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Annapolis moves to 30% design for Bay Ridge multi‑use path; West‑East Trail easements near completion
Summary
City planners said the Bay Ridge Avenue multi‑use path project — from the Spa Creek Bridge toward Quiet Waters Park — is entering the 30% design phase after a 2023 feasibility study and a FY24 grant. The project will include intersection improvements and community engagement. Planners also reported progress on the federally funded West‑East Trail
Eric Leshinski, chief of comprehensive planning, told the Transportation Committee that the city is preparing to advance the Bay Ridge Avenue multi‑use path project to 30% design under a state grant awarded in fiscal 2024.
Leslinski described the corridor as a critical north–south route that today offers limited and discontinuous bicycle infrastructure and narrow sidewalks in places. The multi‑use path would run roughly from the Spa Creek Bridge to Quiet Waters Park and include intersection safety work at several major crossings, including Chesapeake Avenue and Sixth Street, Bay Ridge and Tyler Avenue, and the Bay Ridge/Forest Drive/Hillsmere Drive area (a location that will require coordination with Anne Arundel County and state highway authorities).
He said the city received a $224,000 grant with a required 20 percent match ($56,000) to fund the 30 percent design. The city is finalizing an agreement and plans to issue an RFP for a consultant that will conduct survey work, produce 30 percent plans and lead community engagement. Leshinski said the team hopes to select a consultant and kick off the 30 percent design work by summer 2025 and complete that phase in spring 2026, though right‑of‑way negotiations and utility work could affect the timeline.
The feasibility work completed in 2023 identified pinch points — notably between St. Luke’s Church and Tyler Avenue — where additional right‑of‑way or easements may be required. Leshinski said the design team will evaluate options such as modest lane‑width reductions, working with adjacent property owners to expand sidewalk areas near shopping centers, and targeted intersection redesigns to reduce the need for large acquisitions.
Leslinski also updated the committee on the West‑East Trail project (Poplar Trail and two extension segments). He said federal funding of roughly $5.5 million is in place for that work, the NEPA review is complete, and the outstanding task is finalizing easements required for construction; the city expects to finish easement work in the coming weeks and aims for a construction groundbreaking by fall.
What comes next Procurement and consultant selection for the Bay Ridge 30% design will proceed after the grant agreement is finalized; community outreach will be part of the design process. For the West‑East Trail, the city will finalize easements and submit construction procurement documents to state and federal reviewers.
