Harford County and Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway Host Workshop on Trail, Pedestrian, Bicycle Projects

From the Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway:

Harford County and Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway will host a workshop organized by representatives of the Maryland Department of Transportation and State Highway Administration that focuses on four key state programs that support trail/pedestrian/bicycle projects and programs.

The workshop will be held Thursday, February 20, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Harford County Council Chamber, 212 South Bond Street, 1st Floor, in Bel Air.

The afternoon will focus on the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), Bikeways Program (BP) and Safe Routes to School Program (SRSP).

The workshop is an opportunity for interested community members to learn about available funding sources, project eligibility, program requirements and funding cycles. Those interested in attending the workshop, which is open to the public and free of charge, should RSVP by visiting http://www.eventbrite.com/e/mdotsha-bicyclepedestrian-project-funding-worksop-harford-county-tickets-10320088663.

In addition, similar workshops are being held in other areas of Maryland:

– February 13th at the MNCPPC PG Parks & Recreation Headquarters, Auditorium, 6600 Kenilworth Avenue, Riverdale, Hosted by Prince George’s County and the Anacostia Trails Heritage Area. To RSVP, go to http://www.eventbrite.com/e/mdotsha-pedestrian-bike-funding-workshop-central-tickets-6052251447

– February 27th at the Queen Anne’s County Department of Planning and Zoning, 160 Courseval Drive, Centreville, hosted by Queen Anne’s County and the Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area. To RSVP, go to http://www.eventbrite.com/e/mdotsha-pedestrian-and-bicycle-project-funding-workshop-queen-annes-county-stories-of-the-tickets-10321095675

– March 5th at the Browning Building, located in Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick, hosted by Frederick County and the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area. To RSVP, go to http://www.eventbrite.com/e/mdotsha-pedestrian-and-bicycle-project-funding-workshop-hosted-by-frederick-countyheart-of-the-tickets-10321398581.

The Recreational Trail Program (RTP) supports the community-based development of motorized and non-motorized recreational trail projects. It focuses on creating and enhancing recreational trail access for many activities including hiking, running, and bicycling. For more information, go to http://roads.maryland.gov/Index.aspx?PageId=98.

The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) is a reimbursable, federal-aid funding program for transportation-related, community projects designed to strengthen the intermodal transportation system. The program can assist in funding projects like bicycle and pedestrian facilities, sidewalks, conversion of abandoned railroad corridors for trails, construction of turnouts and viewing areas, historic preservation of transportation facilities, and mitigation of highway runoff. For more information, go to http://www.roads.maryland.gov/index.aspx?pageid=144.

The Safe Routes to School Program (SRSP) is a reimbursable, federal-aid funding program for education, encouragement and construction projects that promote children to safely walk or bicycle to school. The program can assist in funding projects like infrastructure such as sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, pedestrian signals and bike racks or non-infrastructure projects such as education/encouragement programs, targeted law enforcement efforts, safety training, walking school bus and media outreach. For more information, go to http://www.roads.maryland.gov/Index.aspx?PageId=735.

The Bikeways Program (BP) provides reimbursable grant funding to support assessment, design and construction of bicycle transportation projects, both on-road and off-road. The Bikeways Program focuses on making bicycling a transportation option and connecting bike routes to town centers and local destinations. For more information, go to http://www.mdot.maryland.gov/Office%20of%20Planning%20and%20Capital%20Programming/Bike/Bikeways.html.

Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway is a nonprofit organization based in Darlington whose mission is to stimulate local economic activity by developing a linkage to natural, historic and cultural resources through land and water recreational trails. To date, 22 miles of continuous public recreation trails connecting Harford and Cecil counties have been constructed. The trail system has been designated priority segments of both the Star-Spangled Banner and Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trails. For more information, visit www.hitourtrails.com.