Last fall, members of the Shazam! UMBC Ultimate Frisbee Team planted hundreds of daffodils in a hillside garden near Garden Ridge Road.

Thanks to Katie Golden and her team for making spring even better in Paradise!

The results of the hard work of Shazam! UMBC Ultimate Frisbee Team is shown in a beautiful spring garden.

Funding for this project was obtained by a 2012 grant from the Catonsville Women’s Giving Circle.  Also included in this grant is money for a permanent sign at Maiden Choice and Garden Ridge Road which will be installed in May.  Joshua Wood, a Boy Scout working on his Eagle Scout project will be installing a kiosk.

Meetings like this CRTT Annual Meeting in September, give residents a chance to discuss safer bike and pedestrian routes. Be an advocate for Catonsville and attend the April 16th County meeting to decide priorities.

Would you like to see more bike paths in Catonsville?  Would you like safer pedestrian and cycling routes to schools, shopping and recreation in C’ville?

Baltimore County’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee (PBAC) is seeking community input as they begin to move forward on implementing a number projects identified in the recently adopted Eastern and Western Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plans. Members of the public are invited to voice their preferences on which projects to fund first at a Citizen Input Meeting to be held Tuesday, April 16 at 5 p.m., Jefferson Building Hearing Room (Room 104), 105 West Chesapeake Avenue, Towson, MD.  Many communities in Baltimore County will be vying for these resources and we want Catonsville to be heard

The projects in the Eastern and Western Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plans have been prioritized based on a short- medium- and long-range scale. The PBAC would like to take a closer look to identify initial projects that will provide County citizens with the greatest benefit at the lowest cost, using state, federal, and private grants.  While implementation is not guaranteed, identifying these initial projects is an important first step. The big challenge is to come up with projects that would meet these criteria:

• Relatively low in cost. Due to the many capital needs that have to be met throughout the County, the availability of County funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects is limited. Grant funding, however, can be sought to pay for projects such as bike route signage, bike lane striping, and feasibility studies for shared use paths, as well as sidewalks, crosswalks and other small pedestrian improvement projects.
• Link to significant destinations.
• Improvements that provide many residents with safer pedestrian or bicycle access to schools, libraries, parks, shopping centers, employment areas or transit stations are especially desirable.
• Community support. Not all communities are ready to become walkable and bike-friendly. The PBAC wants to target the initial projects to neighborhoods that really want them, and will use them.

The Eastern and Western Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plans are available at www.baltimorecountymd.gov/bikeped as PDF files.

The interactive map showing details of the plan for bicycle facilities can be viewed at http://myneighborhood.baltimorecountymd.gov/?current_theme=Bicycle+Facilities

For more information, please contact Kathy Schlabach, Department of Planning, at kschlabach@baltimorecountymd.gov.

or 410-887-3521.

• Balto City  Depart: 7 a.m., ETA: 7:45 a.m.,  Leader: Ray Bahr, Route: Frederick Rd., Gwynns Falls Trail, Carroll Park, Inner Harbor
• Social Security Administration Depart 7:30 a.m., ETA 8 a.m.  Leader: Jack Lattimore.  For more information contact lattimore.jack@gmail.com
• Towson Depart 6:10 a.m. ETA 7:30 a.m. Leader: Jack MacConnell & Ned Atwater, Route: T.V. Hill, 41 St, bridge, Hampden
• Greenbelt/Beltsville   Depart: 8 a.m., ETA: 10 a.m.,  Leader: Charlie Murphy,  Route: Elkridge, Race Rd.,  Jessup, Brock Bridge Rd., Laurel, Greenbelt, USDA Beltsville
• BWI  Depart: 7:30 a.m., ETA: 8:30 a.m., Leader: Tom Branchy,  Route: Rolling Rd., Main St. Elkridge, Patapsco State Park, MDOT, BWI trail
• Relay Elementary Depart: 6:45 a.m.,  ETA: 7:15 a.m., Leader: Mary Stuthman, Route: Frederick Road, Rolling Rd., Selford Rd.
• Ft. Detrick (Frederick, Md)  Depart: 6 a.m.  ETA: 8 a.m. from Westchester Elem, 2300 Old Frederick Rd.  Leader: Mike Holbrook.  Route Rt.144
• CCBC & UMBC & Back To Catonsville  Leader: Maureen Becker – This is a local ride to the area colleges and then back to Catonsville.  This is a perfect ride for those who work from home or are stay at home parents and want to participate.  Times to be announced.
• Airport Square, West Nursery Road Depart: 6:00 a.m. ETA 6:40 a.m., Leader: Denis Dudley, Route: Rolling Rd. to Gun Rd. (steep hill) through old Elkridge to Furnace to Old Elkridge Landing to Winterson to W. Nursery.

