The Fairfax City Council on Jan. 13 rejected a staff request to appropriate $4,600,000 in Transform 66 concessionaire funding to cover a construction shortfall on the George Snyder Trail, then voted to cancel the project.

City Chief Financial Officer J.C. Martinez told the council that recent construction bids exceeded the project's remaining budget and that an additional $4.6 million was needed to complete the work, including contingency, construction management and VDOT oversight. Martinez said NVTA had recommended the funding and the Commonwealth Transportation Board approved the request on Jan. 6, 2026. "The estimate to complete the project with additional costs will exceed the remaining budget by $4,600,000," he said.

The public hearing drew 35 pre-registered speakers and two video testimonies who largely divided into supporters and opponents. Supporters told council that the trail would provide off-road connections, improve safety and support local businesses; Tom Ross warned the council that failing to appropriate funds could place the city "in jeopardy of paying back up to 3,700,000.0" already expended on the project. Opponents raised environmental concerns — including the removal of mature trees, impacts to stream and floodplain areas, and long-term maintenance obligations — and questioned whether the trail's design and cost were appropriate for a largely wooded corridor.

Council debate focused on three areas: fiscal risk, environmental and maintenance costs, and the city's reputational relationships with regional funders. Councilmember McQuillan said she had reviewed the record and visited the alignment in rain to assess stormwater impacts, and concluded that "cost escalation, environmental complexity and long term obligations matter." Councilmember Amos said the decision was difficult but emphasized the reputational and partnership stakes with regional bodies. After discussion, the roll call on the appropriation produced a 3–3 tie (Ayes: Council members Amos, Hardy Chandler, Bates; Noes: Council members Hall, Peterson, McClellan), and the appropriation failed.

With no appropriation in hand, staff recommended replacing the next agenda item (a contract award) with a resolution to cancel the project. Council voted unanimously to amend the agenda and then adopted the cancellation resolution. The roll call on the resolution was: McQuillan Aye, Bates Aye, Peterson Aye, Hardy Chandler No, Hall Aye, Amos Nay; the resolution carried, directing staff to undertake actions necessary to cancel the George Snyder Trail (UPC 0112816) and noting the city is aware of potential financial consequences of cancellation.

City staff and VDOT said any future effort to pursue a new or modified trail alignment would need to be treated as a new project, starting with concept planning and seeking funding through the normal program. VDOT staff told the council that the current project design could not be modified under the existing funding framework; a restart would require a new application and process.

Next steps directed by council were procedural: staff should stop additional discretionary expenditures to the extent possible and begin the administrative steps needed to cancel the project and close out records with VDOT and other partners. The council made no additional commitments on whether it would pursue alternative, lower-cost connections or begin a new project application.

The hearing and votes reflected strong and sustained community engagement on both sides. Several speakers referenced decades of planning and prior council actions while others urged the city to protect mature forest and floodplain features. The council's action ends the current project; any new proposal or funding pursuit would be treated as a distinct undertaking.