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By Megan Odett Before I had a kid, I used to be a cyclist of the "strong and fearless" variety . No road was too busy and no bike lane too narrow to stop me from getting to my destination by the most direct route. After I had my son Alex, though, it was as if I had become a newbie all over again. Suddenly I was hyperaware of every vehicle, every pothole, every pedestrian and every hazard on the road. I began to prioritize traffic calmness much more in choosing my routes. Around the same time, I discovered...

Last Thursday, April 21, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) joined Casey Trees out on the Met Branch Trail in Washington, D.C., for a tree planting. RTC and Casey Trees staff were joined by a great crowd of friends, supporters and volunteers to plant golden rain trees and sweet gum along a particularly exposed section of the trail just north of the New York Avenue Metro Station, as well as a strand of fruit trees in one location adjacent to the Rhode Island Avenue Metro Station. "The idea is that...

Rail lines and six-lane commuter arteries slice across the Edgewood and Eckington neighborhoods of Washington, D.C. Just to the south, across a dangerous intersection , sits the NoMa business district . This formerly industrial area has received $1.5 billion of investment, including a new Metro station, offices, retail and a supermarket. At the southern edge of NoMa is Union Station. Michael Henderson has lived in Edgewood for nine years. To travel the two miles between his home and Union Station...

by Marshall Pearson Up to four times each week, second-grade teacher Drew Snodgrass can be seen pedaling his vintage red Schwinn road bike along the Metropolitan Branch Trail, enjoying the early morning solitude before the forthcoming deluge of classroom activity. Joggers training for a marathon and other commuters punctuate the landscape, and Snodgrass has even witnessed the talents of muralists as they covered an adjacent wall with silhouettes of cyclists. He says the subdued activity on the trail...

On June 5, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy celebrated National Trails Day by hosting an event with Kaiser Permanente on the Metropolitan Branch Trail. The event, called Meet the Met: Party on the Met Branch Trail , introduced surrounding communities to a new pathway that had opened only one month before . While some area residents had been involved with the long history of getting the trail built, many in the surrounding neighborhoods didn't know that the trail existed. By working with our partners to...

This morning, District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty and DDOT Director Gabe Klein joined neighborhood residents, area cyclists and long-time trail advocates for the ribbon cutting of a key missing link in the Metropolitan Branch Trail . A photo set from RTC features images of today's event . Residents of Edgewood, Eckington, Brookland and much of Northeast D.C. now have a seamless route to Union Station and downtown that bypasses busy arteries including Rhode Island, New York and Florida avenues...

Yesterday morning, RTC staff, volunteers and members joined with Casey Trees and NoMa Business Improvement District (BID) to plant trees on streets leading to the Metropolitan Branch Trail in Washington, D.C.'s Eckington neighborhood. The morning kicked off with an introduction to the day's tasks and a few words from D.C. Council member Harry Thomas, Jr. Yesterday's planting was unique in that it featured plantings along the street, in residential backyards and on commercial property--a full-court...

It’s that time of year again. With holiday indulgences behind us and the promise of a new year ahead, one of the most popular resolutions for Americans is to start – and stick to – a regular exercise routine. Here are some ideas for using your local rail-trail to help keep your exercise resolution: Rail-Trail Exercise Club – Join a running or walking club, like the So Yo Trail Blazers , which meets on Saturday mornings at the Heritage Rail Trail County Park in Pennsylvania...