Scope
A major component developed in the AWI Framework Plan is a comprehensive trail system, including bicycle and pedestrian trails along the Anacostia River. This system of trails, if built, would total approximately 48 miles in length. Among the first of the AWI Framework Plan’s revitalization efforts to be funded is a portion of the Riverwalk. This project, named the Anacostia Riverwalk (ARW), does not include the entire Riverwalk length as defined in the AWI, but would be a fundamental building block of the larger trail system.

Purpose
The purpose of the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail (ARW) is to provide a safe and convenient means for park visitors to access the Anacostia waterfront and enjoy Anacostia Park. In order to do so, the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the National Park Service (NPS) plan to construct a trail system that would provide bicyclists and pedestrians with:

• Nearly continuous access to the east side of the river from South Capitol Street to the Bladensburg Trail in Maryland;
• Continuous access to the west side of the river from 11th Street to Benning Road; and
• Safe and convenient access points to enter the Park from the surrounding neighborhoods.

The ARW would also provide interconnectivity between the Bladensburg Trail in Maryland, the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Anacostia Park on the east side of the river, Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (RFK) and the Washington Naval Yard on the west side, and several neighborhoods, intersecting bridges, and main roads.

Environmental Review
The National Park Service (NPS) and the District Department of Transportation have prepared an Environmental Assessment that analyzes potential impacts of the proposed alternatives on the human environment in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The Environmental Assessment documents the evaluation of the potential effects resulting from implementation of this trail plan, identified as the ARW, and the proposed mitigation for unavoidable impacts.

The environmental document is posted for public review on the DDOT and NPS websites.