The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is nearing the completion of the design and permitting process for several trail improvements at Royal Lake in the Braddock District. As part of the process, the Park Authority has posted the environmental documentation for a Categorical Exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act, which is required to initiate the project. The documentation is available on the Royal Lake Trail Project webpage for public review, and comments will be accepted until January 27, 2025.
FCPA has worked closely with the Royal Lake community to develop the project scope and acquire the necessary funding to initiate five trail improvement projects surrounding Royal Lake, including:
- Royal Lake Bridge Replacement: Replacement of the pedestrian bridge over Rabbit Branch on the north side of Royal Lake.
- Royal Lake to Commonwealth Boulevard Trail: Construction of a new stream valley trail connecting an existing asphalt trail north of Lakeside Park to Commonwealth Boulevard.
- Richardson Court to Lakeside Park Trail: Repaving the park entrance trail from Richardson Drive to the soccer and baseball fields at Lakeside Park.
- Royal Lake Dam to Lakepointe Drive Trail: Paving of the natural surface trail linking the asphalt trail on top of the dam to the Royal Lake Loop Trail.
- Lakeside Park Shade Structure: Installation of a fabric shade structure and updated picnic equipment near the playground. This segment of the project is currently underway and is funded separately through local funds (not federally funded).
Comments can be submitted online or mailed to:
Fairfax County Park Authority
ATTN: Elizabeth Iannetta, Park Development Division
12055 Government Center Parkway
Suite 421
Fairfax, VA 22035
For more information about this project please call (703) 324-8725, email royal-lake@publicinput.com, or visit FCPA's website.
Friends of Royal Lake had requested a set of trail improvements back in 2019. Supervisor Walkinshaw asked then-Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn in 2021 to prioritize these in the upcoming budget. This resulted in a budget amendment providing $1,000,000 to Fairfax County for trail system connections at Lake Royal Park.
