Starting next week, a portion of the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail near Newington will be closed as part of a major wastewater rehabilitation project from Fairfax County.
The Fairfax County Park Authority said a portion of the trail in Pohick Stream Valley Park will be closed starting Monday, March 17, between Cliff Forest Drive and Wadebrook Terrace.
The closure will allow the county to replace the Pohick Interceptor, a sanitary sewer pipe that runs through the area, extending the life of the infrastructure by approximately 50 years and cut down on the need for emergency repairs.
“This project involves the renewal of approximately 6,500 linear feet of large-diameter sanitary sewer pipe and associated maintenance hole structures to ensure continued safe and reliable wastewater service for Fairfax County residents,” the county’s website said.
A release said the portion of the trail will be fully closed for three months during the construction phase, but after that, a detour will be placed along Pohick Road.
The project is expected to be finished by winter 2026.
“Once work at the northern end of the project area is complete, a detour along Pohick Road will be in effect for approximately 12 to 15 months, while the remaining rehabilitation is completed,” the release said. “Depending on weather conditions, construction is expected to conclude in winter 2026.”
In total, the Cross County Trail is more than 40 miles long, spanning the entire county from the Potomac River in Great Falls Park to the north to the Occoquan River in Occoquan Regional Park in the south.
Photo via Fairfax County Park Authority/Facebook
