Maryland Transit
Administration
Master Plan Alignment Trail
FEBRUARY 2008
Master Plan Alignment
Byrne Kelly Concept
Trail Analysis - North vs. South
Trail Access & Crossings
Aesthetics
FEBRUARY 2008
FEBRUARY 2008
Master Plan Alignment – Description
R-O-W
Description Characteristics
Width
Beginning of the project Under Apex and Air
32’
(Woodmont Ave.) to Pearl St. Rights Buildings
North Side:
Pearl St. past MD 410 until Businesses &
beginning of Columbia 66’ Residential
Country Club South Side:
Residential
Columbia Country Club past Golf Course,
Connecticut Ave to 900’ west 100’ Businesses, &
of Jones Mill Road Residential
FEBRUARY 2008
Master Plan Alignment – Description
R-O-W
Description Characteristics
Width
900’ west of Jones Mill Rd to
90’ Residential
200’ east of Jones Mill Rd
200’ east of Jones Mill Rd
over Rock Creek to 900’ east 225’ Park
of Rock Creek
900’ east of Rock Creek to Industrial &
66’
vicinity of Brookville Rd Residential
FEBRUARY 2008
Master Plan Alignment – Description
R-O-W
Description Characteristics
Width
Vicinity of Brookville Rd past
Lyttonsville Pl until 800’ east 60’ Industrial
of Stewart Ave
Railroad R-O-W
CSX Corridor N/A
with Residences
FEBRUARY 2008
Byrne Kelly Concept – Description
FEBRUARY 2008
Byrne Kelly Concept – Description
Engineered
Version
Acts as an open
tunnel structure
Significantly more
disturbance during
construction than
the surface
alignment
Would need a
pump station
FEBRUARY 2008
Byrne Kelly Concept – Description
Portal/Transition area to the West
FEBRUARY 2008
Byrne Kelly Concept – Description
Portal/Transition area to the East
FEBRUARY 2008
Byrne Kelly Concept – Description
Location Length Only 0.63 miles can
be Double Stack
West Portal 690’
West Transition 240’
Double Stack 3300’
East Transition 300’
East Portal 750’
FEBRUARY 2008
Byrne Kelly Concept – Description
Safety Issues
With open deck system – objects can fall onto
bottom track
Danger of flooding trench
Problem with snow in trench
Operational issues - Reduces the benefit of a
double track system
Accumulation of wind blown trash
FEBRUARY 2008
Byrne Kelly Concept – Description
Increased life cycle costs
Additional inspection & maintenance
Both track would need to be out of service to do
certain types of inspection & maintenance
FEBRUARY 2008
Trails Analysis - Design Guidelines
No required design specifications by a national
organization
The Purple Line incorporated recommended
design guidelines from the U.S. DOT
Rails-With-Trails; Lessons Learned; August
2002
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Analysis – Objective 1
Evaluate the Trail Location on the North Versus the
South Side of the Transitway.
Influenced by 2 factors:
1. Maintaining the trail 3-4’ above the trackbed to provide vertical
separation, while trying to follow existing topography of the
land
Benefits:
Improves aesthetics
Minimizes retaining wall heights; reduces construction costs
Minimizes environmental and construction impacts
Creates greater comfort level for trail users when trains pass
Limits pedestrian trackbed crossings to the designated crossings
2. Providing access to many residents
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Analysis – Objective 1 Results
NORTH VS
DESCRIPTION LENGTH
SOUTH
Beginning of the project
(Woodmont Ave.) to South 0.3 miles
Pearl St.
Pearl St. through
Columbia Country Club,
past Connecticut Ave. North 1.7 miles
until 400’ west of Jones
Mill Rd.
Over Rock Creek until
the study area limit, 100’
South 1.5 miles
east of Talbot Ave.
bridge
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Analysis – Objective 1 Results
NORTH VS
DESCRIPTION LENGTH
SOUTH
Talbot Ave. bridge to
North 0.6 miles
Spring St. (BRT only)
OR…Talbot Ave. bridge
to Silver Spring Transit North 0.9 miles
Center (LRT only)
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Analysis – Objective 2
Evaluate the Possibility of Increasing the Separation
Between the Trail and the Trackbed
Goal:
Setback of 25’ (centerline of track to inside edge of trail)
resulting in about a 10’ wide planting area
Planting Area Benefits:
Acts as a screen or buffer between the trail and trackbed
Improves the aesthetics of the trail
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Analysis - Recommendations
The proposed location of the trail (combination
of north and south side of trail) be adopted
The trail and trackbed’s horizontal and vertical
alignments be revised to increase the horizontal
separation wherever possible
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Access & Crossings - Bethesda
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Access & Crossings – East West Hwy
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Access & Crossings – Connecticut Ave
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Access & Crossings – Jones Mill Rd
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Access & Crossings – Jones Mill Rd
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Access & Crossings – Lyttonsville Pl
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Access & Crossings – Talbot Ave
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Access & Crossings – CSX Crossing
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Access & Crossings – Silver Spring
FEBRUARY 2008
Major Roadway/Stream Crossings
Wisconsin Ave
East West Hwy
Connecticut Ave
Jones Mill Road
Rock Creek
Lyttonsville Pl
Stewart Ave
CSX
16th Street
Spring St
Colesville Road
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Aesthetics – Typical Section
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Aesthetics – Isometric View
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Aesthetics - Grass Tracks
Proposed Design
Grass over top of the
ballasted track
section
Helps reduce noise
Helps with
stormwater
management
Enhances visual
setting
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Aesthetics – Just west of East West Hwy
Current Design
Trail on south side
Trail lower than
track
No planting area
btwn track and trail
Proposed Design
Trail on north side
Trail higher than
track
11’ planting area
btwn track & trail
Grass Tracks
Fence btwn track &
trail
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Aesthetics – Near Columbia Country Club
Current Design
Trail on south side
Trail lower than
track
12’ planting area
btwn track and trail
Proposed Design
Trail on north side
Trail higher than
track
Grass Tracks
12’ planting area
btwn track & trail
Fence btwn track &
trail
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Aesthetics – West of Jones Mill Rd
Current Design
Trail on south side
Trail higher than
track
0’-2’ planting area
btwn track and trail
Proposed Design
Trail on north side
Trail higher than
track
Grass tracks
12’ planting area
btwn track and trail
Fence btwn track &
trail
FEBRUARY 2008
Advantages
Advantages:
A more naturalistic environment
A buffer/screen between the trail and track
Minimizes retaining wall heights resulting in reduced
construction costs
Creates greater comfort level for trail users
Increases safety by preventing trail users from crossing
trackbed except at designated crossings
Improves trail experience
FEBRUARY 2008
Disadvantages
Disadvantages:
Residences on the south side of the trackbed
would lose their current direct access to the trail
The Transitway would be closer to the residences
on the south side
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Aesthetics – Ornamental Fencing
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Aesthetics – Ornamental Fencing
FEBRUARY 2008
Trail Aesthetics – Ornamental Fencing
FEBRUARY 2008
Conclusions
FEBRUARY 2008
