Residents Encouraged to Comment on Capital Crescent Trail Improvements

Montgomery Parks wants to hear from the community about future improvements to the Capital Crescent trail. The two upcoming meetings will provide an opportunity for trail users to share ideas for renovations to the 3.5-mile portion of the trail in Montgomery County from downtown Bethesda south to the District of Columbia line.  

The meetings, one in person and one online, will be listening sessions where parks staff describe the intent of the project and collect ideas and information from the public about the future trail renovation. The content of both meetings will be the same.

What: Future Capital Crescent Trail Improvements Meetings

Listening Session #1
Thursday, November 2, 2023, 7-8:30 p.m.
Somerset Elementary School, All Purpose Room
5811 Warwick Place, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Listening Session #2
Wednesday, November 8, 2023, 12-1:30 p.m.
Online: Zoom link: mocoparks.org/CCTZoom

Registration for the meetings is optional but encouraged, so attendees can receive updates on future developments in the project. Please register by filling out this form.

The Capital Crescent Trail 2.0 project will reimagine the trail by evaluating features such as width, signage, access, trail connectivity, and amenities. Parks planners will consider public input and best practices in trail design to produce a long-term vision for the trail.

The Capital Crescent Trail follows an abandoned railroad right of way and extends 11 miles from Georgetown in Washington to Silver Spring, Maryland. Approximately 3.5 miles of the trail in Montgomery County are managed by Montgomery Parks. It is the most popular and heavily used paved trail in Montgomery County with 650,000 users each year.

The portion of the trail between downtown Bethesda and Silver Spring is currently closed and detoured due to the construction of the Purple Line light rail system. That portion of the trail is managed by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. It is expected to reopen in 2027.