Custis Trail Needs Assessment

• Examine and document the current state of the Custis Trail.
• Identify opportunities for improvements to the Custis Trail and its connections to surrounding neighborhoods.
• Develop recommendations for future investment in the Custis Trail that deliver on the County's goals for park access, recreation, and multimodal transportation.

• The Bicycle Element of the Master Transportation Plan informs the scope of this Study with the ultimate intention to renovate sections of the Custis Trail, widen trail surfaces to 12-feet in width where feasible, enhance trail markings and wayfinding, and to repair/replace existing lighting.

• The 2023 Langston Boulevard Area Plan provides several recommendations to improve access points to the Custis Trail, to conduct a corridor study of Langston Boulevard and adjacent trail segments from I-66 to Veitch Street, as well as to seek opportunities to widen the Trail.

• The 2012 VDOT I-66 Multimodal Study: Inside the Beltway initiative recommended widening of the Trail to 12-feet where feasible and to improve pavement conditions and accessibility.

• The 2019 Public Spaces Master Plan envisions leveraging the Custis Trail as part of a future "Inner Loop" and "Outer Loop" that would draw even more trail users, particularly from northern Arlington County, which currently have limited trail facilities.

• The Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s 2022 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for the National Capital Region outlines Custis Trail renovations as part of its 2045 Network Projects List.

• Members of the community identified a diverse array of strengths and weaknesses of the existing Custis Trail, with people listing feeling unsafe at at-grade road crossings, trail blind spots, and narrow trail segments as their top three concerns.
• Expand the Trail to a consistent width of 12 feet (minimum) throughout the full extent of the Trail, and improve the safety of the Trail by increasing available edge clearance (e.g., available space before a vertical element or drop-off).
• Address current issues with light poles sited too close to the trail (less than 2 feet from trail edge), apply the International Dark-Sky Association’s five principles and incorporate space for trail widening.
  • Repair or replace broken fixtures along the trail and install new lights at key areas such as underpasses and bridges.
  • Update light fixtures to follow a photometric design.
• Install or improve stormwater gardens, drains, grates, and other tools to improve conveyance and management on the trail, reduce flooding risk, and support County goals.
• Mitigate steep slopes along the trail and adjacent to the trail (e.g., edges and drop-off areas). Where change is not feasible, improve signage and other warning devices.
• Ensure that the trail wayfinding signage is clear, consistent, and meets County standards for design and placement.
  • Consider placemaking opportunities to orient trail users to surrounding neighborhoods and destinations (including improvement efforts spearheaded through community-driven action).
• Repave short cracked and heaved sections.
• Address ADA compliance with repairs to curb ramps at trail access points and inclusion of detectable warning surfaces.

Final Study

View the Final Study

Appendices

A - Short Term Recommendations (map)

B - Short Term Recommendations (list)

C - Long Term Recommendations (map)

D - Long-Term Recommendations (list)

E - Field Review (map)

F - Public Engagement Summary

G - Public Engagement (map)

H - Stormwater (map)

Engagement level: Consult

• Conduct site visits and data collection
• Develop infrastructure inventory
• Conduct public engagement on existing conditions
• Draft Existing Conditions Report

Engagement level: Communicate

• Finalize and release study document
• Present study findings