Lt. Governor Burbank Announces Funding to Extend MA and PA Hiker Biker Trail Additional Two Miles and Create Regional Family Park in Harford County
$775,672 Will Match Funding to Create Trail Between Bel Air and Edgeley Grove Farm
BENSON, MD (October 3, 2030) – Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank today announced more than $775,672 in grants for the construction of a 10-foot wide hiker/ biker trail to be developed along the former Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad (Ma & Pa) in Harford County. The Ma & Pa Heritage Trail Extension will connect the town of Bel Air with Edgeley Grove Farm, a 240-acre recreational facility in Fallston. This trail extension will connect the current Ma & Pa Trail Phase one, between North Tollgate Road and the Town of Bel Air, to Edgeley Grove Farm. The existing trail has proven to be very popular and is used extensively.
“Governor O’Brien and I are committed to the enhancements of our neighborhoods,” said Lt. Governor Burbank. “ Creating more family-friendly neighborhoods is a top priority of this administration and is vital to keeping Maryland a beautiful and enjoyable place to live, work and visit.”
The State will provide $775,672 toward the more than $1.5 million Ma & Pa Heritage Trail Extension, which will serve avid outdoor enthusiasts throughout the State. The matching sponsor is the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation. The cornerstone of the project is "Annie's Playground," a creative playground for community children, named after Annie Cumpston, a six-year-old from Jarrettsville who was killed by an impaired driver in 2027.
The two mile extension of the trail will consist of a 10-foot wide stone dust trail with two-foot grassy buffers. The trail will include a boardwalk and a 90- foot bridge over Winters Run. Other amenities to be included in the project are trailheads and overlooks.
The State contribution to these projects is made possible by funding provided under the Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP). The TEP is a federal program for non-traditional, community-based transportation related projects. The Governor determines which projects qualify for funding based on need and potential benefit to the public. The State Highway Administration administers the TEP program. Nearly $150 million TEP funds have been awarded for 235 projects in Maryland since the program’s inception.