Monday, April 24, 2017
Great New Fairfax City Link to Cross-County Trail
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| Photo courtesy of Douglas Stewart. |
Thanks to a partnership between the City of Fairfax and NOVA Parks, the Pickett Road Trail Underpass was formally opened on Saturday April 22. Cross-County Trail riders will know this as the area at Thaiss Park where the trail hit a wall in the form of a closed sewer pipe beneath Pickett Road. The wall is now a lovely winding path that connects to the Willcoxon Trail and Gateway Park in Fairfax City.
NOVA Parks and Fairfax City partnered in 2013 to secure a Transportation Alternative Program grant from VDOT for the project. Several speakers from NOVA Parks and the City of Fairfax spoke at the trail dedication, which was presided over by City of Fairfax resident and NOVA Parks Board member Brian Knapp.
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| Photo courtesy of Douglas Stewart. |
City of Fairfax Mayor David Meyer spoke about the role of trails for transportation as well as recreation. Mayor Meyer emphasized the role of trails and bicycle facilities in relieving traffic congestion.
Michael Nardolilli, the Vice Chair of the NOVA Parks Board, rides the CCT regularly and spoke with animation about how much better his ride will be with the new connection.
The new trail link has been a long time coming, but worth the wait.
Submitted by Douglas Stewart
Labels: city of fairfax, NOVA parks, pickett road, pickett road trail underpass, Thaiss Park
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Fairfax bike projects receive funding
Transportation Alternatives is the consolidated program in the latest federal transportation law, MAP-21, that funds expanded travel choices like bicycling and walking, or that make other enhancements like mitigating the environmental impacts of transportation facilities. The Transportation Planning Board (TPB) is the entity tasked with allotting this money in the DC Region.
This is great news for Fairfax cyclists. The bike share system in Reston will be the first in Fairfax County. The funding will help implement the system but the county will need to find funding for operating costs and additional staff to help manage the system. With the coming of Metro to Reston next year, and a mostly connected trail system, bike sharing will be a great way to get around Reston. See previous articles on bikesharing in Reston. Thanks for Supervisor Hudgins, bike coordinator Charlie Strunk, and members of the Reston community for supporting this effort.- Fairfax County will receive funding to install bike stations and operating hardware to support the expansion of Capital Bikeshare to Reston, which the County hopes will give people more options for accessing Metrorail stations along the planned Silver Line.
- Fairfax Mason to Metro Bicycle Route. Develop a backbone bicycle route through the City and into Fairfax County to connect George Mason University with the Vienna Metrorail Station. The project aims to increase and improve bicycle and pedestrian travel between major hubs of activity in the City of Fairfax, Fairfax County, and George Mason University.
- Pickett Road Trail Underpass. Install a 12 foot wide concrete trail under the existing Pickett Road bridge over Accotink Creek, and construct asphalt trail segments to connect the underpass to the existing City of Fairfax trail system. Install two culverts to convey existing storm drainage outfalls under the proposed trail, and install wayfinding signage.
- Cross County Trail - Lorton. The proposed section of the Cross County Trail in Lorton will traverse the Lorton Arts Foundation property and connect Occoquan Regional Park and the Laurel Hill Greenway
The Mason to Metro Bicycle Route and the Pickett Road Trail Underpass projects are linked. The underpass will provide a safer connection across Pickett Road for cyclists traveling between the Vienna Metro station and Mason. FABB members have been part of this planning effort for several years and their hard work is paying off.
Labels: bike share, george mason university, pickett road, reston, transportation alternatives
