Plan or program · on the record since 2024 · discussed in 14 transcribed meetings

Northern Virginia Transportation Authority

The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) is a regional body that funds and coordinates transportation projects across Northern Virginia, including in the City of Fairfax.

Project

George Snyder Trail

denied

The George Snyder Trail was a planned shared-use trail project (VDOT UPC 112816) in the City of Fairfax intended to improve multimodal connectivity. The project drew sustained and significant public opposition throughout 2025 and into 2026.

Jan 13, 2026City Council · item 7e
Public Hearing and Council Action on a Grant Supplemental Appropriation Resolution – $4,600,000 from Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Concession Funding for the George Snyder Trail
Staff noted that NVTA recommended approval of the $4.6 million funding request to the Commonwealth Transportation Board on November 13, and the CTB approved it on January 6, 2026, prior to the failed City Council vote.
failedApprove the supplemental appropriation resolution in the amount of $4,600,000 from Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Concession Funding for the George Snyder Trail
✓ Amos✓ Bates✕ Hall✓ Hardy-Chandler✕ McQuillen✕ Peterson
minutes agenda

Other mentions

Dec 10, 2024City Council · item 7c
Consideration of Resolution R-24-33 to Approve the City's Submission to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for $1,000,000 in FY 25-30 Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) Funding
The City's submission to NVTA for $1,000,000 in FY 25-30 Regional Surface Transportation Program funding was approved.
Watch this moment minutes agenda
Jun 24, 2025City Council · item 5a
Brief Discussion on the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Action Plan
NVTA's Planning Coordination Advisory Committee meeting on June 25, 2025 at 2600 Park Tower Drive, Suite 601, Vienna, VA was noted as the venue for the BRT Action Plan endorsement vote.
Watch this moment minutes agenda
Nov 18, 2025City Council · item 6f
Consideration of a Resolution to Approve the City's Submission to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for $1,000,000 in FY 27-32 RSTP Funding
The City approved its submission to NVTA for $1,000,000 in FY 27-32 Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) funding.
minutes agenda

In full

The City has an ongoing relationship with NVTA involving recurring Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) funding submissions: a $1,000,000 FY 25-30 RSTP submission was approved unanimously by Council on December 10, 2024, and a $1,000,000 FY 27-32 RSTP submission was approved unanimously on November 18, 2025. A major thread is NVTA's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Action Plan, which identifies approximately 28 corridors in Northern Virginia and recommends BRT service along two corridors passing through the City of Fairfax; the plan's framework was approved by NVTA's Planning Coordination Advisory Committee in late June/early July 2025, though the conclusions and recommendations were placed in draft form pending further consideration of technical and policy issues. A separate and contentious matter involved $4.6 million in Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Concession Funding (routed through NVTA and the Commonwealth Transportation Board) for the George Snyder Trail: NVTA recommended approval on November 13, 2025, the CTB approved it on January 6, 2026, but the City Council's supplemental appropriation resolution to accept the funds failed 3-3 on January 13, 2026.

To date, NVTA has invested $125 million in the City of Fairfax from its regional 70% fund, and an additional $33 million from its 30% local distribution, with NVTA CEO Monica Backman presenting to the Council on the BRT Action Plan on June 23, 2026.

Status

Still open

The George Snyder Trail $4.6 million supplemental appropriation failed 3-3 on January 13, 2026 — it is unresolved whether the City will reconsider or pursue alternative paths to accept or return those funds.
The NVTA BRT Action Plan's conclusions and recommendations remain in draft form as of July 2025 pending resolution of technical and policy concerns — final endorsement status and any City Council action in response are not yet recorded.
The City's participation in or response to the broader DMV Moves regional BRT framework (targeting 6-7 corridors for implementation within 6-7 years) has not been formally decided.
Whether the City will formally adopt language supportive of the DMV Moves funding framework for WMATA/NVTA/MBTA, as recommended by staff following the mayor's request after an NVTC meeting, is not yet resolved (discussed December 9, 2025).

What members have said

Peterson
Councilmember Peterson briefed the Council on June 24, 2025 that the NVTA Planning Coordination Advisory Committee would vote on endorsing the BRT Action Plan the following day, noting the plan includes the City of Fairfax. Peterson serves on NVTA's policy committee and subsequently reported back (July 8, 2025) that the committee approved the action plan framework but placed the conclusions and recommendations in draft due to technical and public policy concerns shared by virtually all committee members. As of February 2026, Peterson was noted as being knowledgeable about the NVTA BRT corridor identification process.
Amos
Voted yes on January 13, 2026 on the motion to approve the $4,600,000 supplemental appropriation from Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Concession Funding for the George Snyder Trail.
Bates
Voted yes on January 13, 2026 on the motion to approve the $4,600,000 supplemental appropriation from Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Concession Funding for the George Snyder Trail.
Hardy-Chandler
Voted yes on January 13, 2026 on the motion to approve the $4,600,000 supplemental appropriation from Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Concession Funding for the George Snyder Trail.
Hall
Voted no on January 13, 2026 on the motion to approve the $4,600,000 supplemental appropriation from Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Concession Funding for the George Snyder Trail.
McQuillen
Voted no on January 13, 2026 on the motion to approve the $4,600,000 supplemental appropriation from Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Concession Funding for the George Snyder Trail.
Peterson
Voted no on January 13, 2026 on the motion to approve the $4,600,000 supplemental appropriation from Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Concession Funding for the George Snyder Trail, contributing to the 3-3 failure of the motion.

Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.

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