Belle Haven Country Club Trail/Sidewalk
Advocacy Support Page
LATEST INFORMATION
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Delegate
Englin
The trail
has been an ongoing subject of quite a bit of discussion and concern.
I believe that you have received an e-mail from Dorothy Purvis dated
September 21, 2007 regarding VDOT's minutes from a recent meeting with
the Country Club on the trail. It is our understanding that VDOT
has requested that a portion of the trail be widened and possibly
shifted away from the roadway.
To date a
significant portion of the trail has not been constructed in
accordance with the approved plans or Special Exception Conditions. The approved
plans depict a portion of the trail to be constructed on the existing
shoulder of Fort Hunt Road. This portion of the
trail is supposed to be constructed a minimum four feet wide with
an asphalt surface. It also is supposed to have painted
diamond pavement markings on the trail and a standard VDOT guardrail
two feet from the edge of the travel lane. The developer has not
installed the any of the required guard rail or the painted diamonds.
In addition, the inspector reports that a portion of the trail has not
been constructed to the minimum four foot width.
The site
inspector reports that the following items remain outstanding on the
Belle Haven Country Club Buildings and Facilities Improvements
project, County plan # 4526-SP-03:
Mark
Evans is the Site Inspector on the project. He can be reached
at:
work
phone; 703 658-3807
cell
phone, 703 609-2872 or,
e-mail; mark.evans@fairfaxcounty.gov
Please
let me know if you need any additional information.
Sincerely,
Craig Carinci, Director
Environmental and Facilities Inspections
Division
12055 Government Center Parkway
Suite 334
Fairfax, VA 22035
Phone: (703) 324-1950
E-Mail: craig.carinci@fairfaxcounty.gov
From: David Englin [mailto:david.englin@gmail.com] |
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HISTORY
The County's comprehensive plan had for
years indicated the need for a pedestrian trail along
Ft Hunt Road. The NACA (~2002) advocated that
the BHCC install a continuous (not criss-crossing)
pedestrian trail separated from road as part of the permit
approval process for major renovation. The MVCCA
voted to support the requirement. At some point in
2003 County Supv Gerry Hyland announced that the County would
require the trail. Width was discussed as the
standard width seen along all new developments in the
County.
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 Photo from the Mt Vernon Gazette Protest on Fort Hunt Road Gale Curcio July 21, 2005 |
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PRESENT
NACA has been justifiably upset at un-safe trail
that was actually built. Not only is there a section
where one must walk on the shoulder (no trail built), but even where
the trail exists it is not wide and some sections are dangerously
close to passing traffic. We have been told the missing
segment will be built as soon as a retaining wall is installed.
With no active effort to build a wall, this view is not helpful.
POSSIBLE INTERIM SOLUTION
Consider as an example the paved trail along the west side of
Ft Hunt Rd south of Shenandoah Rd. At that location the
shoulder is narrow so the path drops down to the base of the
shoulder. I suspect a similar solution would work
at BHCC. It appears that along much, if not all of the
missing trail segment, there is room to add this trail
without moving the existing chain link fence. A low
cost section of trail could be added at the base of the road
shoulder until the 'retaining wall' is built.
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HISTORY
! Click either letter image for full document !
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Reference: Sidewalk along Fort Hunt Road, adjacent to Belle Haven Country Club, The Belle Haven Country Club, at the SEA-98-V-042 November 18, 2002 public hearing, agreed to provide a contiguous asphalt trail on the east side of Fort Hunt Road separated from the road. Based on this agreement , and as noted in the NACA letter above, many expect the installation of a trail separate from the road and they assume it will meet minimum State and Federal Pedestrian Guidelines. Item #27 of the final development conditions approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors allows a trail that appears to be a subset of the minimum guidelines and expectations. Metroped was not advised of the change and it not clear the MVCCA was advised.