Are you willing to lead a ride to your workplace? We need leaders for these rides.

• UMBC: TBA
• Secuity Blvd. North via Rolling Rd TBA
• SW industrial park area via Patapsco River Valley TBA
• City locations
• Columbia
• Towson University
• E-mail Charlie at chas.murph@gmail.com if you can lead.

Thanks to our wonderful sponsors who are providing food, drink, information and support for this event

• Atwaters
• Sam’s Bagels
• The Breadery
• Friends and Farms
• Dunkin Donuts
• C-ville Bikes.
• Baltimore County
• Bike Maryland

For additional information, contact Charlie Murphy at chas.murph@gmail.com

Remember to Register for a t-shirt

* If you don’t like caravans, you can bike on your own from Catonsville.  We encourage you to sign up on the website

Why Bike To Work Day?

Bike to Work Day is an event celebrated across the United States each May to encourage and celebrate bicycling to work and promote public awareness of bicycling and bicycle safety.

Locally, B2WD promotes a “clean commute” and is part of the region’s Clean Commute Initiative, which begins in April. Late Spring is the start of the ground-level ozone season, when we hear about Code Red and Orange Ozone Action Days. On those days, the air is dangerous to breathe – especially for the young and for the elderly. Emissions from single occupancy vehicles contribute significantly to our region’s dangerous ozone levels. Bike commuting can improve the air we breathe.

Joshua Wood is smiling because over 100 people came to his Eagle Scout fundraiser and he raised over $1,000 for his CRTT trail project.

A kiosk similiar to this one will be installed near Maiden Choise Lane and Garden Ridge Road.

Over 50 years ago, the cast and crew of the popular television show, Route 66, came into the Catonsville and Paradise communities and filmed an episode of  this edgy show dealing with mental illness.  Most of the show was filmed at Spring Grove  but there are also shots of the #8 streetcars, the Short Line Railroad, the Paradise Business District and some great shots of the harbor prior to Harborplace.

On Sunday, March 3, 2013,  local boy scout, Joshua Wood  held a movie matinee fundraiser of this episode of Rt. 66 and a 17 minute documentary about the history of the Catonsville Short Line Railroad trail produced by Charlestown residents.  The matinee was held at the Catonsville United Methodist Church located at 7 Melvin Avenue.   Joshua, a member of Troop 307, raised over $1,000  for his Eagle Scout project which consist of an informational kiosk along the Short Line trail at Maiden Choice Lane.  Joshua will install a kiosk which will feature a dog-walker’s bag stand and an informational brochure holder.  The kiosk will have a locked enclosed area to post notices, maps and other pertinent information.

Joshua would like to thank the community for enthusiastically supporting his project.

If you would like to donateto Joshua’s project on-line, click here or send your donation to Joshua Wood, c/o Catonsville Rails To Trails, 1 Bristol Hill Ct., B4, Catonsville, MD  21228.  Make checks payable to Catonsville Rails To Trails.  All donations are tax deductible.

A 1962 view of the Catonsville Short Line Trail looking west to Shady Nook Ave.

The Route 66 Corvette is shown here at the corner of Paradise and Prospect Avenues in Paradise.

The Catonsville Times did a great article on the trail’s construction and also did a fabulous video on the making of the trail. 

