Phase Two of the Washington Boulevard Trail is Opening

headshot for katy lang program director active transportation arlington va
Katy Lang Tweet Us @walkarlington@walkarlington November 21, 2018
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Katy Lang was previously Program Director for Active Transportation. She started living car-free in Arlington in 2010 and is passionate about finding great running routes and safety for people walking and biking.

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WALK TAKEAWAY:

Trails are one of Arlington’s most-used community assets. The Washington Boulevard Trail will provide a better north-south biking and walking connection for Arlington. Join us at the ribbon cutting ceremony on November 30.

Arlington has been eagerly waiting for a biking and walking connection between Arlington Boulevard and Columbia Pike. This month, we’ll finally have it!

Phase two of the Washington Boulevard Trail opens on November 30. The 10 feet wide trail runs along the western side of Washington Blvd from 2nd Street S to S Rolfe St, where it connects to Towers Park to Columbia Pike and links to the existing Washington Boulevard Trail.

Development of the Trail

The trail was first included in Arlington’s 1994 Bicycle Transportation Plan. The part of the trail that runs from Arlington Blvd and Walter Reed Dr was completed during phase one in 2009. Phase two included a series of design modifications to reduce impact to trees in the area and has been in construction since January 2018.

Communities Benefit from Multi-Use Trails

Multi-use trails, like the Washington Boulevard Trail, have many benefits for our community. Trails that are separated from vehicle traffic are great for folks just learning to bike or who aren’t comfortable riding on the street. Trail connections make it easier for people to get places by biking and walking and as a result encourages exercising and reduces reliance on cars.

In particular, this trail will link to other planned pedestrian and bicycle facilities in Pentagon City and along Columbia Pike and will grant better community access to Towers Park. It also connects to neighborhood streets at Walter Reed Dr, 6th Street S, 9th Street S, and S Rolfe St. Visit Arlington County’s project page for more information about the location of the trail extension.

Celebrate the Opening of the Trail

Excited about the new trail? Join County leaders, WalkArlington, BikeArlington, and project partners at the Washington Boulevard Trail Ribbon-Cutting on Friday, November 30, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Learn more about the event.

Editor’s Note: The blog has been updated by Suzanne Patel to include an additional link to the County’s project page that has access to a map of the Washington Boulevard Trail. 

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