ALEXANDRIA, Va. — On the morning of July 9, 2019, a storm dropped 2 inches of rain in less than one hour on Holmes Run. The flash flood damaged the newly reconstructed Homles Run Trail (aka Holmes Run Greenway) including near the Ripley Street Bridge. The portion had only opened the previous fall after a new bridge replaced a fair weather ford. The trail was cut-off under Van Dorn Street and Interstate 395.
Over six years later (about 75 months) the trail finally reopened between Ripley Street and Beauregard Street in mid-September. It took 18 more months than projected in 2023.1 Did I address my concerns with the former mayor of Alexandria, Justin Wilson at Bike to Work Day?2 Yes I did.
The reopening came too late for the 2025 swimming club season – two pool clubs are located right off the trail just over border in Fairfax County. Bicycling is often faster than driving from the Seminary Valley area. At least it is was open for autumn foliage which is quite spectacular along parts of the trail in Fairfax County.
The bridge near Duke Street reopened in 2024 after being condemned in 2019.
Now, all that’s left is the construction west of Beauregard Street near Dora Kelly Park. That reopening is scheduled for 2026.
Footnotes
- A 2024 open hours on the project was mostly Alexandrians complaining to the engineers about the long duration. They earned the scorn. ↩︎
- I also talked to him about keeping the 8W bus line, to no avail. Any wonder he decided not to run again. However, he’s now running Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority, so I don’t think he’s heard the last of me… ↩︎