M-83 Walk: Option #2
Walk Through The Woods
on Proposed M-83 Highway
What To Expect
Round Trip: 2 miles
Where To Park
Park at South Valley Park near the ball field, next to Watkins Mill Elementary School. If parking overflows, use non-designated spots in school lot or allowable spots on Watkins Mill Road, or at Montgomery Village shopping center.
Directions and Observations along M-83 Walk
South Valley Park and Watkins Mill Elementary School (#8, #9 & #10 on Map)
Entering the M-83 Route (#12 on Map)
The 1997 Bridge (#12 on Map)
Blohm Park (#10 & #13 on Map)
Enter the Woods (#10 on Map)
Soon After in the Woods (#8 & #7 on Map)
Later in the Woods (#4, #5, #7 & #8 on Map)
The Sediment Pond (##4, #5 & #6 on Map)
Onward to Breckenridge Condos (#3 on Map)
The Condos on Both Sides (#1, #2 & #3 on Map)
Return to South Valley Park
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!
Walk Through The Woods
on Proposed M-83 Highway
What To Expect
Round Trip: 2 miles
- Expect 0.6 miles through wooded areas, may encounter uneven ground and vines
- Wear hiking boots / shoes, long pants
- Repellent to protect against insects
- Recommend: walking stick, water bottle
Where To Park
Park at South Valley Park near the ball field, next to Watkins Mill Elementary School. If parking overflows, use non-designated spots in school lot or allowable spots on Watkins Mill Road, or at Montgomery Village shopping center.
Directions and Observations along M-83 Walk
South Valley Park and Watkins Mill Elementary School (#8, #9 & #10 on Map)
- Next to the parking area is the South Valley Park public ball field area, where many youth leagues play.
- Walk back towards Watkins Mill Elementary School and notice its playing field.
- Children playing there are within 50 feet of M-83.
- The access control fence and retaining wall will be near the edge of the woods.
- Consider the change for the children and their air quality and exposure to noise.
Entering the M-83 Route (#12 on Map)
- Walk around the school to the sidewalk next to Watkins Mill Road.
- Turn left and walk along the sidewalk to the bridge.
- Stop for a moment on the broad concrete bridge with its date "1997" and observe the water quality in Whetstone Run (A "run" is a small stream).
The 1997 Bridge (#12 on Map)
- On Watkins Mill Road, a broad concrete bridge crosses Whetstone Run, the Run that is in the woods at the back of the school playing field.
- Sometime between 1992 and 1994, the Montgomery County Council was presented with two alternative designs for this bridge. The more expensive design could be used with M-83 if that were ever built. The less expensive design was chosen, however, because the Council, at that time, was determined NOT to build M-83.
- MCDOT’s 2013 Draft Environmental Effects Report says simply that the county lacked enough money then to build M-83, but that is deceptive. If the Council expected to build M-83 in the future, they would have opted for the more expensive bridge, and saved money in the long run.
Blohm Park (#10 & #13 on Map)
- Walk past the bridge and almost immediately you are walking on the future northbound lane of M-83.
- M-83 would cross Watkins Mill Road between this point and the large masonry retaining wall across the road on the left.
- Look across the road to Blohm Park.
- The park preserves the wetland qualities of the area. Its trees cool the run. Its grasses prevent runoff.
- M-83 would replace most of this with a spanning bridge over 200 feet in length with mudflats beneath.
Enter the Woods (#10 on Map)
- Now carefully step down the grassy side of the hill near the wall and walk about half way back towards Whetstone Run.
- Look for an easy narrow path going into the woods.
- You are now on the northbound lanes of M-83.
- Enter the woods and weave your way away from Watkins Mill Road, noting your distance from the hill on your right. That hill will have to be cut into and reinforced with retaining walls for M-83.
- Note how close on the right the Windbrooke Condos will be, and what loss they will feel from the quiet view of lovely woods there now.
Soon After in the Woods (#8 & #7 on Map)
- There will be occasional openings in the woods to view the school and public playgrounds. See how naturally Whetstone Run meanders.
- Some of the plans for proposed M-83 will re-channel Whetstone Run, probably increasing rate of flow and definitely increasing solar heating of the water.
Later in the Woods (#4, #5, #7 & #8 on Map)
- See Whetstone Run depart from proposed M-83 and connect to Whetstone Lake.
- Here a smaller run, Walkers Run, will continue in the route of M-83.
- Look out through the woods across the Run. Heron's Cove, Walker's Choice have lovely views now.
- Imagine M-83 where you stand.
- Find a route more uphill in order to pass a large sediment-catching pond on its uphill side.
The Sediment Pond (##4, #5 & #6 on Map)
- This pond was recently rebuilt. The previous pond was built to contain storm runoff from Woodland Hills up above. Then it was left in a primitive state for probably 30 years.
- M-83 will pass uphill from this pond, going very near many homes.
- The pond itself would have to be rebuilt if the highway was built.
- Finally, note the steep slope downward from west to east.
- M-83 will require large retaining walls throughout most of this route.
Onward to Breckenridge Condos (#3 on Map)
- Walk into the pine woods and continue south, very gradually working your way downhill.
- After a bit Breckenridge Condos can be seen ahead.
- Aim towards the parking lot to the left of the condos. When reaching the run that contains the headwaters of this branch of Whetstone Run, a sewer access cover can be seen, and a dumpster enclosure on the far side.
- Go about ten feet to the left and down the bank, and rock-hop diagonally left across the run. Watch out for poison ivy here.
- Ascend on a narrow path to the trash enclosure.
The Condos on Both Sides (#1, #2 & #3 on Map)
- Walk on grassy stretches next to parking lots.
- The condos on the right will be first, Breckenridge, and then Christopher Court.
- On the left, barely visible when the trees are fully leafed, are the condos of Normandie I and II.
- They will have this quiet and leafy view replaced with asphalt, noise, and vehicles. A huge retaining wall will be needed on the left side of the route, and a shorter one on the near side. Some calculations suggest that Christopher Court will lose many needed parking spaces to make a turn lane at Montgomery Village Ave.
- Here M-83 would connect to the existing Mid-County Highway.
Return to South Valley Park
- Walk easily back to your car.
- Backtrack down the parking lot away from Montgomery Village Ave.
- About 20 yards before the north end of the parking lot, a path goes off to the right.
- Follow this path and keep the woods on your left around a tennis court and past a pool.
- Now you can easily return through South Valley Park to the ball field where you car is parked. A convenient bridge will cross Whetstone Run.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!