Three Notch Trail

[cheezgrits]

Construction is moving along, will be a nice trail for biking and walking/running. Need to write the commishes about stopping the Amish from ruining it with buggy wheel and horse poop. I did a small recon on the recently paved part and horse crap all over the place.

 

[b23hqb]

I see no allowance or disqualifiance for horses and buggies. Your county needs to address that issue ASAP.

http://www.co.saint-marys.md.us/recreate/Threenotchtrail.asp

 

[StadEMS3]

They are allowed on the Charlotte Hall section and I read in the paper at the start of this new section that they will be allowed on it too. (still looking for the reference)

http://www.somdnews.com/article/20150506/NEWS/150509651/1044&source=RSS&template=gazette

"Former Commissioner Larry Jarboe (R) said in November he wanted to make sure that horse-and-buggy traffic could use the new section of trail so it wouldn’t have to mix with high-speed traffic on Route 5. The buggies use the other parts of the trail already.

“It’s saved lives over the last few years,” he said. “A little horse manure [along the trail] is a lot better than seeing a dead horse and driver and children on the road.”

 

[SandieGarry]

If I remember correctly, (and I may be wrong), when the first section opened, it's main intention was for the Amish to use the trail to get their tobacco to the auction warehouse in Hughesville without having to get on rt 5. This was done to provide a safer route for the Amish and to alleviate traffic along rt 5 in the morning rush hour. Like I said, I may be wrong.

As far as a little horse poop on the trail, get over it. If I remember correctly, horses are allowed on all of the trail, and have been since the beginning. Are you going to ban all horse traffic on the entire trail ? I doubt it. How about pets in general ? What next, no dogs ? Geesh, get over it. People are getting to soft these days, it's Mother Nature for gosh sakes.

 

[Tommy]

I'm not worried about the poop but the wear and tear they do to a surface is terrible. It'll definitely shorten the life of the asphalt. I ride a bicycle down rt 5 and noticed the shoulder on the section between Morganza and Leonardtown were rougher and cracked up more than the rest of my ride. It dawned on my later all of the horses and buggy's that use that stretch. I don't think that the trail was asphalted to the same specifications that are used for a major road (thickness and underlayment) so I can only imagine it will tear up fast.

 

[Blister]

I see no allowance or disqualifiance for horses and buggies. Your county needs to address that issue ASAP.

http://www.co.saint-marys.md.us/recreate/Threenotchtrail.asp

Personally I favor letting the Amish use the trail, and have written the commissioners to express this. Buggies constantly use the shoulders on 236 and Mech. Rd. with no extreme wear and tear noticed. If the trail needs repaving 1 or 2 years earlier than without buggy traffic, it is worth it compared to another family being wiped out on Rt.5 like what happened several years ago in Mechanicsville.