Worcester County Trail & Greenways Master Plan

Click  here  to download! And  here  for the Appendix

Worcester County is a gem of Maryland‘s Eastern Shore known for its distinctive culture, history, and natural beauty. The County is home to oceanfront resorts, historic communities, productive farmlands, picturesque landscapes, and pristine beaches. The County also is home to the cherished Assateague Island National Seashore and Pocomoke River State Parks. Additionally, Worcester County is known for its vibrant arts community, with local theaters, galleries, and festivals showcasing the talents of local artists. With relatively flat landscapes, scenic quality, strong tourism economy, and temperate weather - Worcester County is ideally suited for bicycle travel.

Greenways can serve an important role in communities by connecting people with open space, offering opportunities for recreation, providing transportation alternatives, and fostering economic development. Trail and greenway corridors attract visitors, both local and from afar, who contribute to the local economy by spending on accommodations, dining, shopping, and other services. Additionally, greenways enhance property values, making nearby residential and commercial real estate more attractive to investors and potential buyers. By offering a pleasant and accessible environment for physical activity, greenways promote the health and well-being of residents.

Overall, greenways serve as economic engines, driving investment, creating jobs, and fostering sustainable growth, while simultaneously providing social and environmental benefits to communities. This Greenway and Trail Master Plan can help position Worcester County to be a leader in active transportation with healthy, equitable, and sustainable greenways that are accessible to all ages and abilities.

This master planning process is building on and connecting with trail planning and implementation efforts across the region.

•  2023 Worcester County Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan 
•  Snow Hill Bikeways Feasibility Study 
•  Walkable Bikeable Berlin 
•  MD 90 Planning and Environmental Linkages Study 
•  Eastern Shore Regional Trail Vision 
•  2018 Salisbury Rails with Trails Master Plan 
•  2017 Salisbury Bicycle Network Plan 
•  Maryland's Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans and Programs 
•  Eastern Shore of Virginia Rail Trail Feasibility Study 
•  City of Rehoboth Beach Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan 
•  Delaware Rails-to-Trails/Rail-with-Trail System Master Plan 

Worcester County has existing designated bikeways and land and water trails, but bike and pedestrian connections separated from vehicle traffic across the county remain limited. In this map, you can find layers showing existing trails, land use, water access points, railroads, bike and pedestrian crashes involving injuries and fatalities from motor vehicles recorded by Maryland State Police with from 2018-2022, bike level of traffic stress, wetlands, historic places, and other key information. The Bike Ped Crashes Heat Map shows where the bike and pedestrian crashes described in the previous sentence occurred most frequently in the areas with colors closer to High.

Use the orange "Map Layers" icon in the top left corner to add and remove layers to the map.

Greenway trails have the opportunity to connect people with open space and scenic areas, but some of the environmental resources may be sensitive to impacts by new trail construction. As this greenway trail planning study progresses, we will seek to avoid or minimize potential impacts to private properties and sensitive landscapes. Any environmental impacts would be mitigated through the appropriate regulatory requirements, and any property impacts would be negotiated and agreed to with property owners to receive fair compensation.

Through the winter and spring of 2024, the project team met with stakeholders, hosted a public meeting, and collected feedback online to learn about community goals and preferences. Nearly 500 individuals shared feedback representing county residents (77%) as well people who only work in the county, own a vacation property, or occasionally visit. Over 87% of people who responded to the survey expressed support for investment in more Greenway Trails throughout Worcester County. Additional feedback includes:

• Preference for separated shared-use trails instead of on road or shared lane bike routes.
• Provide more comfortable opportunities for "casual cyclists" and less experienced riders as well as more experienced road cyclists.
• It's important to make a longer and connected network to have safe and convenient access to destinations without gaps or barriers.
• Consider safety improvements for high crash areas and in places where trails may cross dangerous roads.
• Important destinations to connect include parks, scenic areas, downtown areas, schools, neighborhoods, shopping areas, healthcare centers, employment centers, existing trail heads, and boat launches.
• Consider adding wayfinding signage, lighting, rest areas, trailhead parking, water fountains, and bike parking along the trails.
• It's important to protect sensitive environmental features and preserve the rural landscape.

Additionally, community members shared specific destinations and greenway trail route suggestions to improve safety and expand access throughout Worcester County. All of this feedback was used to develop the proposed Greenway Network Plan:

The following plan includes short term (within 5 years), medium term (within 10 years) and long term (more than 10 years) improvements proposed for a connected greenway network throughout Worcester County. Priorities for short term improvements considered areas in need of safety improvements, connecting priority destinations, available right-of-way, minimizing environmental impacts, and public comments.

Greenways and trails can be designed in different ways. These are some potential greenway trail facility types that can be used in Worcester County:

If you have questions or comments for the project team, please contact Mr. Robert Mitchell at bmitchell@co.worcester.md.us or by phone at 410-632-1220 ext. 1601

Prepared by Mead & Hunt for Worcester County, Maryland