Rockville City’s Twinbrook pedestrian and bicycle bridge project just got a $568,000 boost from the federal government, according to U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, all Democrats.
The money will be used to design a pedestrian and bicycle crossing that will go over Metro tracks and connect the Twinbrook community to the commercial and retail businesses along Rockville Pike. It also is expected to connect residents along Rockville Pike to outdoor recreation areas and the community center in Twinbrook.
The money comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and provided through the Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Grant Program, which is part of the Inflation Reduction Act.
“Our infrastructure projects should strengthen communities rather than divide them – that’s why we fought to create the Reconnecting Communities program,” Van Hollen said in a news release. “For residents of Twinbrook, railroad tracks have split the community for too long.”
“Safer transportation connections for bicyclists and pedestrians are critical for advancing opportunity, equity and quality of daily life in many communities across Maryland,” noted Cardin.
Rockville Mayor Monique Ashton thanked the legislators, noting, “Planning for a Twinbrook pedestrian and bicycle bridge is a first step in addressing historical barriers and disparities.”
She added, “The vision for the Twinbrook bridge goes beyond the structural plan. It has the opportunity to help reconnect our communities to services and economic opportunity, as well as improve pedestrian and bike safety.”
According to the legislators, economic disparities in the “historically disadvantaged Twinbrook” partially are due to WMATA’s tracks that separate the community. Construction of the Twinbrook Metro station in 1984 eliminated an at-grade crossing of the tracks, separating the community from the commercial corridor.
🎉 Rockville has been awarded $568,000 through the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program for feasibility planning and design for a proposed bridge to connect Twinbrook with Rockville Pike. Learn more at https://t.co/MWrSQbzlWy pic.twitter.com/bPBYK8yEgj
— City of Rockville (@Rockville411) March 21, 2024
