Brookland and Fort Totten now connected via the Metropolitan Branch Trail

From the Mayor’s Office on Saturday:

“Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), and the National Park Service (NPS) celebrated the newest section of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT), between Brookland and Fort Totten. This new section closes a gap in the District’s pedestrian and bicycle network and represents a key milestone in the goal to complete the nearly 900-mile regional trail network.

“Washingtonians are eager to embrace new ways of using public space and new ways of getting around our city, and we’re proud that with the MBT, we’re delivering a space that is practical, safe, and that people truly enjoy using,” said Mayor Bowser. “As we continue investing in a multi-modal city that is more sustainable and less reliant on cars, we know that spaces like these will play a critical role in our transportation network.”

The new 0.8-mile trail is 11 feet wide, connects the Fort Totten Metro to the Brookland Metro, and provides North-South bicycle and pedestrian connectivity for Catholic University, Lamond Riggs, Queens Chapel, Manor Park, and the surrounding neighborhoods. The new trail features LED lighting, stormwater management facilities, wayfinding signage, and security cameras.

“This project was located in a very challenging work environment and took a lot of collaboration with multiple stakeholders,” said DDOT Director Everett Lott. “Through our team’s vigilance and dedication, and the Mayor’s continued support, we are ecstatic to celebrate this key milestone and increase trails users’ safety by separating them from vehicle traffic, advancing our Vision Zero goal.”

The MBT is a major commuter route for residents and regularly sees more than 1,500 users per day. For the MBT’s Brookland to Fort Totten segment, DDOT partnered with Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and NPS to develop real-estate agreements allowing the trail to be built upon their respective properties. The total design and construction cost was $12.9 million.

The MBT follows the former Metropolitan Branch of the B&O Rail line as a multi-use trail, roughly parallel to the Metro Red Line. The project fits into a larger plan to take the MBT all the way to Silver Spring, Maryland, and will connect to the Capital Crescent Trail. When fully complete, the 8-mile trail will go from Silver Spring, MD to Union Station in Washington, DC.

DDOT is currently working to finalize design plans for the next section of the trail between Fort Totten to Takoma, with plans to begin construction in 2023. There are currently 62 miles of trail throughout the District, with plans to build 17 more miles in the next six years under Mayor Bowser’s Capital Improvement Program.

For more information about the Metropolitan Branch Trail, please visit metbranchtrail.com.”