OFFICERS

Thomas Ajluni – CRTT President –  Director of Engineering – Hawk Institute for Space Sciences

David Horsch – CRTT Vice President – Fellow Engineer – Northrup Grumman

Lindsay Thompson – CRTT Treasurer – V.P., Engineering & Project Management – Colliers International

Thomas C. Bagg, III – CRTT Secretary – Systems Engineer/Technology Transfer – ASRC Research and Technology Solutions

BOARD MEMBERS

Michael Abrams  Senior Research Analyst – The Hilltop Institute

Ray Bahr  Natural Resource Planner –  Maryland Dept. of the Environment

George Brookhart  Realtor – Maryland Residential Realty

Steve Byron  On-Line Help Developer – American Systems Corporation

Robin Farabaugh  Senior Lecturer and Associate Member of the Graduate Faculty – UMBC

Charles Murphy  Biologist, Electron Microscopy Unit – Agriculture Research Services, USDA

Joe Shryock   Contractor – Tanglewood LLC

Sheldon Smith  Senior Commercial Counsel – Motorola Law Department

Steven Sprecher -  Development Director – Volunteers of America  (Past CRTT President)

Maureen Sweeney Smith – Executive Director – Catonsville Community Foundation

The Short Line Railroad – A three car train crosses Beechfield Ave.near the community of Kensington. The billboard above advertises the new Arbutus community of Huntsmoor.

Catonsville Rails To Trails was happy to welcome journalist, Jacques Kelly to the Short Line trail on September 25, 2012.  Jacques and wrote an amazing article about the Short Line Trail.  Thanks!

CRTT needs volunteers for clean up days from November to April.  We are unable to work in the woods during the summer due to poison ivy, dense forest conditions and temperature.  We will begin working on the trails on November 2, 2013 after the vegetation dies back

Sponsors, such as Retirement and Investment Group – Tom Quirk, helped our efforts by paying for dumpsters and chippers.

Several groups from UMBC volunteered on April 27, 2013. Also pictured are community volunteers.

Location – The #9 Trolley Line is located at the end of Edmondson Avenue near Chalfonte Drive in Catonsville, MD 21228.

Parking – On-street parking is available on Chalfonte Drive, Stonewall Road and Edmondson Avenue at the top of the trail.  Parking is also available in Ellicott City.

Trail Conditions – The #9 Trolley Trail is a paved, 1.5 mile trail connecting Frederick Road and Edmondson Avenue. The trail has a steep grade.

Trail Connections

• Edmondson Avenue (east) – There is an on-road bike lane (1.4 miles) along Edmondson Avenue connecting the #9 to the #8 Streetcar Path (a 0.4 mile trail near the Catonsville Junction Business district).  Wide bike lanes are marked with signage and ground stencils along Edmondson Ave. to Rolling Road, where bike lanes end.  Use caution in Catonsville Junction Business area from Rolling Road to the #8 Streetcar Path at Dutton Ave.  Past Dutton Ave., unmarked lanes will take you to the Baltimore County/City line (2 miles) along this wide avenue to connect to the Gwynns Falls Trail.  Be carefully around the Beltway interchange.  Update:  Baltimore County will be adding a bike lane to Edmondson Ave. from the #8 Streetcar Path to the city line in Fall 2012.
• Frederick Road (east) – Travel .5 miles to get to River Road and the Grist Mill trail .  Travel 3.3 miles up a steep grade hill to the Village of Catonsville and visit  dozens of restaurants and shops. The business district does not have bike lanes so use caution when traveling through this congested area.  Lots of bike racks shaped like musical notes.
• Frederick Road (west) –The historic town of Ellicott City is to your west about .2 miles across a bridge. .

Trail History –  The #9  trolley line arrived in Ellicott City 1899 and served the community for the next 55 years. This route was known for its scenic woodland views as the line dropped into the Patapsco River Valley.  In 1991, Aaron Tomarchio of Boy Scout Troop 456, organized the effort to clear and pave the #9 Trolley Line for a bike/hike trail as part of his very successful Eagle Scout project.

Highlights Of The Trail –

• Boardwalk – The trail features a boardwalk that curves between the canyons of granite was hand-cut in the 1890s when the electric streetcar rails were built from Ellicott City to Catonsville, and today, these 100-foot walls are a striking gateway to the trail from historic Ellicott City just across the Patapsco River from Oella.
• Stream feeding into the Patapsco River provides a peaceful soundtrack to your journey.

What Is Nearby?

• Near the 1-mile mark, a short detour off the trail will take you to Banneker Historical Park & Museum, which has nature trails, archaeological sites, and living history areas re-creating the colonial farm and life of Benjamin Banneker, an African-American astronomer and farmer.
  The Baltimore & Ohio Train Museum highlights the rich history of the nation’s first railroad.

