Support for Chambliss

[Bruce Dwyer]

Letter to Northern Virginia Bike Plan in support of Chambliss project

Dear Sir or Madam:

      I'm writing on behalf of the Lincolnia Hills / Heywood Glen Civic
Association to express our support for the construction of the Chambliss
Street Connector, which is listed as the top priority in Alexandria's 1998
Bicycle Transportation and Multi-Use Trail Master Plan.  I regret having
missed the meeting on July 31st; I hope this reaches you at an opportune
time.

      Lincolnia Hills and Heywood Glen are subdivisions located to the west
of Holmes Run.  About half of our residents are in Alexandria, the rest in
Fairfax County.  Holmes Run separates us from the existing bike trail
running
through the Dora Kelly Nature Park.  This trail continues along Holmes Run
to
Cameron Run and Eisenhower Avenue.

      The proposed connector would be a stream-bed weir crossing Holmes Run
at about the halfway point between Beauregard Street and Columbia Pike,
providing greatly improved access from our neighborhood to the Dora Kelly
trail.  This connector would also provide residents of Dowden Terrace (on
the
east side of Holmes Run) with easy access to Glen Hills Park in Fairfax
County, on our side of Holmes Run.  Mason District recently made
improvements
to the playground in Glen Hills Park, which makes it a desirable destination
for Dowden Terrace residents.

        Fairfax County is moving ahead with a plan to improve the existing
rough trail along the west side of Holmes Run from Glen Hills Park north to
Columbia Pike, to make it suitable for bicycles.  Fairfax recently finished
installing a bicycle bridge across Holmes Run at Columbia Pike, just below
the Lake Barcroft dam.  Prompt action by Alexandria to implement the
Chambliss Street Connector would help to tie this whole system of trails
together.  Although we expected prompt action from Alexandria when the
bicycle trail budget was increased last fiscal year, there has been no
action
to date to get this project started.

      The Chambliss Street Connector would provide a major bike and
pedestrian connector in Alexandria's West End and would provide a much safer
alternative to using Morgan Street and Beauregard Street.  Please note that
Morgan Street is particularly dangerous for bicyclists: it is narrow, has
lots of parked cars, is hilly, has several curves, and is used extensively
by
cut-through traffic during commuting hours.

      This project will not only provide improved access to recreation for
our neighborhood, but will benefit the whole region by getting more people
out of their cars and onto bicycles.  Thank you in advance for any help you
can provide in accelerating the construction of this important project.  If
you or anyone on your staff would like to discuss this with me, I can be
reached at 703-642-0378 (H) or 703-588-2358 (W).

Sincerely,

Scott Littlefield
President
Lincolnia Hills / Heywood Glen Civic Association
6238 N. Morgan St.
Alexandria VA 22312