$1.5M For Savage Mill Trail, Patapsco Regional Greenway Spur

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — More than $1.5 million in state funding has been earmarked for the Savage Mill Trail and the Patapsco Regional Greenway spur connecting Elkridge to the Guinness Brewery in Baltimore County.

“Our parks and our trails are one of our greatest resources as a county and with today’s announcement we’re making significant progress towards expanded green infrastructure and connectivity to communities throughout our region,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said at a news conference. “Especially during the past year, our residents and community have utilized Howard County’s parks and trails more than ever – getting outside to walk, bike and more. We know what an asset our parks and trails are to our community, which is why we’re constantly working to protect and improve these resources for our residents. We’re incredibly grateful to our local and state delegation and advocates who have tirelessly worked to make these projects a reality.”

Savage Trail
The county received a $250,000 grant to support critical repairs to the Savage Mill Trail. The Savage Mill Trail provides 1.16 miles of trail space within Savage Park, traveling along the escarpment above the southern side of the Little Patuxent River, along an old rail line path terminating at a turnaround north of the mill ruins. The funding will support the construction of a variety of repairs within the park, including the replacement of collapsed culverts, steep slope stabilization, rehabilitation of timber stairs accessing the trail and a redesign of the picnic viewing area.

This funding builds on county efforts to expand green infrastructure in the Savage area, after a $1.725 million investment to secure the Savage remainder parcel last year, blocking the development of 4.8 acres of land in Howard County’s Green Infrastructure Network and preserving it as open space. Ball has also included $1.9 million in his proposed capital budget allocated to rehabilitate and expand the existing pathway and trail systems extending from Savage Park through Columbia to Dorsey's Search and throughout the county.

Patapsco Regional Greenway
The state provided a $1.25 million grant to support a spur of the Patapsco Regional Greenway that would connect Elkridge to the Guinness Brewery in Halethorpe (Baltimore County). The trail route starts at the existing underpass close to the Guinness Open Gate Brewery via the existing power line maintenance road. The route brings visitors into Historic Elkridge via a bridge over the Patapsco River. The $1.25 million in state funding for Howard County will provide the local match needed to secure a State Transportation Alternatives Program grant to support the construction of the trail.

The Patapsco Regional Greenway Plan envisions a 40-mile, shared-use trail running through the Patapsco Valley from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to Sykesville in Carroll County. This trail, if and when completed, would pass through or near the communities of Cherry Hill, Baltimore Highlands, Halethorpe, Elkridge, Catonsville, Ellicott City, Oella, Daniels, Woodstock, Marriottsville and Sykesville.