The trail will connect residential, recreational, office and shopping areas.
Named after a former Fairfax City mayor, the George Snyder Trail will connect Chain Bridge Road to the Wilcoxon Trail at Draper Drive, south of Fairfax Boulevard. It’ll be ADA-compliant, with some sections porous asphalt and others, concrete boardwalk.
The goal is to improve regional trail connectivity both within and outside the City, plus comfortable access for pedestrians and cyclists of all ages and abilities. Part will be constructed within Fairfax City parks. Five steel-truss bridges with concrete decks will span small tributaries and Accotink Creek.
The trail will be 10 feet wide, with 2-foot-wide shoulders on each side and no blind spots at bridge approaches. Locally, it’ll link to existing trail segments at Marketplace Boulevard, Stafford Park, Cardinal Park and Draper Drive Park, connecting to neighborhoods, as well as to the City’s commercial corridor.
Raised crosswalks and new signage will be added to neighborhood intersections, with dark-sky-compliant lighting at intersections and trail junctions. Boardwalk segments along bridge approaches will have retaining walls and railings, and the bicycle/pedestrian bridges will be 14 feet wide, with concrete decks keeping the trail above water.
Four retaining walls, ranging from 3-17 feet high, will be built between the trail and private properties and will also reduce grading impact to the forest. Also planned are viewing areas, educational markers and rain gardens.