The Coalition for the Metropolitan Branch Trail was formed by local citizens to promote the creation of the Metropolitan Branch Trail. The coalition includes individuals, community organizations and civic leaders, and is currently a project of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association.

This trails project is an urban bicycle and pedestrian greenway linking downtown Washington, D.C., with suburban Maryland and an extensive network of regional parks and trails. This linear park will transform an existing public right-of-way into multi-use trail, and will cross above some of the busiest streets in the nation's capitol.

The bike/ped greenway will connect to a 100-mile network of regional parks and trails providing safe passage for its tri-area users. Additional spurs of the trail are planned to connect Metro transit stops with regional trail networks. Metropolitan Branch Trail, an 8-mile link, will run parallel to the Metro's Red Line and connect suburban Silver Spring, Maryland, to the heart of Washington, D.C.

Some segments of this linear park will run through land free of vehicular traffic and consist of clearly marked bicycle lanes, designated bikeways and pedestrian-only sidewalks. This will provide new recreational and park areas for the residents of northeast Washington and provide safe routes to schools and work.

The trail will be built in segments. The first was completed in 1999, others during 2000, with additional segments scheduled to be built every year for the next five years. Portions of the trail will be funded by federal transportation funds and matching funds from the District of Columbia.