Easement, tree canopy, berms, erosion control, curb and gutter and historic preservation of Georgetown Pike are all factors in trail construction. Photo by Ken Moore.
Irony intersected Walker Road and Georgetown Pike last Wednesday night, May 20, traversing north and south along Great Falls’ historic byway.
At The Old Brogue, the Great Falls Historical Society awarded John J. Adams the Jean Tibbetts History Award, partly for his decades of work to preserve the historic integrity of the 12-mile beloved roadway.
But at precisely the same time, across the street at the Great Falls Library, the Great Falls Trail Blazers were discussing the clearing of mature trees along the Pike, a road they hope to make more enjoyable and accessible to pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians and others.
“We live in an amazing, beautiful area but it is very difficult to walk in this area without putting your life on the line every time you step onto the nearest road,” said Julie Ben-Achour, of the Great Falls Trail Blazers. “Our goals are simply to connect our wonderful community with trails and make it a walkable area for all.”
“It is very difficult to walk in this area without putting your life on the line every time you step onto the nearest road.”
— Julie Ben-Achour
But neighbors, advocates for trees, even members of the Trail Blazers themselves, were surprised when mature oaks and pines came down by the dozens along a stretch of Georgetown Pike near Falls Manors Court recently for the construction of the six-foot-wide trail. The ADA compliant, partly federally funded trail will eventually connect Georgetown Pike from Turner Farm to Seneca Road.
“Some of it was a shock to all of us,” said Mary Cassidy-Anger, president of the Trail Blazers, who helped lead Wednesday night’s meeting that a dozen attended.
SINCE THE CLEARING, Falls Manors Court resident Shephard “Shep” Hill has been asking for a dialogue in order to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen along the rest of Georgetown Pike.
“I’m not against trails,” he said. But Hill wants to know why so many trees had to be taken down; if there’s a way to build the rest of the path in a less obtrusive way; and why his neighborhood wasn’t notified before the trees came down.
A public meeting had been held to alert residents to the approved construction, Trail Blazers said. But that public meeting occurred in 2011.
“We need to let the community know what’s going on,” said Cassidy-Anger. “We could have, should have, if nothing more, communicated with the HOAs to get word out.”
Bob Vickers, Dranesville Representative to the Fairfax County Tree Commission, has spent more than eight years advocating for trees in the Dranesville District.
“I’ve worked with you for a long time, but I have to say, this one caught me by surprise,” Vickers said at the library meeting.
“The damage is done,” he said, adding that he wants to ensure that future construction preserves more trees.
Jane Edmondson, legislative aide to Supervisor John Foust, said Foust’s office wasn’t contacted before the construction began and didn’t have time to alert the public. But she pledged updates will be included in Foust’s newsletter.
Funds have been secured to extend the path from Falls Bridge Lane to Seneca Road, according to the Trail Blazers. Construction is anticipated to begin on that segment in 2019.
Cassidy-Anger said the Trail Blazers group seeks to find people interested in helping them with outreach and public relations. “We are a small group tackling a big project,” she said.
FOUR OPTIONS are on the books for the Falls Bridge Lane neighborhood north of Falls Chase Court, the next segment to be constructed that the Trail Blazers call “Segment 3.”
Two options would clear 55 to 70 trees and one proposal would need to take down approximately 10. But drainage and erosion control issues, berms, historical integrity of Georgetown Pike, turn lanes, and other issues will impact the decision.
The fourth proposal has already been cut down.
“Negotiations are underway,” according to the Trail Blazers website.
Bob Ayers, engineer with Fairfax County Department of Transportation, and Craig Herwig from the County’s Department of Urban Forest Management joined in a neighborhood meeting in the sunshine on Monday afternoon, May 18 to alert Falls Bridge Lane homeowners of the upcoming trail construction by their neighborhood.
The homeowner at the corner of Georgetown Pike and Falls Bridge Lane will be most affected, because his house is very close to Georgetown Pike.
“That stand of trees serves a very important purpose,” he said. “As I drive up Georgetown Pike, it’s beautiful. When I come up to my house, I think it’s great that all I see is trees.”
The stand of trees in question serves as his privacy, shields his house from Georgetown Pike and works as noise abatement.
His house is one of the the closest houses to the Pike along the 12 mile road, said Cassidy-Anger. “I think there’s one other house that’s closer,” he said.
The county had alerted him, he said, and he has been negotiating for months on what to do about his property and trees.
The rest of Great Falls wants to be kept out of the dark.
“If we can put a trail in that goes out of its way to preserve trees then I’m with you,” said Vickers.
“We will try to preserve the trees the best we can,” Cassidy-Anger said.
Georgetown Pike Trail:
Utterback Store to Seneca Road
Source: Great Falls Trail Blazers
Phase II, III and IV of the Georgetown Pike Trail will complete the "Western Gateway" portion of the Great Falls Trail Blazers Pike trail. This segment will connect with the Route 7 trail being installed during the widening, giving pedestrians and cyclists direct access to the Fairfax County Parkway trail and the W&OD trail.
*Phase II: Utterback Store Road to Falls Chase Court
Start Date: April 2015
Estimated Completion Date: Summer 2015
This phase is funded by a federal highway grant Great Falls Trail Blazers secured in 2010. At the request of the Trail Blazers, the county is using this segment as a pilot project for use of a geotextile product which will allow for greater stabilization of the stone dust surface.
“There was some concern that too many trees have been cut down at the start of this process, therefore, negatively affecting the aesthetics of the Pike. We understand that it can be disturbing to see trees cut down. In fact, the trail was moved closer to Georgetown Pike to mitigate the need for additional tree removal,” according to the Trail Blazers web site.
*Phase III: Falls Bridge Lane, In Negotiations
Phase III will be a stone dust extension of existing trail at the end of Falls Bridge Lane. Several factors including the historic integrity of the Pike and tree preservation are being discussed in the negotiation of the trail's placement.
*Phase IV: Falls Bridge Lane to Seneca Road
Estimated Start Date: 2019
Trail easement is already in place for the length of this segment.
For more, visit http://www.greatfallstrailblazers.org/.