A new extension will bring the Metropolitan Branch Trail one step closer to completion.

The D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) directed Potomac Construction Company to proceed with plans to connect an existing trail from John McCormack Drive in Brookland to the Fort Totten Metro Station, according to a statement released Thursday from the department.

The extension will provide pedestrians and bicyclists with an off-street route to use while traveling through the Fort Totten area, the statement said. The department plans to include LED lighting, security cameras and permeable pavement along the extension.

The department gave the Potomac Construction Company a notice to proceed with this next phase of construction on Tuesday.

The company's website says it has worked on other local projects, including rehabilitating parts of the Rosslyn Metro station and public housing.

The department called the planned extension “the next major milestone” in finishing the trail.

Once finished, the trail will run for eight miles from Union Station in D.C. to Silver Spring, Md.

The trail will provide access to seven Metro stations and connect to other popular trails along the area, including the Capital Crescent Trail and Anacostia Trails System, according to the trail's website.



The statement said the construction of the trail could be completed within the next 18 months, if weather permits.