Dual W&OD Trail For Pedestrians, Bicyclists Opens In Falls Church

FALLS CHURCH, VA — A dual trail providing separate paths for pedestrians and bicyclists is open on a portion of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in Falls Church.

The nearly 1.5-mile dual trail has an 11-foot-wide path for cycling, 8-foot wide path for pedestrians and 2-foot-wide median between the two. The dual trail runs from Little Falls Street to North West Street in the City of Falls Church. Officials from the city, NOVA Parks, Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and Washington Area Bicyclist Association held a ribbon cutting Thursday near the trail's N. Oak Street intersection.

"Thousands of people walk ride along this trail every day. However, the trail in some ways was a victim of its own success," said Mayor David Tarter at the ribbon cutting. "The trail could be tight, crowded, and at times outright dangerous. With strollers, walkers, runners, and high-speed bikers sharing our 10-foot trail. With the addition of the dual trail, these folks can spread out and feel and be safer."

The improvement seeks to alleviate crowding on the trail and increase safety for cyclists and walkers. Officials hope the trail becomes a more appealing commuting option now that pedestrians and bicyclists have their own room to travel.

"Active transportation is rapidly growing and much needed as we continue to navigate through the pandemic,” said David Snyder, a Falls Church City Council member and vice chair of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. "Even prior to COVID-19, the W&OD Trail was already bustling with cyclists and pedestrians alike, whether commuting to work or utilizing for recreational activities."

The project was supported by over $3.24 million in regional revenues from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. The authority prioritizes and funds regional transportation projects.

Monica Backmon, CEO of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, noted that the project happened without delays after a groundbreaking last year.

"For everyone who was out here doing the labor, the physical work, thank you, because you're not the ones that really get up here to speak as the elected officials and the board members...But you all are really the true heroes," said Backmon.

The W&OD Trail, a 45-mile-long trail managed by NOVA Parks, was one of the first rail-to-trail projects in the U.S. It runs from Shirlington in Arlington County to Purcellville in Loudoun County. In Falls Church, the trail runs near the East Falls Church and West Falls Church Metro stations. This is the first dual trail segment on the W&OD.

"Today we celebrate what will soon be heralded as a national state-of-the-art model for the design and use of a critical, urban, public transit, and recreational trail," said Cate Magennis Wyatt, chair of NOVA Parks Board, at the ribbon cutting. "This Dual Trail separates cyclist from pedestrian, ensures our neighbors’ safe transit, and provides recreation within a beautifully designed, environmentally-friendly setting."

On the environmental side, the dual trail design focuses on sustainability through vegetated channels designed to store runoff while removing pollutants and modular wetlands to filter rainwater. Other techniques include French drains and pervious pavement areas.

"The stormwater management system we installed will protect the environment along the trail and will create habitats for birds and pollinators," said Paul Gilbert, executive director of NOVA Parks.

Gilbert told Patch he hopes the dual trail will be expanded to other urbanized areas of the W&OD and encourages localities to add it into their transportation plans. The next phase of the dual trail will be in Arlington, with $650,000 for design funded by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority in its six-year funding program.

"I envision over the next decade, more and more urban sections of the W&OD Trail will take on this dual trail methodology," said Gilbert.