Greenway Corridor

Troyer Road to the Hatem Bridge


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East Coast Greenway

Harford County contains approximately 35 miles of the East Coast Greenway. (ECG) The East Coast Greenway is a walking and biking route stretching 3,000 miles from Maine to Florida. Twenty-five million people live within five miles of the ECG.

The  East Coast Greenway Alliance  envisions the ECG as transforming communities. The ECG supports active lifestyles in 15 states and 450 communities with sustainable transportation and tourism. The ultimate condition of the ECG would be safe for all ages and abilities. For this reason, the Alliance strives for a traffic-separated, publicly accessible, paved shared-use path. This plan supports that vision,

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East Coast Greenway Coordination

The nonprofit East Coast Greenway Alliance coordinates the development of the trail network but the effort is multi-jurisdictional. This means Harford County can set priorities for the route within the county limits in cooperation with the State of Maryland, Baltimore County, and Cecil County as well as the Town of Bel Air, the City of Havre de Grace, and the Maryland Transportation Authority.

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East Coast Greenway Trail Configuration

The East Coast Greenway Alliance promotes a vision that the route will be entirely paved or firm surface and avoid steep slopes. The map shows Maryland sections that are located on-road in blue. Paved separated paths are shown in green. Firm surface paths are shown in brown. The Harford County sections of the East Coast Greenway are presently marked as a bike route but a vision of the ECG following shared-use paths or at a minimum, buffered bike lanes are embraced by this plan. The construction of Section 2 of the Ma and Pa Trail could allow the East Coast Greenway to be relocated onto a portion of the Ma and Pa trail. A project connecting Bel Air to Harford Community College could also further this vision. A North Carolina study found that for every $1 invested in trail construction, $1.72 is generated annually.

Navigating the Storymap

This presentation guides you through the bicycle and pedestrian projects in a tour of the Greenway Corridor. The base map is also available at this  link . The legend for the base map is shown on the right. Details about facility types may be found at this  link .

At each stop on the tour, the text is shown on the right with pictures. Note there can be more than one picture. You can click through the pictures with the arrows. When a circled "i" appears in the upper right of a picture, click for some additional information.


Greenway Corridor Overview

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Greenway Corridor

The Greenway Corridor encompasses the Harford County section of the East Coast Greenway (ECG) from Baltimore County, MD via Troyer Road through Bel Air to Havre de Grace and across the Hatem Bridge to Cecil County, MD. The ECG is envisioned as a network of safe paths for bicyclists, walkers, runners of all ages and abilities. Also, a leg of the  911 Memorial Trai l, the ECG route in Harford County is posted with ECG signs or Bike Route signs along a relatively high traffic stress bike route with few adjacent walking connections. This plan seeks to improve the ECG in Harford with buffered bike lanes or shared-use paths.

This route can be much more than a posted route that happens to traverse the county. Careful planning of the corridor around this route would serve several HarfordNEXT goals. Safer linkages to our cultural resources and amenities will benefit residents as well as bicycle tourists. Implementation of the ECG vision of an interstate walking and biking route in this corridor will provide safe connections to communities, schools, and recreation enhance their lifestyle in Harford County. An improved lifestyle is also an economic development asset that helps Harford County employers attract a larger pool of talented employees.   

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Troyer Road MD 23

The East Coast Greenway follows the Torry C. Brown Rail Trail through Baltimore County to Monkton where it follows Monkton Road, Shepard Road, and Troyer Road to cross into Harford County. The East Coast Greenway Project (BP 01) is intended to improve the facility through this area. Pavement is presently limited but traffic volumes are low enough to be acceptable for experienced riders.

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Madonna

As the East Coast Greenway continues through Madonna the traffic volumes and speeds on MD 23 become more noticeable. In some areas, right of way and paved shoulders are improved which may allow for traffic separated bike lanes. (BP 01) Separated path options may be necessary for areas where pavement is not going to be widened. The same type of facility is intended for The MD 152 Bikeway North (BP25) which is extended in the plan along MD 146 to Madonna and further discussed in the Mountain Corridor. The Ladew Topiary Gardens and the Harford Polo Grounds could be destinations from the ECG from this point. Rutledge Park is the local county park that hosts team sports. Presently served by portable restrooms, with plumbed facilities, the park could be an ECG rest station with bathrooms, water, and air.

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Jarrettsville West

The East Coast Greenway approaches Jarrettsville with similar road conditions as Madonna. In some areas, right of way and paved shoulders are improved which may allow for traffic separated bike lanes. (BP 01) Separated path options may be necessary for areas where pavement is not going to be widened.

