Most popular trail spurs

[Bike-Ped Manager]

Arlington is currently working on developing a snow clearing plan for its major trails for this coming winter. (Please, hold your applause until the end of the presentation.)
Details of the plan are still being worked out, but will involve designating the Custis Trail, the Bluemont Junction Trail, the lower section of the Four Mile Run Trail (from Shirlington to the Mt. Vernon Trail) and possibly the Route 110 trail alongside Arlington Cemetery as “High Priority” trails. Each of these trails in turn have numerous small spurs and connectors that link the main line trails to other trails and surrounding streets. Arlington won’t be able to clear all of them, but will add onto the high priority list those that provide the most useful access to and from the trails. Please help us identify those trail spurs and linkages that are most important to you and your neighbors. Post your responses here.
Thanks.

Topic

[lordofthemark]

The Four Mile Run trail from Shirlington north at least as far as Walter Reed. It is used by commuters for that section.

I don’t expect ArlCo to clear the Lucky Run Trail along Walter Reed (and I do note the parallel sharrows) would I would be pleased if they did.

[dasgeh]

There are so many little connectors to the Custis, you could pick one every so often (every 1/2 mile? mile?) and publicize it, then we can use it. I’d definitely do Quincy St.

Also, the 110 Trail is a must, and should be high priority. Given that the MVT won’t be plowed, the only bridges that will be accessible via plowed routes will be Key and Memorial (through Ft Myer/ANC). Plowing the 110 Trail gives North Arlington commuters access to the Memorial Bridge without detouring all the way to 2nd St S.

On that note, the new 50 eastside trail will be a key connection in that route as well, but perhaps not this year.

Speaking of, we definitely need to name some trails! 110 Trail? That new trail on the east side of 50? Soon to be joined by “that other new trail on the west side of Washington Blvd”? No fun.

[Steve O]

@dasgeh 96607 wrote:

Speaking of, we definitely need to name some trails! 110 Trail? That new trail on the east side of 50? Soon to be joined by “that other new trail on the west side of Washington Blvd”? No fun.

I blogged about this problem as related to signage once:
http://www.steveoffutt.com/2009/06/rethinking-trail-signage.html

[mstone]

I’m actually surprised that politicians haven’t fallen all over themselves to slap names on every trail segment. I will ponder this the next time I take the Custis Memorial Parkway, the Gladys Noon Spellman Parkway, the John F (Jack) Herrity Parkway, the John Hanson Highway, or any of the other roads with names the people using them are mostly unaware of.

[lordofthemark]

@mstone 96666 wrote:

I’m actually surprised that politicians haven’t fallen all over themselves to slap names on every trail segment. I will ponder this the next time I take the Custis Memorial Parkway, the Gladys Noon Spellman Parkway, the John F (Jack) Herrity Parkway, the John Hanson Highway, or any of the other roads with names the people using them are mostly unaware of.

http://connolly.house.gov/news/fairfax-county-honors-connollys-efforts-by-naming-41mile-trail-the-gerry-connolly-cross-county-trail/

[mstone]

@lordofthemark 96669 wrote:

http://connolly.house.gov/news/fairfax-county-honors-connollys-efforts-by-naming-41mile-trail-the-gerry-connolly-cross-county-trail/

That’s one I wish actually would get picked up in casual use–having two CCTs in the region is too confusing. I’d expect “Connolly Trail” or “CT” to be the logical form, though, rather than GCCCT. Or maybe “GC3T”?

[Bike-Ped Manager]

Thanks all for your suggestions. Not everything people shared will find its way into the trail snow clearing plan. But the parts along the corridors I listed definitely will. Keep an ear open this fall for more thorough information about Arlington’s trail snow clearing plans.

[baiskeli]

@Drewdane 96551 wrote:

You think maybe they could extend their jurisdiction to include the Falls Church portion of the W&OD?

I mean, I know it’s important that “cross-country skiers” (all, what? Two of them?:rolleyes:) get their workouts in when they can, but it seems to me keeping the trail open would be a bit more of a priority.

There are more than two of us, and some of us are also cyclists. And some of us even commute to Metro by ski!

But prompt clearing of the trails probably helps skiers anyway. Otherwise, pedestrians just walk in the ski tracks and ruin them, and then the plows push snow into the new ones, and then the snow melts….

[KLizotte]

If the MVT isn’t going to be plowed, I’m hosed if we have another crappy winter. Need to get across the river from Pentagon City to L’Enfant. Would prefer to cut thru the Pentagon Reservation, over Columbia Island, and George Mason bridge if possible but that may be asking too much. The 110 route may be a possibility but I don’t like the narrowness of it and the highway merges that have to be crossed.

[lordofthemark]

@chris_s 96553 wrote:

NOVAParks has the equipment, we just need to convince them to use it. NOVA Parks staff can be reached at wod@nvrpa.org If you happen to know or run into any of the members of their Board of Directors, make sure to give them an earful about it as well.

Unfortunately I did not see this a few weeks ago – I spent about 20 minutes chatting with the Alexandria member of NVRPA board, who happens to be a cyclist (and who unfortunately I do not see most of the year.) This is his last term on the board from what I understand.

[dasgeh]

@KLizotte 97101 wrote:

The 110 route may be a possibility but I don’t like the narrowness of it and the highway merges that have to be crossed.

I think you mean the 27 route — the 110 route runs beside the cemetery and isn’t long. You could always go up the hill, into the base, then through the cemetery to the Memorial Bridge, but that adds some distance.

[elbows]

Sorry if I missed it, but I would nominate the 27 trail. Of course, not sure what I will do at MVT and Wilson Bridge. Get wet feet, I guess.

[KLizotte]

@dasgeh 97167 wrote:

I think you mean the 27 route — the 110 route runs beside the cemetery and isn’t long. You could always go up the hill, into the base, then through the cemetery to the Memorial Bridge, but that adds some distance.

Yeah, what I meant was the S. Washington Blvd sidewalk route whatever route number that is. I’ve never considered going thru the base and cemetery when the weather is bad; I’ll have to give that some serious thought. I presume the cemetery is plowed quickly? Anybody know??

[Author]

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