2009 News
12 December 2009 EFairfax Trails and Streams E-newsletter http://www.FairfaxTrails.org/
The Pimmit Run Trail Map erroneously shows an �informal easement� near the end of the path from N. Randolph St. in Arlington to the Trail: there is no such informal easement. The location of the Trail in that area also is erroneously shown. The Trail crosses Pimmit Run upstream of the erroneous �informal easement�, proceeds along the other side of Pimmit Run until just past the George Washington Memorial Parkway Bridge and then recrosses Pimmit Run. The Trail Map is in the process of being corrected.
25 October 2009 EFairfax Trails and Streams E-newsletter http://www.FairfaxTrails.org/
Our next meeting will be Monday, Nov. 2, at 7:30pm, in the usual place, the McLean Govt. Center,
1437 Balls Hill Rd, McLean.
Our guest will be Wayne L. Brissey, Manager of Area 6, Fairfax Co. Park Authority.
He is the go-to guy for Pimmit Run and northern Cross County Trail issues.
We will also present updates on many issues, including long-term goals and priorities for the CCT, and how to keep moving forward despite Trail Coordinator Jenny Pate's retirement in January 2010.
Hope to see you there.
3 August 2009 EFairfax Trails and Streams E-newsletter http://www.FairfaxTrails.org/
Please join us at our next meeting, Thursday evening, Aug. 6, 7:30pm, at our usual place:
McLean Govt Center, 1437 Balls Hill Road, McLean.
Dranesville Supervisor John Foust is our guest. He'll present his thoughts on plans and projects involving trails and open space. We'll discuss what is turning out to be a very active summer for trail projects.
Hope to see you there.
1 July 2009 EFairfax Trails and Streams E-newsletter http://www.FairfaxTrails.org/
Next meeting Thurs. August 6, 7:30 pm
Our guest will be Dranesville Supervisor John Foust.
John, whose district includes McLean, Great Falls and Herndon, is a great supporter of trails and has been helpful on a number of trails issues. Come hear his thoughts, and ask questions.
FTAS volunteers have been very active this spring and summer. There are many Eagle scout projects in full swing on Pimmit Run, Cross County Trail and the Potomac Heritage Nat. Scenic Trail. MORE has been very active as well, including major CCT projects (south of Rt 7 and north of the W&OD). Also REI, with Potomac Heritage Trail Assn and Gt Falls Trailblazers, has completed two big new trail projects at Riverbend Park and Bles Park. We'll give an update on all these projects.
The Aug. 6 date is different from that proposed at our last meeting, to accommodate Supv Foust's schedule. Please update your calendars, and hope to see you there.
McLean Govt Center, 1437 Balls Hill Rd, McLean
26 May 2009 EFairfax Trails and Streams E-newsletter http://www.FairfaxTrails.org/
FTAS meets Thursday May 28, 7:30 pm, at McLean Gov. Center, 1437 Balls Hill Rd, McLean
We will discuss recent and planned volunteer trail improvements on Cross County Trail, Potomac Heritage Trail, Pimmit Run Trail and more. We'll discuss the many projects planned in our area for National Trails Day, June 6.
13 April 2009 EFairfax Trails and Streams E-newsletter http://www.FairfaxTrails.org/
HIGHLIGHTS
Rep. Gerry Connolly's "Complete America's Great Trails" Bill
Fx County Budget Cuts Threaten Trails
Sat April 18 1pm Potomac Heritage Trail dedicated, Riverbend Pk to Algonkian
Thu. May 28 7:30 pm FTAS next meeting
Sat. June 6 National Trails Day
Volunteers clean Pimmit Run, Dead Run, Scotts Run
DETAILS
Rep. Gerry Connolly's "Complete America's Great Trails" Bill
Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) has wasted no time to convert his enthusiasm for trails into congressional action. With co-sponsors Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), he has introduced the �Complete America�s Great Trails� Bill, H.R.1912. The bill offers tax credits for granting public access easements for nationally-significant trails. For details please see
http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.1912: or click here.
Please call your congressman and urge him/her to support this bill!
Fx County Budget Cuts Threaten Trails
Jennifer Madden of Vienna Trails warns of proposed deep Fairfax County budget cuts affecting trails. Details are given at the end of this newsletter, and can be found at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/budget/fy2010/.
To contact your supervisor to support trails in the budget, please see http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/board/.
Sat. April 18 1pm: Potomac Heritage Trail dedicated, Riverbend Pk to Algonkian
The ceremony will be hosted by No. VA Regional Park's Paul Gilbert, at Algonkian Park, to celebrate the dedication of a continuous scenic trail from there to Riverbend Park in Great Falls.
Thu. May 28 7:30 pm: FTAS next meeting, at the McLean Govt Center
There are many Eagle Scout projects underway on the CCT, Pimmit Run and the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail; we'll discuss these. There are a number of new bridges planned for these trails; we'll give an overview.
Sat. June 6 National Trails Day
Volunteers clean Pimmit Run, Dead Run, Scotts Run
Ed Pickens led the FTAS litter cleanups on March 28. He writes: The cleanups today went great. We got about 100+ bags of trash/metal/etc out of Pimmit Run and Dead Run. We found another major source of trash on another headwater of Pimmit Run - the storm water retention pond behind the Tysons Pimmit Library. We took 18 bags of trash etc out of that one site. Also, we took 26 bags of trash from the principal headwater sites(behind Marshall High School and just across 495 to the west of there). Both Pimmit and Dead Run are as clean as I have seen them. We had to cancel cleanup sites at Westmoreland/Kent Gardens/Old Chesterbrook because there was nothing to pick up.
