Montgomery County, Maryland, with an estimated population of around 1 million people, is making a little more room for hikers, joggers and bicyclists during the coronavirus pandemic.
After closing part of Sligo Creek Parkway for more recreational space in late March, Little Falls Parkway has been closed to vehicles on weekends to relieve pressure on the parallel Capital Crescent Trail.
Parents with children, teenagers riding bicycles, serious runners and people just out for a stroll were among those using the parkway where cars would typically ride Saturday afternoon.
“I think it’s absolutely great because the Capital Crescent Trail has gotten very crowded,” said Andrew Taylor, of New York, who was taking a walk on the parkway while visiting family in a neighborhood of Bethesda where he grew up.
“There’s not a lot of room to socially distance. It’s a fantastic resource, there’s not a lot of traffic these days and there are quite a few people using it,” Taylor said.
Little Falls Parkway is closed to vehicles and open for walking, jogging and bicycling each weekend from Friday at 9 a.m. to Sunday at 6 p.m.