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Fairfax City plans to build a shared-use trail connecting Chain Bridge Road to the Wilcoxon Trail at Draper Drive, creating a new route for pedestrians and cyclists south of Fairfax Boulevard.

Named for a former Fairfax City mayor, the George Snyder Trail would be ADA-compliant and designed for people of all ages and abilities. The off-road path would include sections of porous asphalt and concrete boardwalk.

The trail would be 10 feet wide, with 2-foot shoulders on both sides. It would connect existing trail segments at Marketplace Boulevard, Stafford Park, Cardinal Park and Draper Drive Park, linking nearby neighborhoods with the city’s commercial corridor.

Five prefabricated steel-truss bridges with concrete decks would carry the route over small tributaries and Accotink Creek. The bicycle and pedestrian bridges would be 14 feet wide, with approaches designed to avoid blind spots.

Boardwalks, retaining walls and railings would help keep the trail above water while reducing the need for floodplain embankments. Plans call for minimizing disruption to the floodplain, Resource Protection Area, forest, utilities and nearby properties.

Four retaining walls ranging from 3 to 17 feet high would be installed between the trail and private properties. They would also limit the amount of forest grading required.

Raised crosswalks and new signs are planned at neighborhood intersections. Dark-sky-compliant lighting would be limited to intersections and trail junctions.

The project would also add viewing areas, educational markers and rain gardens.

The trail is expected to cost $20 million. Funding includes more than $13.6 million from the Outside the Beltway I-66 Concessionaire and $395,000 in federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds. Fairfax City currently has $20.6 million available for the project.