Ma & Pa Trail Segment 2 Completed

BEL AIR, MD — As work continues to connect the Ma & Pa Trail between Fallston and Forest Hill, leaders celebrated the opening of a new section of the pathway in Bel Air over the weekend.

Segment two of the Ma & Pa Trail runs from the trail crossing on Main Street to North Avenue.

Since 2001, pedestrians and cyclists have been able to use the Ma & Pa Heritage Trail, named for the nearby Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad. The trail has consisted of two separate segments — a 3.3-mile piece in Bel Air and a 1.7-mile leg in Forest Hill.

In 2016, Harford County purchased land to help connect the trail from Fallston to Forest Hill. Officials said the connection would occur in three segments. The first segment entailed creating a crosswalk in front of Independent Brewing Company on Main Street, officials said.

This month crews completed segment two, north from Williams Street to North Avenue in Bel Air, according to the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation. Workers paved the parking lot at North Avenue and added signage along the trail. A boardwalk over wetlands was part of the project too, along with striping, grading, landscaping and fencing.

On Saturday, leaders joined for a ribbon cutting at the Williams Street trailhead to open the second segment of the trail, from Main Street to Ma & Pa Road to Moores Mill Road to Irwins Choice. To celebrate the opening, participants walked the 2.4-mile loop from Williams Street to North Avenue and back.

The third segment of the trail will run from North Avenue to Blake's Venture Park. It will be complete in fall 2023, according to Harford County officials.

When finished, the Ma & Pa Trail will be about 7.5 miles long, running from Annie's Playground in Fallston, traveling through the heart of Bel Air, and ending on Jarrettsville Road in Forest Hill.

See Also: Ma & Pa Trail to Connect Bel Air, Fallston and Forest Hill