Custis Trail repaving

[David Goodman]

I just read the that a segment of the Custis Trail will be milled and repaved in early December. 

While we should appreciate the maintenance, December is less than ideal weather for paving. Typically the ambient temp should be more that 50 degrees for an extended period of time. Otherwise the asphalt might fail or degrade sooner than it should. (This is why DES doesn't do any of its regular repacing projects during the fall.) So why would DPR take its already limited trail maintenance money and risk wasting it like that? Better the work should be deferred until warmer weather in the spring.

"These are the Daves I know..."

[Peter Stokely]

This section does not need to be remilled, it is brand new.  This must be a mistake or I am reading the map incorrectly. 

“Bikes add to a love of place. They enhance your capacity to love where you are.” 

John Hickenlooper Former Governor of Colorado

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[Cynthia Palmer]

How very peculiar. I ride through there all the time and have not noticed any need for repaving...

Either it's in good shape or I need to pay more attention and get more picky about my trail surfaces! :)

I can think of much more problematic (and dangerous) sections of trail that could use some attention.

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[Steve Offutt]

I agree. That section was all completely rehabbed not that long ago

Who should be notified to stop?

Steve O

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On November 25, 2025, at 17:57, 'Cynthia Palmer' via Arlington BAC <arling...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

How very peculiar. I ride through there all the time and have not noticed =

any need for repaving...Either it's in good shape or I need to pay more att=

ention and get more picky about my trail surfaces! :)I can think of much mo=

re problematic (and dangerous) sections of trail that could use some attent=

ion.

    On Tuesday, November 25, 2025 at 05:41:37 PM EST, Peter Stokely <peters=

tok...@gmail.com> wrote: =20

=20

This section does=C2=A0not need to be remilled, it is brand new.=C2=A0 Thi=

s must be a mistake or I am reading the map=C2=A0incorrectly.=C2=A0

=E2=80=9CBikes add to a love of place. They enhance your capacityto love wh=

ere you are.=E2=80=9D=C2=A0

John Hickenlooper Former Governor of Colorado

On Tue, Nov 25, 2025 at 5:14=E2=80=AFPM David Goodman <daa...@gmail.com> w=

rote:

I just read the that a segment of the Custis Trail will be milled and repav=

ed in early December.=C2=A0

While we should appreciate the maintenance, December is less than ideal wea=

ther for paving. Typically the ambient temp should be more that 50 degrees =

for an extended period of time. Otherwise the asphalt might fail or degrade=

sooner than it should. (This is why DES doesn't do any of its regular repa=

cing projects during the fall.) So why would DPR take its already limited t=

rail maintenance money and risk wasting it like that? Better the work shoul=

d be deferred until warmer weather in the spring.

"These are the Daves I know..."

--=20

~

Please make sure you intend to send your message to the WHOLE list before y=

ou simply hit reply & send. Thanks!

=C2=A0

Ride safe, have fun. You are loved.

=C2=A0

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "=

Arlington BAC" group.=20

- To post to this group, send email to arling...@googlegroups.com

=C2=A0

- For more options, visit this group at

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--=20

~

Please make sure you intend to send your message to the WHOLE list before y=

ou simply hit reply & send. Thanks!

=C2=A0

Ride safe, have fun. You are loved.

=C2=A0

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "=

Arlington BAC" group.=20

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=C2=A0

- For more options, visit this group at

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om.

=20

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[Reese]

I use this part of the Custis at least once weekly. I don’t use the whole thing. Mostly just from the ped bridge east to Ohio and sometimes beyond. 

There is one section that was completely replaced a couple of months ago. It is the section that forks off north towards Ohio Street. 

As far as I know nothing else there has been replaced in the last year. 

Some portions of the main trail (not the forks leading off the trail) have some minor bumps/cracks in the asphalt that aren’t too bad. They are the kind that wouldn’t mind it if they were fixed but wouldn’t be too bummed if they weren’t. There are a couple though that do slow one down quite a bit and could use fixing. 

-Reese

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 25, 2025, at 7:31 PM, Steve Offutt <st...@offuttemail.com> wrote:



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[Dana]

So in addition to the idea of paving in the winter, the County's pavement condition report done in 2022 shows this portion of the trail as in "good" condition

https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Parks-Recreation/Locations/Off-street-trails/Trail-Pavement-Condition

While it was done in 2022, the data set does not appear to have been updated to reflect paving and restoration efforts performed since the survey was completed.

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[Cynthia Palmer]

That's really interesting, Dana.

I rode the segment again yesterday and would rate it as very good. There are some minor cracks in the asphalt, but such cracks are standard on most any trail or road in the county. And as Reese and others note, some of this section is brand new. 

I never race downhill on this segment due to the potential for trail debris, especially on the lower end -- walnuts and suchlike from the trees -- but the trail itself seems solid and not in need of repair... and certainly not in need of off-season repaving.

Does anyone have a high-ranking contact in DPR?

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[Aaron Schuetz]

Hi all,  happy Thanksgiving. 

I got an email from the county about this. It seems to include more than just repaving (see text below), but I agree this segment isn't the priority.  And i can't find any design plans for this work to see how extensive/ useful the work may be.

Aaron 

From the county:

Custis Trail West Milling & Repaving Update

Contractors will begin milling and repaving work on a western segment of the Custis Trail this December to improve alignment, accessibility, and overall trail conditions. 

While work takes place on the Custis Trail West segment, the trail will be closed and trail users are encouraged to use alternative routes.

Custis Trail West

Location: Between 18th Street N to N McKinley St

Date: On or about December 8-10, 2025, weather permitting

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On Thu, Nov 27, 2025 at 7:45 AM, 'Cynthia Palmer' via Arlington BAC

<arling...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/arlington-bac/1109235451.938593.1764247526296%40mail.yahoo.com.

[Steve Offutt]

Hello Elwyn,
If I recall, you were the project manager for the Custis Trail needs assessment report. 
Can you please get in touch with the requisite authorities and find out why this is being done. 
The BAC and its members are familiar with this segment of the trail and are of the opinion that whatever resources are being directed towards it could be more effectively deployed elsewhere; there are lots of other trail segments that are in greater need of rehab.

Also, this once again underscores the waste and inefficiencies that can arise from not sharing bicycle-related projects with the BAC. Had we been included collaboratively on plans like these, we could have provided on-the-ground insight into conditions, needs, etc. In the past, this was considered a key aspect of the Bicycle ADVISORY committee: to advise.

Please communicate ASAP with whomever is in charge of this project (it is not easily findable on the ArlCo website) to learn more about the decision-making process.

All that said, my memory was off a bit. It seems the Custis Spurt was repaved in 2016, so 9 years ago. Hopefully that means that other trail segments that have pavement that is 9 years old or older will be addressed soon as well.

Cheers,
Steve

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