Four Mile Run – stream habitat restoration and other work along the corridor

[CaseyKane50]

I talked to the contractor this morning, weather permitting, they are hoping to be finished with the paving by the end of December of the portion of the trail within the project area on the Alexandria side.

[CaseyKane50]

@CaseyKane50 129672 wrote:

I talked to the contractor this morning, weather permitting, they are hoping to be finished with the paving by the end of December of the portion of the trail within the project area on the Alexandria side.

It looks like the paving is complete, detour signs are still in place.

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[CaseyKane50]

The repaved section of the Four Mile Run Trail is now open.

https://www.facebook.com/RPCAAlexandriaVA

The wetlands trail will be remain closed until spring when there is dry and predictable weather to complete it. The pink flags will remain in the wetlands for one year in order to deter geese as plants establish.
Stayed tuned for a ribbon ceremony date upon full completion in spring 2016. For more information on the project visit: https://alexandriava.gov/14042

[mstone]

I feel that if you could keep geese away with pink flags, there’d be a hell of a lot more pink flags in the world.

[S. Arlington Observer]

@CaseyKane50 130180 wrote:

The repaved section of the Four Mile Run Trail is now open.

https://www.facebook.com/RPCAAlexandriaVA

Not being familiar with that side of the creek, what does “the wetlands trail will remain closed until spring” mean? Is that a separate spur of the FMR trail or part of it.? Or, to ask in another way, can I now cycle from US 1 to Mt. Vernon Avenue or is there still a gap?

[baiskeli]

@S. Arlington Observer 130257 wrote:

Not being familiar with that side of the creek, what does “the wetlands trail will remain closed until spring” mean? Is that a separate spur of the FMR trail or part of it.? Or, to ask in another way, can I now cycle from US 1 to Mt. Vernon Avenue or is there still a gap?

I would imagine they mean the part of the trail west of Mt. Vernon Ave.

[CaseyKane50]

@S. Arlington Observer 130257 wrote:

Not being familiar with that side of the creek, what does “the wetlands trail will remain closed until spring” mean? Is that a separate spur of the FMR trail or part of it.? Or, to ask in another way, can I now cycle from US 1 to Mt. Vernon Avenue or is there still a gap?

It is a separate unpaved trail that branches off from the paved trail. In the picture below it runs along the tree line beyond the pink flags to the edge of Four Mile Run.

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You can now ride from Route 1 to Mt. Vernon Avenue on the paved trail. As a bonus, you will ride past one of Alexandria’s trail counters.

[JustinW]

@S. Arlington Observer 130257 wrote:

Or, to ask in another way, can I now cycle from US 1 to Mt. Vernon Avenue or is there still a gap?

Yes you can now take that newly paved (and smoooov!) trail to connect w/ Mt. Vernon Ave. Just beware close to the large ballfield where the new piece of trail ends & connects with the older existing piece – still a fair amount of mud and debris scattered around.

[Fairlington124]

There’s a bald eagle hanging around here.

Saw him at 12:43 PM today (24 December). The map describes where we were (red dot) and where he was…the orange line was his path, and the orange dot is where he perched. He had a fish in his talons, so good for him I suppose.

Ironically, the closed-off trail (which branches to the right/east in my map) would have let me get down right next to the tree where he was perched. I was so tempted to ignore the make-shift barrier, but I thought better of it.

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EDIT: Also wanted to add that the mainline trail is open and fine. The only crap is a tiny bit of leftover work detritus. Downed branches from yesterday’s rain is more of an issue at this point.

[bobco85]

I’m definitely liking that the 4MR Trail (Alexandria side) is fully accessible and doesn’t require riding on the Mt Vernon sidewalk (except for the bridge)!

Here’s a pic of the “lake of pink flags” along with a future trail
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Note: the sign on the fence says “ATTENTION Four Mile Run Trail is scheduled to reopen spring 2016.”

[peterw_diy]

The not-yet-open spur trail is supposed to be paved with highly permeable material like what’s under the benches at the Sunday farmers market site. The main trail is traditional asphalt and mercifully free of the cracks and seams found on the older stretch by the ball fields.

[Author]

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