George Snyder Trail Extension
This consultation has concluded. Thank you for your comments.
UPDATE: At the June 28 City Council meeting, Council endorsed the resolution to submit this project for VDOT Smart Scale Funding.
The city is seeking comments on the proposal to apply for funding for the George Snyder Trail extension, which would provide a connection between the soon-to-be-constructed George Snyder Trail and the Wilcoxon Trail.
Staff will seek City Council’s endorsement of the project in June before submitting a Smart Scale funding application to the Virginia Department of Transportation in August. If awarded, the funding would become available in fiscal year 2026, and construction would occur approximately two years later.
Please use the tools below to share your comments and ask questions.
Filling the Gap
Fairfax City has developed a conceptual design for a shared-use path on Fairfax Boulevard. The 850-foot-long path will run between the end of the soon-to-be constructed George T. Snyder Trail and the start of the Wilcoxon Trail, linking the two trails. The existing signalized crossing at Draper Drive will be utilized, providing pedestrians, cyclists, and other users a fully connected regional trail network.
Project Considerations
Fairfax Boulevard is a fully developed, commercial thoroughfare with many driveways and limited pedestrian space. The proposed improvements will consolidate and reconstruct the various driveways and provide a 10-foot-wide shared-use path to promote safe use of the corridor by motorists and trail users alike. Utility relocations and stormwater management improvements will be evaluated and addressed as needed.
Realizing Multimodal Transportation Plans
By eliminating the “gap” between the Wilcoxon Trail and the George Snyder Trail, currently under development from Chain Bridge Road to Fairfax Boulevard, this project aims to fully realize the multimodal goals for the corridor as outlined in the 2035 Comprehensive Plan and Fairfax Bike Plan.
Two-Year Transportation Program
The George Snyder Trail Extension project was included in the fiscal year 2022-23 Two-Year Transportation Program adopted by Fairfax City Council on June 22, 2021. The projects in the program are eligible for regional, state, and federal funding consideration over the next 2-10 years.
The projects recommended in the program include bicycle, pedestrian, trail, transit, intersection, and roadway improvements, all of which balance local and regional transportation needs, improve connectivity, and facilitate livability.
Comments
This consultation has concluded. Thank you for your comments.
Who's Listening
-
Phone 703-385-7889 Email wendy.sanford@fairfaxva.gov
Bicyclists using the future Snyder Trail definitely need this connection. Without it, they will get dumped out on a narrow sidewalk with cars heading toward them at up to 50 mph -- a very intimidating prospect that will not encourage people to take the trail to its eastern end. I agree with wfranz that exiting and entering vehicles will be a big concern. Without traffic calming measures on Route 50, bicyclists could still be exposed to motorists who are not adjusting their driving habits in this area for pedestrians and bicyclists. As it is this road is designed solely to push through automobiles.
This is an essential link between the Wilcoxon trail and the George Snyder trail and should be funded.
I'd like there to be some "extra" pavement space next to the crosswalk so if several people or bicycles are waiting to cross they have space & others can pass by.
Also, at least during daytime hours, the crosswalk should trigger automatically and not require a button press.
The Snyder trail has allegedly been underway for several years. No sign that any work will be done in the foreseeable future, notwithstanding an extraordinary budget. In predict the I-66 project (source of funding for the trail) will be completed before the trail. Can we just build it?
I enjoy riding the Cross County Trail to the Wilcoxon Trail, but unfortunately the trail stops at Fairfax Blvd. A safe connection to the shops and eating places near the future George Snyder Trail will be a welcomed, new bicycle friending destination.
This trail will be an excellent edition to the network we have in Fairfax City. Every little bit helps.
I'd like to know more about how exactly driveways would be reconstructed to make this possible. I am a cyclist who currently gets around this problem by taking Ranger Road, the trail that goes to Draper park, and then down Draper road over to the Harley Davidson dealership and pop onto the Wilcoxon Trail. It's not perfect but it works fairly well. I like the idea of a more connected trail, but I worry about a trail going across all those driveways. Crossing any driveway or entrance is a huge issue for cyclists and can be the most dangerous parts of a trail. So without knowing exactly how those entrances that cars will cross over the path, it is hard for me to say whether I would use this extension. If entrances remained where cars would cross over the path, I likely would avoid this extension and instead use my current route as Ranger Road is a very safe road to drive on, and cutting through Draper park is also very safe.