Mile Markers Proposed for Holmes Run Trail

Advocates for Holmes Run Park Trail are pushing to install mile markers along the West End greenway to quicken emergency response times.

Elizabeth Wright, chairwoman of the Holmes Run Park Committee, said the least expensive and easiest option would be to paint markers on the trail pavement, which would save money compared to installing signs.

The makers would make it easier to pinpoint locations of suspicious activity or cyclist accidents, Wright said.

“They won’t have to ask you what the cross streets are, because if you’re a cyclist, you probably don’t know,” she said.

Wright said she would like to have the pavement marked every tenth of a mile. She has been working with Jonathan Krall, chairman of the volunteer Alexandria Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Krall said the lack of mile markers is a problem for trails throughout the community.

“Sometimes people get hurt, and it’s very difficult for emergency services to find people on the trails,” Krall said. “… So, if you have mile markers that are tied to mapping services, it makes it easier to find people on the trails.”

The markers could also help police response. Two women were attacked on the trail earlier this year.

The first assault occurred Sept. 12. a man grabbed an early-morning female jogger from behind on the bike path by the parkway. The woman screamed and broke free from the suspect.

On Oct. 3, a man attempted to sexually assault a woman who was walking in the 5300 block of Holmes Run Parkway. The incident occurred at about 9:45 p.m. in a wooded area just south of the creek.

Police stepped up their presence on the trail following the attacks. No arrests have been made in either case.

Jack Browand, Alexandria Department of Parks and Recreation spokesman, said all options are potential. If a formal request to mark the trail is submitted, he said, his department would work with the Transportation and Environmental Services Department to determine the best outcome.

“When we get these kinds of requests, we would talk to the various agencies involved and come up with the best solution possible,” Browand said.

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