South Shore Trail (Annapolis to Odenton)
The great lurch forward. Construction of Phase I (Waterbury
Road to Hansel Drive) of the South Shore Trail should commence this summer,
with follow-on phases being constructed though Fiscal year 2023 - now all this
is as always subject approval and appropriation of funding - keep your fingers
crossed.
The proposed South Shore Trail, in the works since the
1980’s, will cover the distance of 14 miles from Annapolis to Odenton. The
trail will link the B&A Trail to the WB&A Trail and connect to the
Annapolis Colonial Maritime Trail. The current South Shore Trail is from
Annapolis Plaza to Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis – which opened
in January 2013.
The South Shore Trail primarily utilizes the
abandoned road bed of the WB& A Railroad between Annapolis
and Odenton. The trail will connect with the Colonial Annapolis Maritime
Trail on the east end.
On the Odenton end of the trail, the trail will connect with
the Odenton Road Bike Path and the WB & A Trail, and providing easy access
to Odenton Town Center. Future improvements planned for the Odenton area will
facilitate connectivity with Fort Meade, the National Business Park, and
Arundel Mills Mall.
The South Shore Trail's multi-phase construction will
consist of:
·
Phase I (Waterbury Road to Hansel Drive)
·
Phase II (Sappington Station Road to
Bonheur Drive)
·
Phase III (Bestgate Road to Eisenhower Golf
Course),
·
Phase IV (Eisenhower Golf Course to
Waterbury Road) and
·
Phase V (Bestgate Road to Severn River Bridge).
The South Shore Trail's multi-phase construction timeline
is:
·
Phase I (Waterbury Road to Hansel
Drive): Construction Expected to start Summer 2017
·
Phase II (Sappington Station Road to Bonheur
Drive): Design Underway
·
Phase III (Bestgate Road to Eisenhower Golf
Course): Feasibility Study expected to begin Summer 2017
·
Phase IV (Eisenhower Golf Course to
Waterbury Road): Feasibility Study expected to begin Summer 2017
·
Phase V (Bestgate Road to Severn River Bridge): TBD
·
MD3 Crossing: Feasibility Study expected to
begin Spring/Summer 2017 for MD Route 3 Crossing
Check out the Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks website to see the maps of the
South Shore Trail.
History
of the Right of Way
The WashCycle did a nice piece on the History of the Shore
Shore Trail right away back in December, 2008. “In 1838, after the B&O
connected DC and Baltimore, a line was built off of that line to Annapolis. It
was to connect at Elkridge, MD but instead connected several mile south at a
place that became Annapolis Junction. Nonetheless, the name
Annapolis
and Elk Ridge Railroad was kept. The railroad struggled somewhat, but was
still in service in 1903 when it was purchased by the
Washington,
Baltimore and Annapolis Railroad. It was closed, electrified and in 1908
reopened.”
“The WB&A eventually became a three line system created
out of the A&ER, a new electric line between DC and Baltimore and in 1921,
the
Baltimore
and Annapolis. Portions of the WB&A and the B&A now serve as part
of the Baltimore light rail system, sections of both are used for rail trails (
B&A
and
WB&A) and
parts of the WB&A are now roads in and around DC and north of
Odenton.”
“Under the WB&A the A&ER became the
"South
Shore" line. The Great Depression did the WB&A in. Most of it was
removed in 1935. A short piece continued to serve Fort Meade, but it too was
gone by 1981. Only a small section at the junction still remains.”
For the rest of the story on the history of the right of
way, visit the WashCycle write-up for the rest of the story.
References:
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