It’s been a long time coming and the end, a completed trail, is not yet in sight. The Greenbelt City Council held a worksession on Monday, April 16, to discuss the seemingly never-ending saga of the trail that is to connect Greenbelt Station to the Greenbelt Metro Station. The residents who spoke at the meeting expressed their anger and frustration that an amenity that was advertised in the new community’s marketing materials not only does not yet exist but that major issues have still not been worked out. There is no estimated completion date (or even an estimated construction start date). It is also unclear whether the project can be completed without additional tax revenues.
Mayor Emmett Jordan assured the audience that the trail will be built, even if it means an increase in property taxes or a different kind of Tax Increment Financing.
Planning Director Terri Hruby updated residents and council on the current status of the project.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and Greenbelt are reviewing the draft connection agreement. Despite their efforts several major issues remain unresolved, such as where power for trail lighting will be drawn from, how much load a bridge on the trail must bear, and more.
Read more of this story in the April 26 News Review.