​Community Invited to Learn More About the Project and Provide Feedback 

(April 6, 2026) – The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) will host a public meeting on Monday, April 20, to provide an update on upcoming planning and design activities associated with the Frederick Douglass Rail Trail Project along MD 309 (Cordova Road) between Tuckahoe State Park and Black Dog Alley in Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties. The meeting will be held 5-7 p.m. at the Queen Anne – Hillsboro Volunteer Fire Company meeting hall, 13512 1st St., Queen Anne.

At the meeting, members of the State Highway Administration (SHA) project team will provide information about a planned bicycle and pedestrian rail trail path within the project limits. This hard surface trail of approximately 9.5 miles would provide a recreation and transportation amenity, connecting residents and visitors to Tuckahoe State Park and communities along the corridor.

The trail will pass in proximity to the birthplace of Frederick Douglass, famed orator, writer and advocate for liberation and human rights. In February 2025, MDOT and the Maryland Historical Trust installed a new roadside historical marker honoring Frederick Douglass along MD 303 near Cordova. The trail project is part of a vision for a larger Eastern Shore Trail Network that would link communities along the shore, enhancing recreation and tourism opportunities.

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Frederick Douglass Rail Trail

The public meeting is an opportunity for residents and stakeholders to learn more about the trail project and upcoming planning and design activities. MDOT and SHA representatives will provide a brief presentation, take questions and be available to receive feedback. Project materials will be available online after the open house on the Project Portal page.

Those requiring assistance to participate in the public meeting, such as those seeking an interpreter for hearing/speech difficulties or help with the English language, may email [email protected] in advance of the event. Please indicate the desired language in the subject line. Maryland Relay Service can assist teletype users at 7-1-1.

Questions about the meeting may be directed to Project Manager John Delaney at [email protected] or Community Relations Manager Holly Pearl at [email protected]​.