Council Deadlocked On Fate Of George Snyder Trail Project

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Work on the George Snyder Trail could be canceled, move forward or end up still approved but unfunded, depending on how the Fairfax City Council decides to address a $4.6 million funding gap for the controversial project.

As of Tuesday night, it appeared that the council was deadlocked in a 3-3 tie regarding whether to fund construction or cancel the project, both of which would require a vote to appropriate money.

In an Oct. 20 memo, former City Manager Bryan Foster, who retired on Oct. 31, notified the mayor and council that the city had received two construction bids for the project, $18.8 million and $17.1 million. Both amounts exceeded the $16 million in unspent funds available in the project account.

"The construction phase cost of the project includes the bid amount, plus third-party construction management, VDOT oversight, and contingency is expected to be $20.6 million, meaning $4.6 million in additional funding is needed," Foster wrote.

During two work sessions on Oct. 25 and Nov. 4, council members discussed four options that Foster presented to the council.

1. Fund the difference with $4.6 million of city funds.
2. Request additional concessionaire funding from VDOT. There is $6.6 million remaining in the concessionaire account that is available for distribution to eligible projects. This would require the city to make such a request and then approval by RJACC (committee of NVTA), the NVTA Board, and the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB). This would take about three months.
3. Value-engineer the plans to remove/reduce items and rebid. This would require VDOT review and approval — an approximate six-to-eight month timeframe. This cost would be paid for with either available concessionaire funds or available C&I funds [construction and industrial loans].
4. Cancel the project, which subjects the city to repayment of all funds spent to date.

Foster recommended Option 2, since it would not incur additional expenses or require the city to repay money that had already been spent on the project.

In order for the project to proceed, four council members would need to vote for an appropriation of funds to either pay VDOT back the $3.7 million in concessionnaire funding the city has already spent or to finance construction of the trail.

Council Members Anthony Amos, Billy Bates, and Stacey Hardy-Chandler made it clear during both work sessions that they weren't in favor of Option 4, canceling the project entirely.

Also See ...

• George Snyder Trail Bids $4.6M Higher Than Expected
• New Acting City Manager Appointed Following Foster's Departure
• Fairfax City Council Votes On Hybrid Option For Controversial George Snyder Trail
• Fairfax City Gets 3rd Option, Shorter Deadline For Controversial George Snyder Trail Project

"I cannot in good conscience support canceling this project due to my concerns about leaving bicyclists without safe, dedicated bike lanes or shared use path facilities along this key segment of Fairfax Boulevard," Bates said, in an email to Patch. "If the funding shortfall is covered by additional concessionaire funding, this will be an entirely grant-funded project. That is an opportunity I cannot pass up."

In June, the council voted 4 to 2 on a motion to build the entire George Snyder Trail, with Amos, Bates, Hardy-Chandler and McQuillen voting for approval and Hall and Peterson voting in opposition.

It was unclear which of the options McQuillen or Council Members Stacy Hall and Tom Peterson supported. Patch reached out to the three council members for comment, but no responses were received. If responses are received, they will be added to this story.

"The mayor can't break a tie on appropriating dollars over $500, cannot break a tie on borrowing money, and cannot break a tie on levying taxes," City Attorney Brian Lubeken said, during Tuesday's meeting. "Those are the three categories of items that the mayor cannot break a tie on."

The city attorney raised another possible scenario for the future of the George Snyder Trail project.

"It doesn't happen very often, but you're left with this potential dichotomy where a project can proceed, but the funding isn't there, or a project is canceled, but the funding isn't there to repay the amounts that are due," Lubeken said. "Had the bids come in at or below the currently appropriated funds, we would not have an additional vote other than approving the contract, which the mayor could break the tie on."

Since the city received the two construction bids on Oct. 14 and has 90 days to respond, the council has until Jan. 12, 2026 to make a decision.

At the end of Tuesday's discussion, the council left it to Mayor Catherine Read to see if VDOT was willing to provide the extra concessionaire funding if the council chose Option 2. She is expected to make that inquiry at the Nov. 13 NVTA Board meeting and report back VDOT's response.