Concurrent with the proposed entrance improvements, a four-foot wide asphalt trail shall be provided along the east side of Fort Hunt Road from Belle Haven Road to Huntington Avenue as follows: A four-foot wide asphalt trail will be provided with a two foot separation from the travel lane, except where substantial fill would be required, as determined by DPWES, in which case the existing shoulder can be used or the trail can abut the existing curb. In these areas where the existing shoulder would be used for the trail, the width of the travel lanes for Fort Hunt Road shall be reduced to 11 feet per lane, with the striping section for the whole roadway adjusted accordingly, and the existing shoulder will be converted to a four-foot wide asphalt trail, delineated with diamond shapes and border striping, and separated by two-foot painted shoulder and appropriate chevrons. Additional asphalt will be provided as required to achieve the above-described trail and roadway section. Approximately 600 feet of five-foot high, black vinyl coated chain link fence will be provided along the eastern edge of the trail at the higher roadway elevations between Edgehill Road and the Club entrance. |
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Since the requirements listed in Item #27 appear to reduce what was originally expected, it is now important that the construction fully meet and preferably exceed the requirements. This is particularly true where the trail will be painted at the edge of the road shoulder. Additionally, VDOT should be encouraged to implement techniques that reduce the chance that a distracted driver might drift into the painted trail. [ex. sound 'tire thump' cuts and share the road signs] [PHOTO] Looking north from Huntington Ave - With the trail abutting the road it is not only dangerous but even VDOT feel free to use the trail as a road shoulder
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| The New Alexandria Citizens Assoc. protested to
bring attention to safety issues for bikers/ped on the new trail along
Ft Hunt Rd from Belle Haven Rd to Huntington Ave
Event took place on Sat July 16 2005 at 10am. Contact Lennie Bloch 703-768-5490 or Deb Sell- Pugh 703-768-2818 for more information. Metroped Note: On the north segment of the trail there is a section that circumvents a tree by going around to the road side. [see photo below] Besides not being safe this looks like we live in a county where folks don't care about how their community looks |
Past email discussions
concerning the need for
Fort Hunt Trail along the Belle Haven Country Club
Ref: Alex VA - Ft Hunt Road just south of the Rte#1 interchange The Belle Haven Country Club is being renovated. As part of this renovation they are required to put in a trail or wide sidewalk along east side of Ft Hunt Road. [Fairfax County Trail Plan] Ft Hunt is a heavily traffic road with only a soft stone shoulder. Bicyclists are forced into the traffic lanes. This route is currently a secondary bike/ped connector. When the new Rte#1 Trail across the Beltway is finished I expect a significant increase in Bike/Ped traffic. The Belle Haven Country Club is presenting their argument for non compliance on Tuesday 27 August at 7:pm. I'm am unavailable but we need someone in attendance that can voice the bike/ped argument. Additional details available in the message below. Bob Brubaker Diane One of the recipients of all your communications on this subject should include Kevin Brugman [see TO: field], Gerry Hyland's Trails Representative. It would also be valuable if an MVCCA Substitute was available to present your position. Unfortunately 7PM on 8/27 conflicts with the monthly Safecrossings Meeting, which precludes my presence. >From what you've told me it appears the Belle Haven CC is seeking a waiver from its legal requirement to provide a sidewalk as part of the current upgrade to their facilities. It further appears they are not offering an equal value counter-offer. That is newsworthy ! I will forward this note to them but I would strongly recommend you also phone the Mt Vernon Gazette and the Mount Vernon Voice. I will also contact other Bike/Ped advocates to see if others are available. [Kevin Brugman] I think it's important to remember that after the Wilson Bridge is finished the Bike/Pedestrian crossing Trail will start on the East side of Rte 1. Ft Hunt traffic is too heavy to have young children on their bicycles and pedestrians criss-crossing from side to side to get to the new beltway crossing. Bob From: Diane Donley Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 7:45 PM Subject: RE: Belle Haven CC Informational meeting I am out of town next week and cannot attend this meeting. I recognize that the land drops off to the south of the current entrance to the Club but I think it is very very important to insist on a sidewalk of some type along the Club side of Ft. Hunt Road. The waiver sought by the Club will end this option forever. Whether the adjacent neighborhoods fully recognize it or not, they need this option for walking to the Metro or to the shopping center. I hope that some of you can go and express this position. Diane Donley, P&Z Chair, MVCCA |
