Office of the Mayor
PRESS RELEASE 
City of Annapolis
160 Duke of Gloucester Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
For Immediate Release:
Mitchelle Stephenson, 410-972-7724 or mwstephenson@annapolis.gov
Annapolis Receives Grants Totaling $2.24 Million to Enhance and Extend Bicycle and Pedestrian Greenways
ANNAPOLIS, MD (October 28, 2022) – The City of Annapolis will receive more than $2 million in grant funding from the State of Maryland for two bicycle/pedestrian greenway projects: $2,002,000 for construction of an extension to the Poplar Trail, known as the West East Express (WEE); and $240,000 to complete the design of the College Creek Connector.
In an announcement from Governor Larry Hogan, the funding is part of a package of funding that includes a total of $35.7 million in grants to support bicycle and pedestrian trails, trail extensions, maintenance, safety improvements, and bridge construction. The funding includes $33.1 million in federal funding through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and Recreational Trails Program (RTP), which were reauthorized as part of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was enacted last year, in addition to $2.6 million in state funding through the Maryland Department of Transportation's (MDOT) Kim Lamphier Bikeways Network. All of the grants are administered by Maryland DOT and support projects throughout the state.
“In Annapolis, we have a number of bicycle and pedestrian trails, but many are not connected, which can make bicycle communing or walking the kids to school a real challenge,” said Mayor Gavin Buckley. “As we seek out ideas to connect those trails, I am pleased that City staff is seeking outside sources of funding to pay for them. I thank Eric Leshinsky and his excellent team in the Department of Planning and Zoning.”
The $2,002,000 funding for the West East Express came from the TAP grant program and will be used to make improvements to the Poplar Trail and construct an eastern extension. The east segment will extend from People’s Park adjacent to the Whitmore Garage on Calvert Street in downtown, following the historic alignment of the WB&A Railroad, to Taylor Avenue adjacent to the Annapolis Police Station. Poplar Trail improvements will widen the existing six-foot trail to allow two-way traffic between Taylor Avenue and Admiral Drive.
The College Creek Connector, which is intended to provide a safer route into Annapolis and downtown, would connect King Geroge Street to Calvert Street via a boardwalk along College Creek, which would pass under Rowe Blvd and along the edge of St. Anne’s cemetery and connect to the trailhead at the West East Express at People’s Park. The funding allocation for the design is $240,000 from the Kim Lamphier Bikeways Network Program and will enable the City to complete a design process which is currently only funded through a 30 percent level of design (often referred to as schematic design).
In his release, Governor Hogan said, “These grants will provide residents with improved bicycle and pedestrian access for transportation, recreation, and good health. Strengthening Maryland’s bike and pedestrian trail network provides greater quality of life for residents of all ages, and makes our state even more attractive for residents and businesses.”
“Increasing access to pedestrian and bike paths is good for public safety, our health, and our environment. That’s why I fought to boost funding for multimodal transportation in the infrastructure modernization law,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen. “These resources will create jobs while improving the experience for residents and tourists alike as they walk or ride around our great state. I’ll keep working to help Marylanders get around in cleaner and greener ways.”
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