Silver Spring, MD — The Department of Park and Planning in Montgomery County announced today that a portion of Little Falls Trail in Bethesda has been closed due to unsafe conditions of a concrete slab that has been undermined by storm flows in the adjacent stream.
The closed trail section is located between Massachusetts Avenue and Westmoreland Hills Local Park on Elliot Road. Park management is encouraging trail users to use the Capital Crescent Trail as an alternative since it parallels Little Falls Trail in this area.
Andy Frank, an Engineer with the Department, describes this portion of Little Falls Trail as “actually a cantilevered concrete slab, which was built over stone that has since been scoured away by the stream water that rushes by during storm events.” He stated that these storm events through the years have caused the concrete to be undermined, and it appears to have recently shifted slightly. A recent inspection confirmed the need to close access to assure public safety.
Park management installed jacks temporarily to prevent further damage. During the next eight weeks, a system of approximately ten concrete piers with steel support beams will be installed under the trail to permanently provide the needed support. “A future stream restoration project, planned for later this year, will provide even more stabilization to this situation,” said Frank.
Trail maps of both the Capital Crescent Trail and the Little Falls Trail can be found on the Department’s website at http://www.mcparkandplanning.org/parks/ppsd/parktrails/trail_maps.shtm.
(Cut Line to Photo A)
A portion of the Little Falls Trail in Bethesda has been closed due to unsafe conditions.
(Cut line for Photo B)
Park management installed jacks to temporarily stabilize the trail section along Little Falls Stream.
