C&O Canal getting a new surface
C&O Canal getting a new surface
- By Dave McMillion davem@herald-mail.com
- 20 hrs ago
Bicyclists ride along the newly resurfaced C&O Canal across from Shepherdstown, W.Va., on Sunday.
Crews have been working to resurface parts of the C&O Canal and officials hope another 14 miles can get the new treatment by the end of this year.
Parts of the canal’s towpath are in need of resurfacing because of rocks, roots and ruts on it that can be dangerous for hikers and bicyclists, according to the C&O Canal Trust.
The trust is a nonprofit partner of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park that works with the park to protect, restore and promote the towpath.
Workers have been grading the towpath to improve water runoff, then applying “crushed stone dust” on it, according to a news release from the C&O Canal Trust.
Stone dust does not retain water and hardens over time, making it less likely to erode, according to the release.
Crews are also removing a grassy median that has developed on parts of the towpath that can lead to puddling of water.
Officials said 42 miles of the towpath between Shepherdstown, W.Va., and Edward’s Ferry near Leesburg, Va., have been resurfaced. Trust officials said they hope another 14 miles of the towpath between Edward’s Ferry and Swain’s Lock near Rockville, Md., can be resurfaced by the end of this year.
“Nearly 5 million visitors recreate along the C&O Canal each year and nearly all of them use the towpath for a variety of activities,” C&O Canal Superintendent Tina Cappetta said in the release. “We want to ensure that our visitors have a safe, durable towpath for years to come.”
The release said funding for the resurfacing has been made possible from private donations to the C&O Canal Trust, along with funds from the National Park Service and the state.
The towpath extends 184.5 miles from Washington, D.C., to Cumberland, Md. Running along the Potomac River, the trail is an integral part of the Tri-State area’s tourism and recreational industry as it passes by towns such as Williamsport, Hancock and Sharpsburg in Washington County, and Harpers Ferry and Shepherdstown in West Virginia.