DETAILS ON FAIRFAX CO PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS
Agency 29 - Stormwater Management
001-29-103 Eliminate Reinvestment Work on Trails, Walkways and Pedestrian Bridges : $80,000
The Trails, Walkways and Pedestrian Bridge program provides maintenance services to approximately 225
miles of trails, 370 miles of sidewalks and 64 pedestrian bridges. The impact of reducing this program will
result in the elimination of support to implement the capital renewal projects associated with trails and
sidewalks maintenance. The reduction will increase the replacement cycles of trails and sidewalks in the
County, causing further deterioration, and increasing pedestrian safety related surface failures and bridge
failures.
Agency 40 - Fairfax County Dept. of Transportation
001-40-137 Reduce Operating Expenses for Bicycle Program: $170,456
This funding reduction of approximately 45 percent in the Bicycle Program will impact the development of an interconnected bicycle network (including signs) in specific areas of the County. An amount of $375,000 for the Bicycle Program was approved by the Board of Supervisors in 2005. In addition, further work and reprinting of the popular Bicycle Route Map and funds for bicycle amenities, such as lockers and outreach expenses, will be scaled back.
Originally, the pilot program was anticipated to target four areas - Vienna Metro Station, Dunn Loring/Merrifield Town Center, Government Center/Fairfax Corner, and Reston, including signage for all four areas and capital improvements in one or two areas, following a consultant inventory, identification of opportunities, and network development.
With this reduction, the pilot program will be reduced to $204,544, allowing only one area to be developed and signs installed. Further field work on the Bicycle Route Map will be eliminated and only one reprinting will be funded, while bicycle lockers and outreach materials/expenses will be minimally funded.
At this point in the program, there are over 700 total miles of bicycle trails in the county. Over 6,000 draft bike maps have been distributed, and the final map is expected to be printed and distributed by the end of
FY 2009.
001-40-139 Eliminate Position and Limited Term Funding for Transportation Planning: $93,919
This reduction eliminates one Planning Technician II position and eliminates limited term funding, for a total reduction amount of $93,919.
IMPACT OF REDUCTION
This reduction eliminates one Planning Technician II, as well as funding for administrative support through limited term staff. It will have an adverse impact on: the speed of the review of the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) element in development proposals; and the coordination, creation and monitoring of proffers and special conditions. It will increase the workload of the 17 remaining planning staff while decreasing administrative support.
In FY 2008, the Department of Transportation prepared or reviewed 90 planning studies, 300 developer applications, and 60 developer contributions.
Agency 51- Fairfax County Park Authority
001-51-174 Eliminate Position for Centralized Coordination of Trail Outreach and Development Support: $84,017
51-02This reduction eliminates a Landscape Architect II position responsible for the central coordination of 165 volunteers responsible for over 36,000 annual work hours, which results in the sustainability of the park trail network including creation of up to four miles of trail annually.
IMPACT OF REDUCTION
� Eliminates public outreach such as the annual Trail Caucus that engages volunteer support for sustaining trails and oversight of the Countywide Trails Plan through developer funded trail construction;
� Reduces the Agency's ability to provide technical coordination of developer-dedicated trail facilities on parkland;
� Impacts 165 volunteers, volunteer coordination efforts, and will delay efforts on dedicated trail facilities on parkland;
� Degradation of existing trails may require work to be contracted out; this was work previously performed by volunteers; and
� Delays response to citizen trail inquiries and concerns.
Trail Enthusiasts to Gather For Seventh Annual Caucus
The Seventh Annual Trail Caucus is scheduled for Monday, February 11, 2008 and will once again bring together trail enthusiasts from Fairfax County and the region to discuss recent accomplishments, specific projects and challenges ahead. The Fairfax County Park Authority offers residents unique trail experiences, along hundreds of miles of trail and is pleased to sponsor this caucus scheduled at 7:30 p.m. at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria.
�We have put together an interesting program that covers a wide range of important topics,� stated Park Authority Trail Coordinator Jenny Pate. "The Trail Caucus serves as an opportunity for all of us involved in trails to take a moment and celebrate our successes before we move forward towards the next endeavor.�
The program will feature an introduction to natural surface trail construction presented by an experienced professional trail builder. Also on the program are a presentation on the Park Authority�s Great Parks, Great Communities planning initiative, volunteer recognition, a discussion of recent accomplishments by local trail groups, information about the recently completed Park Authority trail mapping project, and an update on Park Authority trail projects.
The program will be held in the auditorium at the Horticultural Center and refreshments will be available prior to the program. For more information call Jenny Pate at 703-324-8726.
Green Spring Gardens is located at 4603 Green Spring Road. From the Beltway take Exit 54B (Braddock Road, East, Rte 620)). Travel approximately three miles (4th stoplight) crossing Little River Turnpike. Pass Pinecrest Shopping Center and Professional Complex on your right. Stay in the right hand lane and turn right onto Witch Hazel Road. Witch Hazel Road is the entrance to Green Spring Gardens.
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