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Fairfax County is making it easier for cyclists and pedestrians to navigate the 66 Parallel Trail, a 20-mile route that opened in May 2023 alongside Interstate 66 from Centreville to Dunn Loring/Merrifield.

The county’s Department of Transportation has installed directional wayfinding signs at six major access points: Centreville Park and Ride, Fair Lakes Circle, Fair Lakes Parkway, Monument Drive Transit Center, Random Hills Road and Vienna Metro. The signs direct users to trail access points, destinations along the corridor and connections to other regional trails including the W&OD Trail, Fairfax County Parkway Trail and Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail.

“The signs guide users to trail access points, destinations along the 66 Parallel Trail and connections to other trails including the W&OD Trail, the Fairfax County Parkway Trail and the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail,” the Fairfax County Department of Transportation said.

The trail provides direct access to two Metrorail stations at Vienna/Fairfax-GMU and Dunn Loring-Merrifield, as well as the Monument Drive Transit Center and Stringfellow Road Park & Ride. Both transit facilities offer secure bicycle parking rooms.

Closing Gaps

Fairfax County is addressing connectivity gaps that have limited the trail’s usefulness. A new shared-use path is now open and substantially complete along Post Forest Drive from West Ox Road to Random Hills Road, then north along Random Hills Road to the Monument Drive Transit Center.

At Random Hills Park, the Fairfax County Park Authority is building a shared-use path to connect the park’s existing trail network with the 66 Parallel Trail. As of late July, the project was about 70 percent complete and expected to be substantially finished by the end of August, weather permitting. Tom McFarland, Fairfax County Park Authority Trails Program Manager, said the construction fence will remain temporarily: “The fence surrounding the area will be removed after the area has been deemed safe and the site inspectors gives us the OK.”

McFarland warned trail users to stay clear of the construction zone. “Trail users should continue to observe any posted signage or instructions by the construction crew until the trail is safe to use.” Cleanup could extend through September, and fall landscaping work may require temporary closures.

Vienna Metro Connection

Virginia Department of Transportation plans to replace the interim trail section between Blake Lane and Nutley Street near Vienna Metro with a permanent off-road shared-use path. Construction is expected to begin in 2027.

VDOT spokesperson Ellen Kamilakis said the agency plans to meet with the community before construction begins and will maintain bicycle and pedestrian access throughout. “The cycle track along Country Creek Road and Virginia Center Boulevard will be shifted during construction, but will be maintained,” Kamilakis said. Sutton Road’s bike lanes will remain available as well, though their striped buffer from vehicular traffic will be removed temporarily.