ROCKVILLE, MD—The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Montgomery County Department of Parks and the Maryland State Highway Administration with the Montgomery County Road Runners Club and others will celebrate the Rock Creek Trail Pedestrian Bridge during a grand opening event, Saturday, July 23, 2011 from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon.  The new state-of-the-art [...]

SILVER SPRING, MD—July is national Park and Recreation Month and to celebrate the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Montgomery County Department of Parks wants to know: What are parks “all about” for you? “We do know our parks matter a great deal to the communities they serve,” said Department of Parks Director Mary [...]

SILVER SPRING, MD – Residents, business owners and others who care about the future of Montgomery County's White Oak-Hillandale area should consider attending a June 28 community forum hosted by the Montgomery County Planning Department. The meeting, which will take place at the East County Regional Center from 4:30 to 9 p.m., is intended to [...]

SILVER SPRING – Silver Spring resident Casey Anderson, an attorney and community activist, was sworn in today as a commissioner on the five-member Montgomery County Planning Board.  Anderson was appointed by the Montgomery County Council earlier this month to replace former Commissioner Joe Alfandre. Norman Dreyfuss, a developer and affordable housing advocate, also was sworn [...]

CHEVY CHASE, MD—The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Montgomery County Department of Parks with Chevy Chase Village is hosting a public meeting to solicit input on creating a vision and concept  plan for Chevy Chase Open Space Urban Park.  Chevy Chase Open Space Urban Park was acquired in 2002 through the M-NCPPC Department [...]

SILVER SPRING, MD – More of Montgomery County’s young adults, likely facing economic challenges, are living with their parents, according to information about households released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau. From 2000 to 2010, the number of adult children living at home in Montgomery grew 36 percent. Montgomery County also saw a 19.3-percent [...]

NORTH BETHESDA, MD—The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Montgomery County Department of Parks today announces facility planning is underway for Josiah Henson Special Park located at 11420 Old Georgetown Road in North Bethesda. “We have hired two consultant teams to help on the project: LSC Design and Experience Design,” said Department of Parks [...]

BEALLSVILLE, MD—Park neighbors of the Darby Store in the Beallsville area will notice activity at the site this week as the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Montgomery County Department of Parks prepares to move the historic structure about 27 feet back from the intersection of Routes 28 and 109 in accordance with approvals [...]

SILVER SPRING, MD – Want to know more about development projects proposed near where you live or work? To help residents, business people and county officials stay abreast of Montgomery County development activity, the Planning Department has launched a user-friendly Development Finder web site that provides details about building applications to be considered by the [...]

SILVER SPRING, MD – Montgomery County’s master plans set the stage for redevelopment in strategic places. To help inform master plans underway for various Montgomery County communities, the Planning Department is hosting an urban design expert from Portland with extensive experience in creating frameworks that are fundamental to successful redevelopment. Arun Jain created the Urban [...]

D.C. crime report
Washington Post
Two males punched a male in the face, knocking him to the ground. They robbed him of property from his pockets and fled. Georgia Ave., 3100 block, 3:50 to 3:55 pm July 4. Four males surrounded six pedestrians and took property. H St., 500 block, ...

Legislators graded for attention to environment
So Md News
The environmental community also found it necessary to defend against the slashing of environmental programs like Program Open Space in the budget. When faced with this threat to environmental policies, programs and agencies, Marylanders responded with ...

County purchase of Towson Y property on hold due to economy
Baltimore Sun (blog)
To buy the property, the county was counting on using $3 million in Program Open Space funds and be reimbursed by the state, according to Don Mohler, chief of staff for the administration of County ExecutiveKevin Kamenetz. ...

Preservationists negotiating Metropolitan Branch Trail location in Silver Spring
Gazette.net Montgomery County Sports
Christopher Anderson/The Gazette Pedestrians walk along a portion of the new Metropolitan Branch Trail, which connects Bethesda to Union Station in Washington, DC, on Friday in Silver Spring. ...

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ROCKVILLE, MD—The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Montgomery County Department of Parks and the Maryland State Highway Administration with the Montgomery County Road Runners Club and others will celebrate the Rock Creek Trail Pedestrian Bridge during a grand opening event, Saturday, July 23, 2011 from 10:00 am - 12:00 noon. 

The new state-of-the-art Rock Creek Trail Pedestrian Bridge provides safer crossing of Veirs Mill Road (MD Route 586) for Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail users and local Aspen Hill community residents accessing bus transit or other destinations. Construction on the new trail bridge began December 2008 and was completed and opened to public use February 2011. The trail bridge is 605-feet-long. The project includes trail approaches, spur trail and sidewalk connections to the adjacent community, lighting, fencing, piers, abutment wing walls, retaining walls, trail signage and landscape plantings. The project cost about $8.5 million total, which includes $6 million in construction costs. About $5.3 million for this project was obtained from Federal Transportation Enhancement funds and a Maryland Program Open Space grant.

The Department of Parks commissioned an artist as part of the design team to improve the overall appearance of the bridge. The artwork, integrated in the bridge design, references the historical roots of the Veirs Mill, located during the Victorian era along Rock Creek, which is just west of the bridge. The concrete patterning of the bridge piers and walls references millstone motif. The metal cage over the bridge is a throwback to Victorian geometrical shapes and also creates interesting shadow patterns. A key design feature is the “waterwheel” garden at the base of the bridge.

Saturday’s celebration will include brief remarks from parks and highway officials and other invited guests, refreshments, a ribbon cutting and a ride/run led by the Montgomery County Road Runners Club.

WHO:    
M-NCPPC Montgomery County Department of Parks
Maryland State Highway Administration
Montgomery County Road Runners Club

WHAT: 
Grand Opening Celebration for the Rock Creek Trail Bridge

WHEN: 
Saturday, July 23, 2011
10:00 am – 12:00 noon

WHERE:
Aspen Hill Local Park
5013 Baltic Avenue
Aspen Hill, MD 20853
Parking is available at Aspen Hill Local Park. The ceremony will take place at the top of the steps at the trail bridge opening in Aspen Hill Local Park.

# # #

Contact:    
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Take Five in July promotes park play
Delmarva Now
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D.C crime report
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Georgia Ave., 3700 block, 5:20 am June 25. A male with a gun got out of a vehicle and approached two pedestrians, then took a purse and fled in the vehicle. Georgia Ave., 7700 block, 9:26 am June 26. A man followed a female pedestrian. ...

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Most of Carroll's towns do already have skate parks, thanks to funds they procured from the state's Program Open Space, which makes funds available to local governments to help them buy land and build park facilities. Union Bridge was the town most ...

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Detectives investigating deadly pedestrian crash in Montgomery County
ABC2 News
WHEATON, Md. - A 24-year-old woman is dead after being hit by a car on Georgia Avenue in Wheaton Thursday night. Detectives are still investigating, but based on preliminary information, they believe the victim, Etsegenet Abebe Hurissa was crossing ...
Fatal pedestrian collision under investigationWTOP

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