Parking Lot Closes On Belair Road At Gunpowder State Park

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — The parking lot near Gunpowder Falls State Park on Belair Road and parking in that area along Route 1 will be closed off until further notice. Safety concerns sparked the closure, according to the Maryland Department of Transportation.

Construction has been underway since June on a $3.6 million project to rehabilitate the US 1 bridge over the Gunpowder Falls and the trail tunnel in the park underneath. Because of the work, parking has been reduced, posing concerns about the safety of cyclists, pedestrians and drivers, transportation officials said.

The closure took effect Wednesday, July 3, and is likely continue for more than a year.

"No Parking" signs were installed along Route 1 between Miller Road and Vista Road to let people know about the closure, and to alert them that enforcement will be conducted by the Baltimore County Police Department. An average of 25,000 vehicles a day travel on this part of Route 1, according to the State Highway Administration.

The project calls for these improvements to Gunpowder Falls State Park:

• Stabilizing the path from the main parking lot of the park to the trail tunnel
• Adding brick and gravel to stabilize trails and reduce water and mud buildup from rain
• Replacing two parking lot gates and re-staining existing timber traffic barriers in the parking lots.

Starting Aug. 1, the driveway and parking lot on Route 1 north will be closed until late fall 2020.

During this time, the shared driveway to the park-and-ride lot along Route 1 south and the private parking lot of the Gunpowder Lodge restaurant will remain open.

Drivers can expect closures on Route 1 between Miller Road and Sheradale Drive during off-peak hours.