Existing, Adopted/Planned, and Under Construction (from Chapter 4)

Town of Mount Airy

Improving multi-modal transportation opportunities for pedestrian and is a focus of the Transportation chapter of the 2013 Town of Mount Airy Comprehensive Master Plan (TMAMP). A 2008 survey conducted by the Town confirms that residents would like to see additional hiking/biking opportunities within the Town’s open-space. i

The following goals taken from the 2013 TMAMP address and pedestrian needs: • Quality of Life o “Provide a quality living environment in the Town of Mount Airy.” The relevant implementation strategy for this goal is to, “Encourage neighborhood and community connections by integrating pedestrian/bicycling networks throughout the Town.”ii • Transportation o “Expand and integrate pedestrian pathways (walking, jogging, and ) and networks throughout the Town.”iii The Town of Mount Airy falls within both Frederick and Carroll County. This plan will mainly focus on the portion of the town that lies within Carroll County.

Mount Airy has several projects that will not only create destination to destination connectivity but will also help to identify and address safety concerns. In the past, the Town has worked with SHA to address sidewalk needs along North and South Main Street. The result is dramatically more pedestrian friendly streetscape. The widening of sidewalks, and narrowing of the roadways, has caused drivers to slow down and become more conscious of their surroundings.iv Mount Airy’s existing and planned projects can be viewed in Table 3-11 and Table 3-12. Below are three of the town’s priority projects that support the goals of 2013 TMAMP: • Rails to Network The Mount Airy Rails to Trails project is an orchestration of many individuals, organizations, businesses and government entities resulting in a 2.5 mile walking/biking path connecting the outermost boundaries of Mount Airy, MD along the old B&O abandoned right of way.

This greenways corridor will be completed in three phases. The first phase, which is complete, connects the historic downtown area to Watkins . A subsequent phase will extend from Watkins Park, traversing over MD 27 to the east and continue for one mile to the main line rail line traveling east to Baltimore. This will be a collaboration between the Figure 3-1: Mount Airy Rail , from Town, and County https://www.facebook.com/mountairyrailstotrails/ Recreation and Departments. The Carroll County Comprehensive Plan shows this path to continue to Sykesville. The final phase of the rails to trails is to complete the trail through to the westernmost part of Mount Airy where it will connect with the railway to points west. v

• Bikeway and Pedestrian Path – South Main Street to East Ridgeville Boulevard During the 2013 Comprehensive Master Plan Update, the roadway connection proposed to provide for future vehicular access from East Ridgeville Boulevard to Twin Arch Road was eliminated. In order to meet the needs of the surrounding residential community and address the lack of pedestrian connectivity to the existing and planned commercial centers to the north, a bike and pedestrian path was proposed and subsequently adopted. The construction of this bikeway and trail is anticipated to coincide with the future development of the “Pank” property consisting of 50 acres of industrially zoned land. The bikeway will utilize parts of the Rails-to-Trails and will directly connect Watkins Park, Prospect Park, East-West Park, Village Gate tennis and soccer courts, the Summit Ridge Ball Fields and the town-owned open space to the northwest.

• Connection across MD 27 Providing a safe and strategic connection for residents on both the west and east portions of the town has been identified as a priority. The town is bisected by MD 27 necessitating the reliance on vehicular modes of transportation to reach destinations such as Watkins Park, Historic Downtown Mount Airy, and the Frederick County portion of the rails to trails pathway. The Town is currently evaluating suitable options that will facilitate connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists across MD 27.

Additional connections within the town’s Municipal Growth Area and beyond include: • Create pedestrian and bicycle-friendly paths on the Knill Property (east of MD 27 and south of Watersville Road). While these paths are future goals for the Town the plans for these paths are incorporated as Adopted/Planned into the Carroll County Bike-Ped Master Plan because they are adopted in the TMAMP. • Connect the Town to the existing County trails at Gillis Falls Regional Park. The 2006 Mount Airy Environs Community Comprehensive Plan (MAECCP) calls for a bicycle and pedestrian greenway to this location.vi • There is a desire to connect the east to Baltimore County. There is an opportunity to connect with the planned Patapsco Regional Greenway.

