The Capital Crescent Trail is projected to reopen between Bethesda and Silver Spring in spring 2026—a year earlier than expected, according to a recent report from the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT).
The 11-mile trail, which runs from Georgetown in Washington, D.C., to Silver Spring, has been partially closed since 2017 as part of MDOT’s Purple Line light-rail construction project.
Under construction and expected to begin operating in 2027, the Purple Line will run about 16 miles from Bethesda to New Carrollton, with 21 stations in communities along its route.
MDOT updated its timeline for the Capital Crescent Trail reopening this month in a report to the state legislature. The spring 2026 estimate listed in the department’s latest Bimonthly Purple Line Construction Status Report is one year earlier than the projection in MDOT’s January update, which listed a spring 2027 reopening.
Prior to its closure, the Bethesda-to-Silver Spring portion of the Capital Crescent Trail–also known as the Georgetown Branch Trail–featured a gravel surface and was popular with pedestrians and bicyclists. The Purple Line project is expected to replace the gravel portion with “a 12-foot paved trail with 2-foot buffers that extends all the way into downtown Silver Spring,” according to the transportation department.
The department’s milestone chart shows “the Capital Crescent Trail reopening earlier than has been most recently discussed,” Del. Marc Korman (D-Dist. 16) said in a Facebook post on Wednesday. “Thanks to a lot of community and District 18 elected official advocacy for that change.”
According to MDOT’s most recent report, the trail construction was 45.8% complete as of March 31. Trail-goers can still travel from Bethesda to Silver Spring during construction via the Georgetown Branch Interim Trail, which follows a series of area roadways.
On its Purple Line website, MDOT says the new trail section will feature “formal access points from local neighborhoods,” trail bridges over Connecticut Avenue and Colesville Road, as well as underpasses at Jones Mill Road, 16th Street and Spring Street.
“The completion of the trail into downtown Silver Spring will be a major enhancement of the local trail network, linking the Capital Crescent Trail, the Metropolitan Branch Trail and the Green Trail,” according to the department.
Montgomery Parks identifies Capital Crescent as “one of 500 rail-to-trail projects in the nation.” It follows an abandoned railroad right-of-way and the under-construction section runs parallel to the Purple Line.
According to MDOT’s report this month, the Purple Line project is 62.4% complete as of March 31 with construction projected to conclude in spring 2027.
