Environmental Assessment for the Belmont Ferry Farm Trail


Stafford County is proposing to construct Phase IV of the Belmont Ferry Farm Trail system - an
approximately 3,300 linear foot, 10-foot wide asphalt multi-use trail section along River Road in
Fredericksburg. Approximately 2,000 linear feet of the trail would cross National Park Service (NPS)
property at Chatham Manor, part of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. The trail
would connect the sidewalk at the State Route 3 Bridge over the Rappahannock River with an established
trail at John Lee Pratt Memorial Park. The National Park Service must approve the use of its property for
the trail.

The trail would be part of the Belmont Ferry Farm Trail, of which several phases have already been
constructed, and additional phases are planned for the future. This trail system would connect several
properties on the National Register of Historic Places (NHRP), namely Belmont (artist Gari Melcher's
home and studio), Chatham Manor, Ferry Farm (George Washington's boyhood home), and the Moncure
Conway House (part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom), as well as the Historic
Port of Falmouth. The purpose of the fourth phase is to provide bicycle and pedestrian access from State
Route 3 to both the Chatham Manor property and John Lee Pratt Memorial Park, and to provide another
link in the Belmont Ferry Farm Trail system and other trails within Stafford County and the City of
Fredericksburg, and to the larger Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. The proposed project is also
needed to implement an NPS Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park General Management
Plan goal to cooperatively develop a trail along the bluffs and riverside from Chatham to Falmouth (NPS,
July 1996).

This environmental assessment (EA) analyzes the impacts of the No Action and Proposed Action
alternatives on, floodplains and wetlands, soils, vegetation, water resources, wildlife and fisheries,
cultural resources, archaeological resources, cultural landscapes, historical resources, park facilities and
operations, visitor use and experience, human health and safety, and transportation. Under the No Action
Alternative, the trail would not be constructed. Under the Proposed Action Alternative, the trail would be
constructed across Chatham Manor property, adjacent to the southwest side of River Road in the
floodplain portion of the property.
 
Comment Period: Closed        Dec 9, 2014 - Feb 10, 2015
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