Mount Airy Existing Trails and Bicycle Infrastructure Trail Name Trail Type Trail Use Paved or Trail Description Length Unpaved (miles)* Wildwood shared- pedestrian paved A trail following the 0.4 Park Trail use-path perimeter of the park

Watkins Park shared- pedestrian paved A path within Watkins Park 1.0 Walking Trail use-path

Rails to shared- bike-ped unpaved Starting where the County 0.5 Trails- Phase use-path border meets station 1 circle, follow Station Circle East, hop onto Prospect Road, to Watkins Park Terra Oaks shared- bike-ped paved Connection from Terra 0.2 Trail use-path Oaks Ct to Bridlewreath Way Total 2.1

Table 3-1: Mount Airy Existing Trails and Bicycle Infrastructure, *within corporate limits and MGA

Mount Airy Adopted/Planned Trails and Bicycle Infrastructure Trail Name Trail Type Trail Use Paved or Trail Description Length Unpaved (miles)* Rails to Trails- shared- bike-ped unpaved Watkins Park, cross over MD 2.0 Phase 2 use-path 27, go east on waste Water Treatment Rd to the old rail line. Go northeast on the rail line until the intersection with Watersville Road / Go southwest on the rail line until the intersection with Twin Arch Road. Mount Airy TBD bike TBD Begins at County Border: 5.5 Designated southeast on South Main St, Bikeway northwest on Ridgeside Dr, east on East Ridgeview Blvd, northeast through the fields to Twin Arch Dr (near Century Drive), east on Twin Arch Dr, northeast on Aaron Ln, east on Back Acre Cir, northeast through the field to the Waste Water Treatment Plant; runs into Phase 2 of the Rails to Trails starting at the intersection of North Main St and Prospect Rd, north on North Main St, north on Buffalo Rd., ends where Buffalo Rd meets Summit Ridge Soccer Field Prospect Road TBD bike-ped TBD Trail following Prospect Road 1.9 Trail

Rail Trail TBD bike-ped TBD Rail trail to Wildwood Park 0.4

Ballfields Trail TBD bike-ped TBD Trail to proposed ball fields 0.7 outside of the town growth area between Rails to Trails Phase 2 and Watersville Rd Total 10.5

Table 3-2: Mount Airy Adopted/Planned Trails and Bicycle Infrastructure, *within corporate limits and MGA

Future Connections (from Chapter 4)

Town of Mount Airy

The Town of Mount Airy has placed emphasis on safe, alternative transportation connections throughout the community prioritizing downtown connections. Key connections in the Mount Airy network include connections: • To downtown • To residential developments • To parks and other community amenities • Between Frederick and Carroll Counties • Across MD 27 This will aid in making Mount Airy the interconnected walking/biking community it desires to be.vii

The only proposed Future Connection for the town would fill a gap in the existing and planned network is mention in Table 4-8. An extension of the adopted Prospect Road Trail in Frederick County is a Town future connection. The trail will begin at the Prospect Road/Hill Street intersection and run southeast just across the Carroll County Border.viii

A future bike-ped resource will be the Town of Mount Airy Trails Master Plan. A kickoff event for stakeholders took place on Friday, January 5th in the Town Hall. The purpose of the plan is to preliminary engineer the design of a mile long trail segment and of a trail crossing at MD 27 and Center Street. This plan is expected to be completed in 2018.

Mount Airy Future Trails and Bicycle Infrastructure Trail Name Trail Trail Use Paved or Trail Description Length Type Unpaved (miles) Prospect Road TBD bike-ped TBD Fills the gap between 0.1 Extension adopted/planned Prospect Rd trail in Frederick and the existing rail trail in Carroll starting near Prospect Rd/Hill St, to the railroad tracks ending just over the Carroll boundary

Table 4-3: Mount Airy Future Trails and Bicycle Infrastructure

i Town of Mount Airy, MD. 2013 Town of Mount Airy Master Plan. Mount Airy, November 3, 2014.Pp. 104-105 ii Town of Mount Airy, MD. 2013 Town of Mount Airy Master Plan. Mount Airy, November 3, 2014. P. 24 iii Town of Mount Airy, MD. 2013 Town of Mount Airy Master Plan. Mount Airy, November 3, 2014. P. 128 iv Town of Mount Airy, MD. 2013 Town of Mount Airy Master Plan. Mount Airy, November 3, 2014. Pp. 125-126. v Town of Mount Airy, MD. 2013 Town of Mount Airy Master Plan. Mount Airy, November 3, 2014. Pp. 132-138 vi Carroll County Government, Board of Carroll County Commissioners. Mount Airy Environs Community Comprehensive Plan. Mount Airy, February 28, 2006. vii Town of Mount Airy, MD. 2013 Town of Mount Airy Master Plan. Mount Airy, November 3, 2014. P. 105 viii (Town of Sykesville 2011)