Sidewalk Connection Ribbon Cutting: Event Summary – College Park City-University Partnership

In April 2018, the College Park City-University Partnership, the City of College Park, the Town of Riverdale Park, Prince George’s County, Riverdale Park Station, and the State of Maryland, celebrated a new sidewalk/bike path connection between Albion Road in College Park and Riverdale Park Station in Riverdale Park – 25 people attended the event. The Riverdale Park Station Whole Foods and Starbucks provided coffee and pastries for the event.

This new multi-use path serves to connect College Park’s downtown, the University, and neighborhoods with the new Riverdale Park Station – a mixed-use commercial, housing, and office development. This path is important for increasing the local bike/ped environment, for economic development, and for improving safety.

In a nod to the area’s history, the path winds between the original pillars marking the entrance to the former MacAlpine House, built by Charles Baltimore Calvert in 1863. It served as the family home for many years, and later became the Longfellow School for Boys.

This was a true collaborative effort between the City-University Partnership, the City of College Park, Prince George’s County (including CM Glaros and Executive Baker’s office), WMATA, Riverdale Park Station, and the State – particularly the 21st and 22nd District Delegations (Senators Rosapepe and Pinsky, and Delegates Barnes, Frush, Peña-Melnyk, Gaines, Healy, and Washington).

The Partnership was awarded a $350,000 state bond bill to increase pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure between College Park and Riverdale Park Station. The City of College Park managed the construction, and Riverdale Park Station provided engineering and other investment. Work began in early December on this pervious, ADA-compliant sidewalk and lighting across WMATA land along Baltimore Avenue. Previously, this area was impassable by foot or by bicycle. Now completed, this sidewalk connection will allow pedestrians and bicyclists to safely travel between College Park and Riverdale Park Station.