arundel County at Maryland City near the Ft. George G. Meade Military Reservation property, a portion of which has been turned over to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge. Other protected lands along the greenway corridor include: the Oxbow Nature Area, the county-owned Patuxent River Park, Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, portions of Patuxent River State Park, Pride Finance and House Creek Natural Resource Management Areas, and Globe Com Wildlife Management Area. These properties combine to form an extremely important natural corridor for wildlife and plant habitat in addition to providing certain low-impact recreational and educational opportunities.
he Patuxent Regional Greenway has the potential to connect into the Patapsco Regional Greenway through proposed greenway corridors in Howard County including the Middle Patuxent, the Little Patuxent and the Long Corner Connector. Discussions have also been held about the potential to utilize the Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge as a greenway link between Baltimore and Washington.
6) Poplar Trail
oplar Trail is a potential 2,400-foot hiker/biker trail along the old WB&A right-of-way in Annapolis beginning at Taylor Avenue and ending at Germantown School. This trail will serve as the backbone of the city's overall pathway system and provide access to two elementary schools, athletic fields, the public library, and other community facilities. The trail will also provide a connection to the Spa Creek Trail and the South Shore Trail.
7) Severn River/Severn Run Greenway
he Severn River/Severn Run Greenway is a partially established greenway providing habitat and water quality protection as well as opportunities for environmental education and recreation. The greenway begins at the Severn Run Natural Environment Area where the state owns over 1,700 acres. There is a small gap before the greenway continues with the county-owned Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center which is connected by flood plain to the state-owned Whitney’s Landing Farm.
great deal of shoreline is privately owned and developed, so easements would be needed to form a continuous greenway along the length of the river. The Severn is designated as a state scenic river, and there are active groups such as the Severn River Commission and Severn River Association working to preserve sensitive lands in the watershed.
8) South River Greenway
he South River is a potential greenway corridor along both sides of the South River. This corridor could provide a linkage between Crownsville State Hospital, the Anne Arundel County fair grounds, the Dwight D. Eisenhower golf course, the Annapolis City Watershed Area, Broad Creek Park, Annapolis Senior High School, and Camp Woodlands (along North Basin and Broad Creek).
n the north side of the river, the corridor would continue along the river to Quiet Waters Park and Thomas Point Park, ending at the Chesapeake Bay. On the south side of the river, the corridor could link Edgewater Park, Londontown Public House Park, South River Farms Park, Mayo Beach, and Beverly/Triton Beach Parks.
9) South Shore Trail
he South Shore Trail is a planned multi-use rail trail project that would utilize the portion of the WB&A running between Odenton and Bestgate Road in Annapolis. The 10.3-mile trail would be linked in Odenton to the proposed West County Trail, which would connect to Prince George’s County’s WB&A Trail at the Patuxent River. Construction of a two-mile section of the South Shore Trail, from Waterbury Road at I-97 to Millersville Road at MD Route 3, is scheduled for 1998.
10) Spa Creek Trail
he City of Annapolis currently has funds from an ISTEA grant to construct a 1.5-mile trail from the West Street corridor to Truxtun Park. This trail will link virtually all of the athletic fields in the city and end at the city's largest recreational facility.
11) West County Trail
he West County Trail is a planned multi-use rail trail project that would connect the WB&A Trail in Prince George’s County to the planned South Shore Trail in Anne Arundel County. The West County Trail would utilize the former WB&A rail corridor between Odenton and the Patuxent River, providing a trail connection to the MARC station in Odenton. Construction on Phase I of the West County Trail is scheduled for 1997. Phase I consists of a four-mile stretch from Odenton Road to Patuxent Road.
