State of the Trail Report
Agencies
Assessment by County
Policy |
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General
Arlington County, Virginia, is an urban area of about 26 square miles located directly across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Arlington was home to Native American Indian communities for more than 10,000 years and associated with major events in Virginia history for almost 400 years.
Many of the D.C. area's best known attractions are located in Arlington and include the Pentagon, the U.S. Marine Memorial "Iwo Jima", Fort Myer and Arlington National Cemetery.
The George Washington Memorial Parkway completed the first phase of a study to identify potential locations for a multi-use trail between Theodore Roosevelt Island and the American Legion Bridge (I-495) both on and off Parkway property. Parkway staff will determine if the idea still has merit after discussions with Arlington and Fairfax County representatives.
Existing Trail Segments
Today Arlington County has over 36 miles of multi-use trails and 50 miles of connecting bicycle routes. The Mount Vernon Trail, recognized as an official segment of the PHT, and 10-mile hiking-only trail, appropriately named the Potomac Heritage Trail, form a continuous riverfront route within Arlington. The MVT connects with the PHT at Theodore Roosevelt Island, where the latter continues upstream to the boundary of the Parkway at the American Legion Bridge in Fairfax County.
Approximately four miles of the Potomac Heritage Trail are within Arlington County. In addition, Arlington County has many miles of connecting trails along the river and its tributaries. The Custis Trail, W&OD Trail, and Four-Mile Run Trail are major trails connecting to the PHT in Arlington County.
Planned Trail Segments
The National Park Service hsa been studying the feasibility of extending the Mount Vernon Trail from Theodore Roosevelt Island to the Fairfax County line and westward to I-495, the Capital Beltway. New trail development within Arlington County will likely be confined to parks and existing right-of-ways because the county is highly developed with residential and commercial uses.
The estimated amount Arlington County Government spends on trail maintenance per year is $200,000.00. This figure is includes the salaries of two maintenance personnel employed by the Parks and Recreation Department, as well as equipment and supplies.
With support from Arlington County Government, the local non-profit group, Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment, recently developed interpretive watershed protection signs along the Four-Mile Run Trail. Printed materials were published to complement the interpretive signage. The most current county sponsored trail activity involves identification and marking of bicycle routes for recreation and commuting. Additionally, the County is working on numerous trail improvements such as striping bike lanes on 23 miles of arterial streets.
Contacts
Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment
Executive Director, Elenor Hodges
3308 S. Stafford St. Arlington, VA 22206
(703) 228-6427
Arlington County Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Resources
2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 414
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 228-4747
Arlington County Department of Public Works
1 Courthouse Plaza, Suite 717
Charlie Denny, Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator
(703) 228-3633
Email: cdenney@co.arlington.va.us
Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
5400 Ox Road
Fairfax Station, VA 22039
(703) 352-5900
Email: info@nvrpa.org
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