W&OD Trail To Get Dual Trails For Users In Falls Church

FALLS CHURCH, VA — A groundbreaking for the first dual trail improvements on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail was held Wednesday in the City of Falls Church. The side-by-side trails for bicyclists and pedestrians will apply to a 1.5-mile segment of the trail between Grove and Little Falls Streets.

The project seeks to address congestion on the trail, particularly since it has seen increased use over the last six months amid the pandemic. It will also boost safety for users traveling at different speeds, a current concern for the two types of users. The dual trails will include parallel paths for pedestrians and bicyclists, separated by a two-foot median.

Falls Church Mayor David Tarter, Council Member David Snyder, and officials from NOVA Parks and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority were present at the groundbreaking. The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority provided more than $3.24 million in regional revenues for the project.

"The W&OD Trail Enhancements Project is a significant step in reducing congestion and increasing capacity through non-motorized transportation investments for cyclists and pedestrians utilizing the busy pathway,” said Monica Backmon, executive director of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. "The Authority is excited to team with the City of Falls Church and NOVA Parks to keep the region moving."

The improvements will also address stormwater performance on the trail through low impact development techniques. These include swales, French drains, pervious pavement areas, and modular wetlands to filter rainwater.

The improvements seek to boost bike and pedestrian access on the trail, which provides connections to the two Falls Church Metro stations. A separate Virginia Department of Transportation project is adding a new W&OD Trail bridge over Lee Highway to separate trail users from vehicular traffic at the Lee Highway and Fairfax Drive intersection. That bridge is expected to be completed in the fall, while improvements below the bridge will continue into the winter.

Officials hope the improvements will also reduce road congestion.

"If people have good alternatives to their cars, we will help to make for a more environmentally sustainable world," said Michael Nardolilli, chairman of NOVA Parks. "This and future Dual Trails in the urban areas of the trail are the most significant improvement to the W&OD Trail in a generation."

Construction of the dual trail improvements will happen from August 2020 to June 2021. The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority's recently adopted fiscal years 2020-2025 six year funding program also included $650,000 to partially fund trail enhancements in Arlington County. The W&OD Trail runs 45 miles between Arlington and Purcellville.

See a map of the dual trail area and more information from NOVA Parks.