Fw: Fort Belvoir Access Control

Tue Aug 21 06:09:57 CDT 2001

Dear BSC

Not exactly in Alex but probably of interest.....

----- Original Message -----
From: "Aiken, Tim" <Tim.Aiken at mail.house.gov>
To: <brubmail at yahoo.com>; <KBRUGMAN at cs.com>
Cc: <muchnick at capaccess.org>; <marcia.hanson at co.fairfax.va.us>
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2001 9:01 AM
Subject: RE: Fort Belvoir Access Control

Kevin,

Here's the letter we sent on the trail.  For the time being, we are
leaving the issue of the alignment between Walker Gate and Casey Road
unresolved.  Perhaps, at future date the Army will not be as concerned about
force protection and permit greater public access to its facilities.

Tim

August 7, 2001

Mr. Paul W. Johnson
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army
Installations and Environment
110 Army Pentagon
Washington, D.C.  20310-0110

Dear Mr. Johnson:

Thank you for your letter of July 11, 2001.  As you know I was
deeply disappointed that the Army no longer supports its original "Option A"
proposal to construct a non-motorized trail inside Fort Belvoir from Walker
Gate along portions of Mount Vernon and Washington Roads to Belvoir Road.
In my view, this option made eminent sense since it would connect to an
existing segment of the Potomac Heritage Trail.  Not only would this
alignment expedite connections to the Potomac Heritage Trail and enable
trail users throughout this region an opportunity to travel unimpeded
further south and connect to Mason Neck and Lorton, where a substantial
trail network will soon be established, it would also provide base residents
with opportunity to access these same destinations.

The alternative that Fort Belvoir has proposed would leave a gap in
the trail that will not be closed for some time.  Given the Commonwealth of
Virginia's transportation funding shortfall, it could be years before the
state is in a position to make the improvements on Route 1 and Mount Vernon
Road and build a non-motorized trail to close this gap.  Despite my
misgivings, this letter affirms my support of using the fiscal 2001 funds to
begin construction along Casey Road and along the alignment parallel to
Route 1 between Belvoir Road and Pohick Road.

Efforts are now underway to secure additional funding to extend the
trail to Old Colchester Road.  Should these additional funds be made
available, I would hope the Army will make linking the Fort Belvoir trail to
Old Colchester Road and the Fairfax County Parkway priority.  It would be
very unfortunate if the only segment of the trail that is built affords no
connection to trails outside the base.

Yours truly,

James P. Moran

JPM/tba

Office of Rep. Jim Moran
2239 Rayburn Office Building
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.  20515

phone  (202) 226-0015
fax       (202) 225-0017

> ----------
> From: KBRUGMAN at cs.com[SMTP:KBRUGMAN at cs.com]
> Sent: Saturday, August 18, 2001 2:12 PM
> To: brubmail at yahoo.com
> Cc: muchnick at capaccess.org; Aiken, Tim; marcia.hanson at co.fairfax.va.us
> Subject: Re: Fort Belvoir Access Control
>
> Bob,
>
>     Last time I talked to Tim Aiken in Congressman Moran's office, it was
> not
> real encouraging.  One of the options that still existed was for Ft
> Belvoir
> to put in a trail on the outside perimeter of the Ft between it and the
> horse
> farm that is at the corner of Mt Vernon Memorial Hiway and Rte 1.  My
> concern
> with this route is that it is completely hidden from public view and could
> be
> very unfriendly for women in particular.
>
> Kevin
>
> In a message dated 8/17/2001 4:52:39 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
> brubmail at yahoo.com writes:
>
> > Allen,
> >
> >  Last feedback I heard, more then a month ago,  was from Congressman
> Moran .
> >  He said he had succeeded in getting Belvoir  to go along with the
> original
> >  trail.   That deal was probably worked with the Post Commander.
> Suspect
> >  MDW Cmdr,  Gen Jackson overrode that agreement.     I not sure of the
> route
> >  for the 'original'  trail, but it was not the one along RT 1.     Even
> if
> >  the RT 1 trail gets on the fast track,  the trail will not make it to
> RT
> >  235.   Last I heard, Army would fund only east side of RT 1 trail along
>
> Army
> >  Property.   Fairfax Cnty would have to fund remainder.
> >
> >  Kevin (Brugman):   What's the latest you know.
> >
> >In any event, there's a more immediate problem.   Beside the limited
> >access-hours on Walker Gate, they intend to block the junction of Meeres
> >Road with Pole Road on the west side of RT 1.    This is not the 24 hour
> >gate that shows up on the attached PDF map at Meeres but a block near
> Pole
> >Rd Park.   VDOT is quite concerned about the congestion this will cause
> with
> >all this traffic being redirected to RT 1.   Pity the poor cyclist
> heading
> >south from RT 235 (Mt Vern Hwy) who gets to ride up that step hill on Rte
> 1,
>  with no
> >shoulder,  mixed with drivers angered by the road closure.
>

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