What is the George Snyder Trail?

The George Snyder Trail is a 2-mile, east-west connector trail from Rt. 123 to Draper Drive. It will connect to the I-66 and Wilcoxon Trails, the Route 50 commercial corridor, adjacent neighborhoods and the City park system.

Where and when did the idea for the George Snyder Trail originate?

The trail concept originated in the early 2000s, with the development of Draper Drive and Stafford Drive Parks. These parks, along with Ranger Road, were designed to be connected by trail so that neighborhoods could easily access each by foot or bike. An additional segment was added by the Boulevard Marketplace in 2016.

What purpose does the trail serve?

The trail is multimodal, meaning that it can be used by foot or by bike. It serves to connect the existing and future trail network in the City to the regional trail network.

What parts are already completed?

Completed sections connect Ranger Road and Draper Drive Parks and Boulevard Marketplace on Route 50 and Stafford Drive Park.

When did the last and largest section of the trail concept get approved and funded?

The last and largest section of the trail concept was approved in 2017 and submitted for funding by the Outside the Beltway I-66 Concessionaire payment. The trail was awarded $13.65 million in Concessionaire funding in 2018.

How was the proposed trail alignment determined?

The trail alignment was originally planned in the early 2000s and reexamined in 2016-17 as part of the submission for funding application. Alignment considerations included the location of the floodplain with the desire to stay out of it for environmental, construction and maintenance issues. In addition, the 2035 Comprehensive Plan, 2018 Multimodal Transportation Plan and the 2014 Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan recommended the trail link the Route 50 corridor in light of proposed and future development. Finally, the trail was located away from the residential development of Mosby Woods so that any trail usage and lights would not impact the adjacent homeowners.

Why not use part of the City sanitary sewer line?

There is a segment of the City sanitary sewer line that runs behind Mosby Woods. The utility easement is located in the floodplain. Using the utility easement was not recommended due to ongoing flooding which would produce maintenance issues. In addition, the sanitary sewer easement runs close to homeowners and it was requested that the trail be located further away from private property. When sanitary sewer lines are not located in floodplains we do advocate for their use.

How wide will the trail be?

The trail will range from 8-10 feet wide, with bridges required to be 14 feet wide.

How will the trail impact trees?

Completing the trail requires the removal of trees.  Every effort is made to limit the removal of healthy trees by limiting the construction clearing area to the trail width when possible, to save specimen trees, and to utilize tree protection methods during construction. Trees removed will be replaced with Virginia native trees.

What environmental considerations are being incorporated as part of the trail plan?

The trail is being designed with several features that incorporate context-sensitive design including stormwater features such as porous pavement, boardwalks, dry swales, conservation areas, and rain gardens. In addition, the trail is outside the floodplain as much as possible, invasive plants and vines will be removed, and native trees and plants will be added.

Will there be connections to the neighborhood?

Trail connections will be added to Shiloh Street Park on Ranger Road and at Rt. 50 at Willowwood. The existing trail has connections at Boulevard Marketplace, Ranger Road at Ranger Road Park, and at Draper Drive.

What will happen at the Rt. 50 terminus of the trail?

The trail will exit onto the sidewalk at Rt. 50 and users will be directed to use the sidewalk to the light at Draper Drive. After crossing Rt. 50, trail users will be directed to the Wilcoxon Trail.

Will the trail be open to walkers, runners and bikers?

All trails in the Fairfax City are open to walkers, runners and bikers.

Will there be educational components along the trail?

The trail will have educational features to include overlooks, educational signage, stormwater features that can be used as learning labs, and public art.

What will be the annual maintenance costs?

According to the Rails-to-Trails Conservatory, the average annual cost for trail maintenance per mile is $2,077. In addition, trails will have to be repaved every 20 years. Current cost to repave would be approximately $350,000.

What opportunity is there for public engagement and comments?

There will be a public hearing at 7 p.m. on October 13, 2020. You can also submit comments to the City at any time by emailing publichearings@fairfaxva.gov or emailing cathy.salgado@fairfaxva.gov.

What is the project schedule?

The project design is scheduled to be complete in fall of 2021. Construction is scheduled to begin in late spring 2022.