Long Bridge Park : Department of Parks and Recreation : Arlington, Virginia

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Department of Parks and Recreation

Long Bridge Park

Long Bridge Park – Something for Everyone

The first phase of the Long Bridge Park development is a wonderful recreational destination and a gateway to Arlington County. Based on the community’s vision, the site has been transformed into a distinctive showplace of environmentally sound redevelopment, with an abundance of attractive public green spaces, high-quality outdoor recreation facilities and environmentally conscious structures that link Crystal City to the Potomac River. Even in this first phase, the park provides a complete experience for visitors with diverse recreation interests.

Long Bridge Park A Walk through the Park
A broad, half-mile long, raised walkway, known as the Esplanade, will connect the park and its recreational facilities. Here you can stroll, bike, train spot, plane watch and enjoy small festivals. With small flowering trees to shade grass panels and benches, you’ll enjoy both water views and views of the playing fields. At night the Esplanade is subtly lit for evening strolls.

Going south of the park at Crystal Drive, the Esplanade rises gently above the adjacent railroad tracks. To the east, you’ll see Roaches Run Waterfowl Preserve with views toward the Capitol and Washington Monument. To the west, the Esplanade passes a gently sloping meadow grove. The Esplanade narrows where it crosses the pre-development shoreline of Roaches Run. Interpretive panels explain the history and reclamation of the park land.

The Esplanade widens opposite a remnant of the original bottomland forest that once occupied the area. Check out a number of significant plant communities that were recently discovered in the County. Finally, after passing another sloping landform, the Esplanade terminates at a large raised overlook, where visitors can ascend to a 43 foot elevation to witness an expansive view of the park, South Arlington, the Potomac, and the national monuments.

Rain Garden and Public Artwork
West of the Esplanade, a three-quarter acre rain garden infiltrates runoff from the park’s parking lot and sports fields to support a planted garden of native shrubs and perennials.

In conjunction with the project, artist Doug Hollis has developed the public artwork, Wave Arbor, located at the midpoint of Field #1 and Field #3.

Rendering of Rectangular Fields Long Bridge Park Green Fields for Play
The County’s inventory of fields grows with this new park! Three rectangular lighted multi-use fields with synthetic infill turf surfaces provide for intensive organized sports in all seasons. Sports enthusiasts can access the fields from Long Bridge Drive (formerly Old Jefferson Davis Highway), with additional walkways to the parking lot and Esplanade. Spaced along the edge of the fields, a series of small buildings provide comfort stations and storage facilities for field maintenance that include a small office and a vending alcove.. The buildings fit within the overall fabric of the park design and are visually integrated into the trellis.

Buildings to Support Community Vision
The buildings within the park are designed to fit within the spirit and vision of the community, and to provide a glowing presence at night with beacons to those approaching the park. A soft glow is visible through their glass walls making them focal points at the park’s entrance, and helping to illuminate the walkways. Durable, yet transparent glass block on the building’s north and south sides provide natural daylight to the functions within. On the street façade, slotted vertical glass-block openings fitted for privacy and solar glare contribute additional natural lighting and enhance the glowing effect at dusk. The buildings rest on plinths covered in local stone veneer to match other park materials.

Along the field side of the storage and restroom buildings telescopic rolling doors allow the entire building to be sealed when not in use, or open for complete access to the spaces inside. The doors are a metal framework faced with perforated metal panels that provide a transparent, open quality. The park buildings’ ability to “breathe” and the incorporation of other environmentally conscious details are key to their design. Low vents along the street side provide a steady stream of cross ventilation. A canopy along the field side continues the spirit of the trellis by providing shade to spectators and reinforces the north/south axis by linking the buildings to the path under the trellis.

Department of Parks and Recreation

LONG BRIDGE PARK