Fairfax City Council Works With VDOT On $3.5M Repayment

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — The Virginia Department of Transportation has formally requested that Fairfax City repay $3.5 million in concessionaire funding used for the now-canceled George Snyder Trail project, according to a April 6 letter from the agency.

While the letter from VDOT Chief Financial Officer Kimberly Pryor serves as an official demand for the return of $3,528,619.68, state officials indicated a willingness to coordinate with the city on a payment schedule.

On March 9, the city sent VDOT a request for an alternate repayment schedule of three payments ending no later than the start of Fiscal Year 2028 on July 1, 2027.

The invoice follows the City Council’s decision in January to terminate the trail project. The $3.5 million represents costs incurred by the state for preliminary engineering, environmental reviews, and right-of-way acquisition.

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During a City Council work session on April 14, Mayor Catherine Read confirmed the city was in communication with the state regarding the fiscal impact.

"Now that we’ve actually gotten the bill from VDOT for the repayment, there is a plan, I believe, that is going to be explored about how to repay that," Read said.

The mayor noted that the city had previously encumbered funds in anticipation of the request, intending to use the unassigned fund balance from the current fiscal year.

The George Snyder Trail project was halted following a 3-3 tie vote on a supplemental appropriation of $4.6 million in grant funding. Because the vote involved a monetary appropriation, the mayor was unable to break the tie under the city charter.

Councilmembers Anthony Amos, Billy Bates, and Stacey Hardy-Chandler voted in favor of the funding, while Councilmembers Stacy Hall, Rachel McQuillen, and Tom Peterson voted in opposition. Following the failed funding vote, the council voted 4-2 to formally cancel the project.

During public testimony leading up to the vote in January, opponents of the George Snyder Trail project used records obtained via a July 31, 2025 FOIA request to argue that the city was not obligated to repay the full amount if the project was canceled. That proved not to be the case.

Also See ...

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• VDOT Bills Fairfax City $3.5M After Trail Cancellation
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According to the VDOT correspondence, the $3.5 million must be returned because the project will not reach completion, a condition of the original funding agreement.

"Considering VDOT is responsible for overseeing the respective Concession Payments Account for which this repayment would be deposited and that re-allocation of the full amount of the funds to other qualifying projects cannot occur until repayment has been completed, we would concur with an alternate repayment schedule concluding no later than July 1, 2027 (FY2028)," Pryor wrote. "Such repayment could take the form of one lump sum payment at the time or partial payment in FY2027 with the remainder due July 1, 2027 (FY2028)."

During the April 14 meeting, Read emphasized the importance of clarifying the repayment process for the public as the city finalizes its budget.

"I think we need to explain how the $3.5 million is going to be paid back, and the fact that we had encumbered, but not actually allocated that money," Read said.

The City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the budget on April 28, with a final vote on the 2025 fiscal year budget expected in May.

"From a revenue and expense perspective, these things are going to change as we move along," City Manager Dan Alexander said, during the April 14 meeting. "I think the 28th is our opportunity for us to have a full discussion on all of those and all those scenarios, which will include how we have given the council options for decisions on how to approach that."