Trail Group Moves Forward with Effort to Connect MA & PA Trail Between Forest Hill and Bel Air; Awareness Walk Planned Oct. 22

From the MA & PA Heritage Trail, Inc.:

The MA & PA Heritage Trail, Inc. is organizing a walk of county leaders along the proposed route that would connect the two segments of the trail from Forest Hill to Bel Air. The popular recreational trail currently consists of two unconnected sections totaling 5.75 miles, with a gap of approximately three miles between the Forest Hill and Bel Air segments. The trail route is designated in its entirety in the County Master Plan.

The walk will be held on Saturday, October 22 at 2 p.m. Media are invited to cover the event. Invited leaders will meet at the Williams St. trailhead, where a shuttle will take them to the starting point, at the Melrose Lane trailhead off of Bynum Road in Forest Hill. Walkers will traverse a route that will approximate where the trail could be constructed, using public right-of way for the majority. There remains a small segment that is privately-owned, and this is one of the issues the group is working to address.

“We’re interested in bringing this issue to the forefront of the community’s attention and find a way to collaborate to create a win-win situation for all Harford County residents,” said Rod Bourn, president of MA & PA Heritage Trail, Inc.

Here is a map of the proposed connection route:

“We look forward to the day when Harford County will be home to a continuous trail of more than 8 miles in length, creating one of the best multi-use trails in Maryland,” said Phil Hosmer, vice president of the MA & PA Heritage Trail, Inc. “In addition to hiking, biking and running, we envision a day when the MA & PA Trail will also be used for commuting­­- carrying workers from Forest Hill, Hickory and Rock Spring into downtown Bel Air.”

The MA & PA Heritage Trail, Inc. works in partnership with Harford County Parks & Recreation to make the MA & PA trail a great place to be outdoors in Harford County. It also works to preserve the memory of the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad. At present, the organization has more than 100 members and nearly 1,000 friends on Facebook. The not-for-profit group meets quarterly to discuss issues of importance and look at ways to improve the trail for citizens of Harford County and our visitors. See the meeting schedule for specific dates and times. Visit the group’s website at http://www.mapatrail.org/index.html