Four bicycle and pedestrian projects in the District of Columbia have received about $1.2 million in funding through the TPB’s Transportation Alternatives program. The four projects connect trails, make it safer for people biking and walking, improve access to jobs, housing, and other opportunities, and overall make a more pleasant experience for people moving through these areas.
This year, all the Transportation Alternatives program projects were evaluated for how well they support TPB regional policies including two of the seven aspirational initiatives in Visualize 2045—completing the National Capital Trail and making it easier for people to bike and walk to metro. All projects are also evaluated based on how well they connect activity centers, places where people can live, work, and play, and their connections to transit. 
Here are the four projects:
Preliminary design for a new trail in DC’ s Palisades neighborhood will prepare to rehabilitate an old trolley bridge, a historic trestle from the 19th century. The bridge rehabilitation is the first phase of the new Palisades (Glen Echo) Trolley Trail which will connect to other trails, activity centers, and residential neighborhoods. The trail will connect to Glover Archbold Park, Georgetown, and the Capital Crescent Trail. The trail will also provide access to Rosslyn and the Metro station there.
Another trail project in Georgetown will connect two major trails, the Capital Crescent Trail and the C&O Canal Trail. The area where the two trails converge needs improvement. Most notably it does not provide separation from vehicles moving into the area and infrastructure like an old stair case is crumbling and needs to be rebuilt. The location, which will be enhanced with landscaping and lighting, provides a natural meeting spot.
The C & O Canal trail and the Capital Crescent Trail meet in Georgetown.
The Rock Creek Park Military Road Trail Feasibility Study will begin to address a major barrier between the east side of Rock Creek Park and the west side. Military Road is a high-speed roadway that is inhospitable to people walking and biking. Providing safe bike/ped access along this road would help connect communities and provide better access to jobs and housing. 
The final project will restore the front portico at Union Station statues and the famous statues of Roman Legionnaires that keep watch on travelers and people eating lunch. Union Station is a major transportation hub for the region. Travelers moving within and outside of the region move through the station to access Amtrak, intercity buses, commuter rail, and Metro. The area around Union Station is also served by WMATA, Circulator buses, commuter buses, and more. This restoration will provide an aesthetically pleasing experience for transit riders and other travelers.
About the Transportation Alternatives Program
The Transportation Alternatives set aside is a federal program that provides funding to projects that are considered alternatives to traditional highway construction. The TPB, like other large metropolitan planning organizations, receives sub-allocated TA funds and has the responsibility to select projects to receive those funds.
Learn more about the DC projects.
Learn more about the TPB’s Transportation Alternatives Program.