Project Links
2026 - Rehabilitation of 3.7 Miles of the Capital Crescent Trail (CCT)
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park » 2026 - Rehabilitation of 3.7 Miles of the Capital Crescent Trail (CCT)
The National Park Service (NPS) plans to rehabilitate 3.7 miles of the Capital Crecent Trail (CCT) located between the Maryland/DC line and the Water Street, DC, trailhead at the Potomac/Alexandria Aqueduct. The CCT is a shared-use trail that runs from Georgetown, DC, to Bethesda, MD. The NPS oversees the lower 3.7 miles extending from Georgetown to the MD/DC border. Generally, the project consists of resurfacing the 10-foot wide asphalt pavement surface and reestablishing the 2-foot wide stone dust shoulders throughout the project area.
The project will also include signage upgrades, trail striping, slope stabilization, replacement of deteriorated retaining wall and railings, and repairs to the Arizona Avenue Bridge. Select trees will also be removed from along the trail corridor to prevent further root disruption to the path and critical associated infrastructure. The design of the entire 3.7-mile section is currently in progress, and the construction of the project is anticipated to begin in phases starting in 2027.
The alignment of the trail is situated within the bed of the former Georgetown Branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, which operated from 1910 until 1985. The NPS acquired the right-of-way to the lower 3.7 miles in the 1990s and subsequently constructed the paved, shared-use trail as it currently exists in 1994. The existing condition of the CCT is exhibiting signs of deterioration due to vegetative root infiltration into the pavement wearing course, deteriorated timber retaining walls and railings, eroded slopes, worn out striping, and broken/missing signage.
According to trail counter data, the CCT is one of the most heavily trafficked rail trails in the United States. This project to rehabilitate the trail and its associated features is critical for providing sustainable infrastructure for current and future users.
During construction, sections of the CCT will be closed as the work is performed in phases. Trail users will be directed to the C&O Canal Towpath during construction on the CCT. The section of Towpath to be used for detours will be repaired prior to this detour use. During the final phase of construction, an established detour will convey visitors through low-volume residential streets. Additional, temporary closures of the Arizona Avenue Bridge and Norton Street and Manning Place connector trails may be necessary during construction phases.
Updates regarding the project and the status and location of detours will be regularly provided at https://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/rehabilitation-of-the-capital-crescent-trail-cct.htm.
The project will also include signage upgrades, trail striping, slope stabilization, replacement of deteriorated retaining wall and railings, and repairs to the Arizona Avenue Bridge. Select trees will also be removed from along the trail corridor to prevent further root disruption to the path and critical associated infrastructure. The design of the entire 3.7-mile section is currently in progress, and the construction of the project is anticipated to begin in phases starting in 2027.
The alignment of the trail is situated within the bed of the former Georgetown Branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, which operated from 1910 until 1985. The NPS acquired the right-of-way to the lower 3.7 miles in the 1990s and subsequently constructed the paved, shared-use trail as it currently exists in 1994. The existing condition of the CCT is exhibiting signs of deterioration due to vegetative root infiltration into the pavement wearing course, deteriorated timber retaining walls and railings, eroded slopes, worn out striping, and broken/missing signage.
According to trail counter data, the CCT is one of the most heavily trafficked rail trails in the United States. This project to rehabilitate the trail and its associated features is critical for providing sustainable infrastructure for current and future users.
During construction, sections of the CCT will be closed as the work is performed in phases. Trail users will be directed to the C&O Canal Towpath during construction on the CCT. The section of Towpath to be used for detours will be repaired prior to this detour use. During the final phase of construction, an established detour will convey visitors through low-volume residential streets. Additional, temporary closures of the Arizona Avenue Bridge and Norton Street and Manning Place connector trails may be necessary during construction phases.
Updates regarding the project and the status and location of detours will be regularly provided at https://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/rehabilitation-of-the-capital-crescent-trail-cct.htm.