Pickett Road Connector Trail
in progressStatus set at City Council Meeting on Jul 22, 2025
Project wiki — a maintained overview, meeting history, and recorded positions.
- Proposed
- Under reviewApr 8, 2025
- Decided
Summary
The Pickett Road Connector Trail is an active transportation infrastructure project in the City of Fairfax, Virginia, funded through competitive SmartScale grant funding originally scored against projects submitted in 2018. The trail is planned to run along Pickett Road, connecting to an existing trail that passes under a bridge, with the connector segment located on the east side of Pickett Road. The project has had a contentious history: residents expressed opposition beginning in January 2025, and on April 8, 2025, the City Council voted 3-2 to pause all expenditures on the trail. A second pause was enacted on April 22, 2025 (4-2), directing staff to examine alternatives. After a July 8, 2025 work session update from staff and continued public opposition, the Council on July 22, 2025 reversed the April 8 pause on a 4-3 vote and unanimously directed staff to hold a public outreach meeting for Foxcroft Colony and Scout on the Circle residents in October 2025 to address transportation safety concerns. In November 2025, the Council unanimously approved a Deed of Easement with Fairfax County Water Authority related to the trail project, with staff confirming no conflict with the City's proposed pedestrian bridge or conservation easement. As of March 2026, the Pickett Road Connector Trail is reported to be no longer on hold and is in design.
Official city record
City Project
Connection of Thaiss Park to Route 50, linking the Wilcoxon, Cross-Country, and City of Fairfax Connector Trails. This 1,260-foot trail will provide safe, off-road access to mass transit, businesses, and parks, enhancing connectivity and safety along Pickett Road.
Open questions & options on the table
- Whether the public outreach meeting for Foxcroft Colony and Scout on the Circle residents (directed for October 2025) was held and what its outcomes were.
- Whether any scope or cost changes to the project will trigger a SmartScale rescoring, and whether the project would retain its funding ranking if rescored against the original 2018 project list.
- How the Pickett Road Trail will complement or interact with the broader Pickett Road/Fairfax Circle intersection study and pedestrian safety improvements currently underway.
- Status of the City's separate easement request with Fairfax County Water Authority associated with the trail project (referenced at the Nov. 18, 2025 meeting as still pending City's easement approval by Fairfax Water).
What members have said
At the March 11, 2025 work session, Councilmember Bates expressed support for moving the Pickett Road Connector Trail to the west side and merging with the sidewalk if feasible without losing funding. On April 8, 2025, he voted yes to pause expenditures. On July 22, 2025, he voted yes to reverse the April 8 pause.
At the March 11, 2025 work session, Councilmember Hall requested more information on the Pickett Road Connector Trail and Jermantown Road CIP improvements. On April 8, 2025, she voted yes to pause expenditures. On July 22, 2025, she voted no on reversing the April 8 pause.
Councilmember Hardy-Chandler voted no on the April 8, 2025 pause and no on the April 22, 2025 pause (opposing both pauses). On July 22, 2025, she voted yes to reverse the April 8 pause and yes to direct staff to hold the public outreach meeting, accepting a friendly amendment to the outreach motion.
Councilmember McQuillen voted no on the April 8, 2025 pause and no on the April 22, 2025 pause (opposing both pauses). On July 22, 2025, she voted no on reversing the April 8 pause.
Councilmember Peterson voted yes on the April 8, 2025 pause. On July 22, 2025, she voted no on reversing the April 8 pause but was the primary proponent of the unanimous motion directing staff to hold a public outreach meeting, citing approximately 1,200 residents of Foxcroft Colony and Scout on the Circle — roughly 5% of the city population — who she said had transportation safety concerns and limited awareness of the trail project.
Councilmember Amos abstained on the April 8, 2025 vote to pause expenditures, and voted no on the April 22, 2025 pause. On July 22, 2025, Amos voted yes to reverse the April 8 pause and yes on the outreach meeting motion.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Discussion time
Minutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting.
Full history
[6] Residents expressed opposition to the Pickett Road Connector Trail during public comment.
[10a] Councilmember Bates expressed support for moving the Pickett Road Connector Trail to the west side and merging with the sidewalk if feasible without losing funding; Councilmember Hall also requested more information on this trail.
[7b] One speaker recommended cutting expenses on the Pickett Road Trail as part of budget reduction measures.
[4b] Council voted 3-2 to pause all expenditures on the Pickett Road Connector Trail until after the April 22, 2025 Work Session.
passedMotion that the City pause the expenditure of any further funds on the Country Club Hills Trail, the Pickett Road Connector Trail, and any other trail until after the April 22, 2025 Work Session and the elimination of any activity independent of roadway projects currently in progress.– Amos✓ Bates✓ Hall✕ Hardy-Chandler✕ McQuillen✓ Peterson[1e] The Pickett Trail was discussed during the work session, leading to Council action under item 4a. [4a] Council approved 4-2 (Amos and Hardy-Chandler opposed) to pause all actions with respect to the Pickett Trail in order to examine alternatives.
[11a] Staff provided an update on the Pickett Trail project during the work session. Public comment included at least two residents expressing opposition to the project.
[9] Staff reported that an update on the Pickett Road Trail was provided at the July 8, 2025 City Council meeting.
[9c] Council reversed the April 8, 2025 pause on the Pickett Road Trail project (4-3) and unanimously directed staff to hold a public outreach meeting for Foxcroft Colony and Scout on the Circle residents in October to address safety concerns.
passedDirect staff to set up a public outreach meeting for the Pickett Road Trail project for Foxcroft Colony and Scout on the Circle residents in October to address safety concerns.✓ Amos✓ Bates✓ Hall✓ Hardy-Chandler✓ McQuillen✓ PetersonpassedReverse the City Council adopted action on April 8, 2025 that paused the Pickett Road Trail project.✓ Read✓ Amos✓ Bates✕ Hall✓ Hardy-Chandler✕ McQuillen✕ Peterson[8b] The Deed of Easement discussion arose in connection with the City's request for a separate easement associated with the Pickett Trail project; staff confirmed no conflict with the City's pedestrian bridge or proposed conservation easement.
passedMotion to enact the ordinance authorizing and approving the Deed of Easement with Fairfax County Water Authority for water main installation on Tax Map Nos. 48-4-01-000-C and 48-4-01-003.✓ Amos✓ Bates✓ Hall✓ Hardy-Chandler✓ McQuillen✓ Peterson
Discussed alongside
Topics that come up in the same meetings.