State of the Trail Report
Agencies
Assessment by County
Policy |
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General
For residents and visitors, Prince William County offers a refuge from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Like other counties in the region, the population and demand for outdoor recreational opportunities is greater than the existing infrastructure. Thus there seems to be significant support in Prince William County for the Potomac Heritage Trail concept as a way to increaseÑexponentially-- the value of existing parks, historic sites and related open spaces by providing non-motorized connections between and among existing amenities (including existing and planned Virginia Railway Express stations).
A large percentage of the PHT corridor (almost 68%) is publicly owned or secured by easements, with existing trails in Mason Neck NWR, Veteran's Memorial Park, Leesylvania State Park and Prince William Forest Park. A small segment of trail between the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and the county's Veterans Memorial Park, for example, could serve as a future alignment of the PHT. In addition, the PHT is a prominent feature along the shoreline of the Belmont Bay Town Center development. A route for the PHT along the CSX Railroad right-of-way (including bridges) would provide one type of connection between existing trails. However, the shoreline route is complicated by the limited public access on the Quantico Marine Corps base.
Scheduled for completion in 2002, the Northern Virginia Regional Commission is drafting a "Potomac Heritage Trail Implementation Plan" to indicate preferred and alternative alignments for the PHT and to outline a plan for development. This plan could be adopted for inclusion in the Prince William County Comprehensive Plan later this year, a first step in securing funding for trail construction.
Existing Trail Segments
Existing trails in Leesylvania State Park provide exceptional views of the Potomac River and provide a connection to the Potomac River Water Trail. Trails within Prince William Forest Park could serve as either a primary route or connecting route for the PHT through one the best remaining examples of Piedmont Forest in the Nation.
Planned Trail Segments
While the geography of the PHT corridor within Prince William County presents several major obstacles to establishment of a trail near the river, these obstacles are not viewed as insurmountable.
Numerous steps must be taking in order to ensure complete planning and construction of the PHNST. Priorities include:
- Incorporate alignments for the PHNST into a plan for Prince William trails and/or transportation (including plans by VDOT);
- Secure public access easements. Ex: Dominion right-of-way through Newport Village;
- Identify sources of funding, in-kind services and volunteer resources to begin trail construction. Ex: Leesylvania Loop Trail;
- Initiate discussions with CSX to reduce trespassing and maintain trail alignments in the railroad right-of-way, including use of existing and/or future train bridges.
Contacts
Belmont Bay Town Center
Belmont Bay Science Center
Friends of Prince William Forest Park
9605 Pierrpont St.
Burke, VA 22015
Email: fpwfp@bmsi.com
Leesylvania State Park
2001 Daniel K. Ludwig Dr.
Woodbridge, VA 22191
Jim Klakowicz
(703) 670-0372
Email: jklakowicz@dcr.state.va.us
Mason Neck Citizens Association
11375 River Road
Mason Neck, VA 22079
Lowell Curtis, President
(703) 550-8092
Johan de Leede
(703) 339-6725
Mason Neck, Featherstone, and Woodbridge National Wildlife Refuges
14416 Jefferson Davis Highway
Suite 20
Woodbridge VA 22191
Greg Wieler, Refuge Manager
(703) 491-6255
Email: Greg_Weiler@fws.gov
Northern Virginia Regional Commission
7535 Little River Turnpike, Suite 100
Annandale, VA 22003
(703) 642-0700
Doug Pickford, Director of Economic Issues and Heritage Resources
Email: pickford@novaregion.org
Prince William County Park Authority
14420 Bristow Rd.
Manassas, VA 20112
Patti Pakkala, Planner
(703) 792-4212
Email: ppakkala@pwcgov.org
Prince William County Planning Office
1 County Complex Court
Manassas VA 22192
Debrarae Karnes, Planner
(703) 792-6830
Email: dkarnes@pwcgov.org
Prince William Forest Park
PO Box 209
Triangle VA 22172
(703) 221-4706
George Liffert, Superintendent
Email: George_Liffert@nps.gov
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