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Jarrettsville and South

In Jarrettsville, the East Coast Greenway connects to the Upper Creek Corridor with continued conditions of variable shoulders. In some areas, right of way and paved shoulders are improved which may allow for traffic separated bike lanes. (BP 01) Separated path options may be necessary for areas where pavement is not going to be widened. The connection to the Upper Creek Corridor (BP 47) opens the ECG to agrotourism, Eden Mill, and even Rocks State Park.

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Highpoint

The East Coast Greenway continues on MD 23 from Jarrettsville to Forest Hill on a section where the speed limit is posted as high as 55mph however the shoulders are wide and paved a favorable location for the preferred separated bike path. (BP01) A connection to the Mountain Corridor could be made via BP 26 The Pleasantville - Highpoint link. This plan seeks to evaluate for Share the Road or Bicycles May Use Full Lane signage for this route and add as appropriate.

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Forest Hill

This area presents an offramp opportunity for ECG riders if presently disconnected low traffic stress networks of Forest Hill and commercial areas along Rockspring. Many of these ideas are discussed in the Rail Trail Corridor section. Connectors in the area would help link the ECG to safe routes in the community and to the Ma & Pa Trail. The ECG could even be routed onto the Ma and Pa at this point.

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Hickory

The East Coast Greenway is presently routed along Moores Mill Road. Southampton Road presents another option in Project BP 09, Bel Air to Harford Community College Bike lanes and multiuse path. This project would combine bicycle and pedestrian connections to HCC using bike lanes, sidewalks, and a multi-use path. A study of the project is presently the subject of a Bikeway Grant application. The same project may also offer an option for the ECG to follow the Ma & Pa Trail into Bel Air and out Southamption and other roads to HCC where it can rejoin the MD 22 route. Synergy with the Ma & Pa, the Town of Bel Air, and HCC is anticipated to elevate the ECG for tourism and commuting locally and regionally.

A recreational facility and park and ride lot in Hickory can be a waypoint connecting a number of proposed facilities. One would connect the East Coast Greenway (BP 01) to the Conowingo Bikeway (BP 75) via the Tucker Connector. (BP 106) The East Coast Greenway is potentially drawing interstate bike travelers through the county with interest in the local sights. The Conowingo Bikeway offers connections to Palmer State Park and the Lower Susquehanna Greenway. The Prospect Mill Road improvements (S26) can link neighborhoods in the area to HCC. The Tucker Connector also connects the area to shopping and the Ma & Pa. Routes like the Stout Bottle Branch Sharrow (BP106) Sharrow and Ruffs Mill Sharrow (BP98) could be developed and posted to support excursion riding in the rural areas of the county.

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East Bel Air

The ECG follows Conowingo Road to Moores Mill Road in Bel Air. In the future this section could follow the Ma & Pa Trail. The Bel Air to Harford Community College Bike lanes and multi-use paths (BP09) will also connect this area. Highly important to the overall plan, this concept is the subject of a Maryland Bikeways Grant submission by Harford County. Sidewalks and bike lanes on Broadway, Southampton, and Thomas Run would link to a popular pedestrian path near Mark Street and a crossing over Prospect Mill. The project would continue with a multi-use path through Prospect Mill Park and generally following the Walls Cook Nature Trail alignment to create the last leg connecting to HCC.

Two other key routes through the area include Prospect Mill and Moores Mill roads. Traffic safety improvements have been considered for Prospect Mill (S26) which would include bike lanes. This plan advocates buffered bike lanes. Moores Mill Road is the East Coast Greenway.(BP01) The bikeway grant request for analysis of the HCC connect will include evaluation of this route as this plan prioritizes a shared alignment of the ECG and the MA & PA through Bel Air.

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Thomas Run - HCC

This area marks a convergence of the ECG route, bike lanes on Churchville Road, and Harford Community College. Other connectors of bike lanes and sharrows will link HCC to neighborhoods. Improvements are in this plan like S26 -Prospect Mill Safety Improvements and S-16 - Thomas Run Streetscape. The college also connects out to excursion areas via BP94 Thomas Run-Kalmia Sharrow so residents or visitors using the ECG may explore the more rural areas of Churchville, Darlington, or Dublin. This suggests HCC would make a good location for a bicycle rest facility with restrooms, water, and air.

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Churchville

At this point, the East Coast Greenway leaves MD 22 to follow MD 155. Planned sharrows (BP 111) connect north to the Conowingo Corridor. MD 22 continues as bike lanes (BP 110) with connections to Aberdeen. This area can support link commuting, particularly to APG. It can be a connection to agrotourism. Local Churchville shops and restaurants may cater to the ECG through riders.

