| From Arlington's Rosslyn To Fairfax's The American Legion Bridge 100% Of The Necessary Land Is Acquired For decades cyclists, joggers and walkers in the Washington metropolitan area have enjoyed the recreational opportunities along the George Washington Memorial Parkway between Mount Vernon south of Alexandria and Roosevelt Island near Key Bridge. The paved trail along the Potomac River in Virginia, known as the Mount Vernon Trail, has made this possible. Extension of the Mount Vernon Trail upstream from Key Bridge through the palisades area of the Potomac River has been viewed as problematic by the National Park Service for engineering and safety reasons. While the parkway right of way upriver from Chain Bridge is amply wide to include a paved multi-use trail, the section between Key and Chain Bridges arguably is not. Under the auspices of the Virginia Bicycling Federation and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association local cyclists, joggers and transportation planners have examined this problem and determined that a reasonable on-street route exists for bypassing the Potomac palisades area. The route identified would allow continuation of the Mount Vernon Trail from near Chain Bridge in Arlington northwestward through the McLean/Langley area to the Capital Beltway. The map of the route is based upon several walking tours of the parkway right of way and adjacent subdivisions. The first segment of the proposed trail, connecting northern Arlington with Route 123 in McLean, is the linchpin for the whole route. The narrowness and steepness of the roadways leading from Chain Bridge into both communities make traveling by bike or on foot along either road almost impossible. Currently no reasonable cycling connection exists between these adjacent communities within two miles of the river. The proposed trail would overcome this barrier without impacting existing roads. It would open up beautiful sections of the parkway landscape that are at present available to few. It is requested that the National Park Service conduct an official feasibility study for the proposed trail extension. Related Sites
Washington Area Bicyclist Association
Virginia Bicycling Federation |