Also along Oella Ave is a bakery, The Breadery, and Trueth’s  Meats, a butcher shop with freshly cut meats.  The Trolley Stop Restaurant and the Old Mill Bakery Café are located at the Ellicott City end of the trail.

#8 Streetcar Path

Location – The #8 Streetcar Path is located between the 1600 block of Frederick Road and Edmondson Avenue in Catonsville, MD 21228.

Parking – At the intersection of Edmondson and Dutton Avenues (behind 7-Eleven) is a large concrete area where parking is available.  Several small public parking areas and on street parking spaces are located throughout the Catonsville Junction business district.

Trail Conditions – The #8 Streetcar Path is a paved, 0.4 mile trail connecting Frederick Road and Edmondson Avenue. There is a small incline on the Edmondson Avenue side of trail.

Trail Connections

• Edmondson Avenue (west) – There is an on-road bike lane (1.4 miles) along Edmondson Avenue connecting the #8 to the #9 Trolley Trail (a 1.5 mile trail to Ellicott City).  Lanes are marked with signage and ground stencils.  Some biking lanes around the Junction business area are narrow but beyond Rolling Road, wide bike lanes take you to the #9 Trail.
• Edmondson Avenue (east) – Unmarked bike lane will take you to the Baltimore County/City line (2 miles) along this wide avenue.  Be carefully around the Beltway interchange.  Bike lanes are planned for the fall of 2012 to connect the trail to the Gwynns Falls trail along Edmondson Ave.
• Frederick Road (east) – Travel 0.8 miles to the Village of Catonsville with dozens of restaurants and shops. The business district does not have bike lanes so use caution when traveling through this congested area.  Lots of bike racks.   Future plans call for connecting the Short Line Trail (in east Catonsville) to the #8 via on-road bike lanes.
• Frederick Road (south) – Across from the #8 entrance is an on-road bike trail (2 miles) with signage along Montrose Ave. across Idlewilde Ave. to Hilton Ave and the Patapsco State Park (Hilton area).  The park has a large recycled tire playground for kids.
• Frederick Road (west) – Wide shoulders on the well-traveled Frederick Road will take you to Ellicott City (2.7 miles) down a very steep grade.   This route will take you to River Road and the Grist Mill trail

Trail History – In 1899, this .04 mile spur line was built to connect the new # 8 electric streetcar line that ran along Frederick Road to the Edmondson Avenue streetcars (#14 and #9) that ran from Baltimore to Ellicott City.  A large circular concrete area at the Edmondson Ave. entrance marks the area where the streetcars turned around to head back up the track to Frederick Road.   A small business community, the Catonsville Junction, developed at this intersection, and was a key trolley transfer point for the #8, #9 and #14 lines.  The last streetcar in Baltimore ran on this rail in the early morning hours of November 3, 1963.

Highlights Of The Trail – The path is full of history which is well documented along the trail.

• Streetcar Mural – In 1997, a 14 year old Eagle Scout, Clark LeCompte, created a mural of a 18’ high streetcar at the Catonsville Junction business area, circa 1940.  In 2011, Kaleidoscope! Arts Camp restored the mural.
• 1939 Stone Waiting Shelter – Three streetcar lines (#14, #9 and #8) met at the intersection of Edmondson Avenue and Dutton Ave. and the Baltimore Transit Company built a cobblestone waiting station for customers in 1939.  MTA restored the shelter in 2011.
• Wayside Exhibits – Three interpretive signs/exhibits along the trail offer glimpses into the history of the trail.

What Is Nearby? 

• Opie’s Snowball stand is open from April to October and offers some of the best ice cream and snowballs in Catonsville.  Opie’s is an active supporter the #8 trail and is located at the Edmondson Ave. entrance.
• The 7-Eleven-Catonsville Junction, also on Edmondson Avenue, is a huge supporter of the trail and offers a full range of convenience foods.
• Matthew’s 1600 Restaurant is located next to the Frederick Road entrance.  This restaurant was originally the Terminus Hotel and was built in 1862 to provide travelers with food and rest.  Today, Matthew’s is a beautifully restored restaurant offering a full lunch and dinner menu, as well as an expansive bar area.
• Large mansions – The Oak Forest and Old Catonsville Neighborhoods showcase some of the beautiful “summer homes” built by wealthy Baltimore residents in the late 1800s