AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
From its humble beginnings with one section of recreational trail constructed in downtown Glen Burnie in the 1980’s, the Anne Arundel County Trails network grew over three decades to include the B&A Trail, BWI Trail, WB&A Trail and Broadneck Peninsula Trail.
Jack Keene, former Chief of Planning and Construction for the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks which owns and maintains the trails, is a fount of information about the system that began with the creation of the B&A Trail along the bed of the old Baltimore and Annapolis Railroad. He met with us last week to talk about the creation of each trail in the network and to update us on the progress of the new South Shore Trail.
Tuesday morning’s rains had stopped when Keene popped out the back door of The Big Bean Coffee Shop and mounted the steps to Tom Caracker Plaza, one of the newest additions to the B&A Trail, in hopes of having our coffee at one of the tables there. Unfortunately, they were still too wet.
Back inside, Keene enlightened us about the vision, planning and construction of our area’s first “rails to trails” trail park and those that followed.
Anne Arundel County acquired the B&A Railroad right-of-way in 1981. After the last freight train crossed the tracks in 1990, a movement began to recycle the right of way by turning it into a hiking and biking park running from north of Annapolis to Glen Burnie – a 13-mile stretch.
According to Keene, the beginnings of the B&A Trail occurred with the first section laid in Glen Burnie.
“It wasn’t actually a Recreation and Parks project but was done as a federally funded urban renewal project for downtown Glen Burnie,” he said. “It was completed in two segments with the first running from Glen Burnie to Dorsey Road and the second running southward to just past Harundale Road.”
The second section of the B&A Trail to be completed along the old railroad tracks was the one through Severna Park revealed Keene. Running parallel to the town with numerous businesses and unique features, it has remained one of the most popular sections. Interesting events happen throughout this section, especially in the pocket park called Hatton Regester Green that was designed and planted by the Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails. The dedication of a Gold Star Families and Heroes Monument erected there took place in September of 2020. Only a short distance from the monument is a trailside stage where free concerts sponsored by the Friends are held for the community each spring and fall.
At the intersection of the B&A Trail and Riggs Avenue are two much older features – the Severna Park Railroad Station built in 1919 and the original railroad crossing warning sign that now bears bicycle crossing cautions as well.
Keene noted that, almost simultaneously with the building of the Severna Park section of the B&A Trail, a major bridge over Route 100 was constructed to complete a connection with the Glen Burnie section.
“The thinking was that, if we filled that gap connecting the northern and southern ends of the trail it would get a lot of usage and create pressure to complete the rest of the trail,” he added.
Once that section was finished, Friends president Stan Lebar, an engineer involved in creating the moon camera for NASA’s mission to the moon, suggested adding a Planet Walk to that northern end of the trail. The Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails obtained grants for the creation of sculptures and monuments representing the planets along 4.7 miles of the trail beginning with the Sun Station behind Harundale Mall and ending with Pluto and the lesser planets.
The final section of the B&A Trail to be built was the one through Arnold Station to Winchester Road after which shoulders along Route 450 take walkers and cyclists across the Naval Academy Bridge into Annapolis.
Completed in 1990, the B&A Trail runs from Boulters Way in Annapolis to Dorsey Road in Glen Burnie and is part of the East Coast Greenway which runs from Maine to Florida. It is somewhat connected to the American Discovery Trail and September 11th National Memorial Trail as well. At the end is the headquarters building for all three national trails at beautiful Jonas and Anne Catharine Green Park. Inside is an information desk in the shape of a sailboat dedicated to Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails founder and past president Elizabeth Wyble.
In July of 2020, we chatted about the history of the park and the building with Diane Rey, who portrayed Anne Catharine Green in historic reenactments for 13 years and Diane Evans, who then oversaw the headquarters and park as vice-president of Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails.
Keene observed that the second Anne Arundel County trail to be completed was the BWI Trail at BWI Marshall Airport which includes a spur at Andover Road that leads to the Linthicum Light Rail Station. Though the scenic 12-mile paved trail is operated by the county, it was built and is maintained by the Maryland Aviation Administration. It circles the airport with a parking lot and playground located nearby at the Thomas A. Dixon, Jr. Aircraft Observation Area at 1911 Dorsey Road.
The WB&A Trail was next constructed along the bed of the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Railroad for 12 miles according to Keene. It runs from Odenton to the Patuxent River. When complete, the project will link the South Shore Trail in Odenton with the Patuxent River and an existing rail trail in Prince George’s County. (Just last year, the county built a bridge across the Patuxent River to enable the connection with Prince George’s County.) In addition to the regional benefits of the WB&A Trail, it is also a critical component of the East Coast Greenway and the American Discovery Trail.
Keene proudly reported that long-awaited official opening of the fourth trail – the Broadneck Peninsula Trail – was held on a rainy day in May but was nonetheless a joyous occasion. Primarily located within the right of way of College Parkway with a mainline length of approximately 8 miles, the trail when complete will connect the B&A Trail to Sandy Point State Park with multiple spurs to points of interest.
The Broadneck Peninsula Trail is also part of the American Discovery Trail and the East Coast Greenway.
Not yet completed, the fifth trail is the South Shore Trail over the bed of the WB&A Railroad between Odenton and Annapolis. The first section opened five years ago in Millersville. The second section into Annapolis is now being completed and runs parallel to West Street through Westfield Annapolis Mall property. There is also a small section behind Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center.
It was a pleasure to once again speak with Jack Keene whose grasp of local history is “keen”. These days he and his wife are purely recreational bicyclists, but they are familiar with and love all five of the Anne Arundel County trails.
Around The Park Again takes this opportunity to wish everyone a happy 4th of July on the occasion of America’s 250th Anniversary. Hopefully, we’ll see you at the Severna Park Parade.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center. The school will be holding a fun-filled summer camp this August. From health-defense to self-defense, Jing Ying provides fitness with a purpose for the whole family!
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