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Hopkins Road

MD 155 provides wide paved shoulders for the East Coast Greenway to continue through Level to Havre de Grace. This area provides locals and visitors access to agritourism. Buffered bike lanes are planned on MD 161 (BP109) to connect Level to Darlington. Minimal shoulder makes this a long-term goal. The Paradise Road Bikeway (BP78) anticipates bike lanes connecting south to Aberdeen via MD 462 Paradise Road

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Havre de Grace Heights

The East Coast Greenway continues on MD 155 crossing over I-95 in this area. It connects with neighborhoods via roads like Bulle Rock Parkway Canvasback Drive and Lapidum Road. The ECG is routed on Canvasback to avoid a steep curving hill with no shoulder. This connects to improvements (S27 - Chapel Road Bike Lanes) which will be integrated with a future plan for Swan Harbor. Low-stress pedestrian networks connect to the network of Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway and local trails like the Havre de Grace Joe K trail. The LSHG is presently working on a Susquehanna Quarry to improve connections.

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Havre de Grace

In Havre de Grace, the Greenway Corridor links to the Pulaski Corridor. It provides connections via the ECG to the cultural resources of Havre de Grace which are linked with the HdG School Trail, Joe K Trail, and Lafayette trails. The City of Havre de Grace is planning bicycle and pedestrian connections to Swan Harbor Park. The city also has a marked concentration of low-stress local roads with sidewalks. Bicycles share the road with autos traveling at low speeds and volumes.

US 40 Pulaski Highway is a glaring contrast to the positive bike and pedestrian environment in Havre de Grace. Despite local and county efforts to enhance sidewalks and crosswalks US 40 remains a barrier in the community. For this reason, Harford County has engaged with the Baltimore Metropolitan Council to study US 40 Pulaski Highway. This project will refine BP 33, a concept of a shared-use path for the entire US 40 right-of-way in Harford County. The hope is the study will create a template using Aberdeen and Havre de Grace to refine a multi-modal vision of US 40. Feasible improvements highlighted by this study will be proposed for future grants.

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Hatem Bridge

The above picture correctly depicts the present conditions for bicyclists on the Hatem Bridge. Weekday use was tried in the past. No bicyclists may only use the bridge on weekends. This condition relegates the crossing to excursion use despite the significant quantity of commuting traffic between Harford and Cecil Counties. Cecil County and WILMAPCO, the metropolitan planning authority for Cecil County are working to improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities across the bridge. Through riders on the ECG must time their crossing to weekends or make other arrangements.

The larger issue of river crossing is addressed by this plan with a policy goal to support a 24/7 bicycle and pedestrian connection across the Susquehanna River. This has been a long term goal for many years.

Corridor Recomendations

The Anacostia Tributary Trail System links neighborhoods to the University of Maryland College Park Campus.

Plan Corridor for Excursion and Linkage – This corridor is intended to support the improvement of the East Coast Greenway ECG as an interstate bicycle and pedestrian route. Destinations within the county may draw and support those touring the ECG.  Excursion strategy  is an approach of this plan to emphasize tourism bicycle networks. Public parks and private tourism destinations should be linked with the best routes for cyclists and posted with wayfinding signage. Given the location of Harford Community College outside of the development envelope, the Greenway corridor presents an opportunity for an important multimodal link. Connecting the Ma & Pa and Bel Air to the college means students or employees can commute to the college as bicyclists or pedestrians. This opportunity would follow the  Linkage strategy  of this plan. A linkage facility creates healthy connections to adds quality of life value to the development envelope and rural areas alike.

Cultural Bike Excursion Loops - Future scenic byway studies could examine the safest routes and their best connections from the ECG to historic and other cultural sites. The analysis could look at specific safety improvements like share the road markings, sight distance improvements, and intersection adjustments. These projects may be implemented in county or state capital projects. Evaluate newly protected land on the Oakington Peninsula through a parkland bicycle and pedestrian plan loop in cooperation with the City of Havre de Grace and the Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway.

Upgrade East Coast Greenway - The East Coast Greenway Alliance has updated their design guide since the ECG route was signed in Harford County. The intention is for the Greenway to offer a safe place for bicyclists, walkers, runners, and more — of all ages and abilities — to commute, exercise, and visit new destinations. This plan includes a long-term project (BP 01) to upgrade the posted route to formal bike lanes or off-road multi-use paths where possible. Signage would also be improved. This project would be implemented through many smaller projects. A bikeway grant has been submitted for the HCC Connector. This project could become the ECG alignment and set a higher bar for other areas.

 

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The Anacostia Tributary Trail System links neighborhoods to the University of Maryland College Park Campus.