Project Overview

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The Anacostia Riverwalk Trail serves as a backbone of the Anacostia Waterfront, connecting residents, visitors and communities to the river, one another and numerous commercial and recreational destinations.

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Once complete, the trail will provide seamless, scenic travel for pedestrians and bicyclists along the river to the Fish Market, Nationals Park, Historic Anacostia, RFK Stadium, the National Arboretum and 16 communities between the National Mall at the Tidal Basin and Bladensburg Marina Park in Maryland. To date, 19.5 of the ultimate 28 miles of the Riverwalk Trail are open and heavily used.

Along the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, on both sides of the Anacostia River just north of the John Philip Sousa Bridge, are two fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP), weathering steel bridges that allow bicyclists and pedestrians to cross over CSX railroad tracks.

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Construction on the 4-mile Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens Segment of the Riverwalk Trail started in Spring 2014. This portion extends from Benning Road NE to the Bladensburg Trail in Maryland and was completed in 2016.

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Other segments to complete the Riverwalk Trail are to be constructed as part of the Buzzard Point Trail Project, South Capitol Street Trail Project, Arboretum Bridge & Trail Project and Lincoln Connector Trail Project. 

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Key Project Elements

• Installed shared-use paths and educational signage;

• Enhance trail viewsheds to bring users closer to the water’s edge; and

• Minimize impacts of paving or other trail infrastructure on the natural environment.