The Greenway actively pursues strategies to prevent Environmental problems

Toll Road Investors Partnership II, L.P. (TRIP II), the owner of the Dulles Greenway, is keenly aware of its environmental responsibilities. TRIP II has focused on identifying & actively pursuing strategies to prevent any negative environmental impact…throughout the design, construction, and on-going operations of the Greenway.

Protection of Goose Creek

An example of this is the protection of Goose Creek. The main issue of concern surrounding Goose Creek is erosion & sediment control. TRIP II has implemented diversion dikes, silt fences, sediment traps, and vegetative soil stabilization to reduce the possibility of major sediment problems. These mitigating steps cost $1.5 million more than expected.

Doubling of Wetlands

While the Greenway’s construction resulted in the loss of roughly 64 acres of federally-protected wetlands, under an Army Corp of Engineers 404 permit, TRIP II mitigated that loss by establishing 149 acres of new wetlands. This mitigation represents a 2:1 replacement ratio for forested wetlands, and a 1.5:1 replacement ratio for emergent wetlands.

Vibrant Wildlife

In recent years, local conservancy groups have been monitoring the Greenway Wetlands for all kinds of wildlife, including birds & butterflies. The Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy--with the assistance of the local Audubon Society--has conducted thorough animal counts…and currently has sited red foxes, deer, painted turtles, snapping turtles, box turtles, great blue herons, American egrets, green herons, mallard ducks, black ducks, green teals, red tailed hawks, snipe, sandpipers, and American Bald Eagles.

Tree Reforestation

TRIP II provided more than a 1:1 acreage replacement of trees that were cleared outside the Dulles Greenway right-of-way. A plan was developed, in cooperation with the official State Forester, to reforest a few large areas, rather than several small areas. This enabled greater survivability of newly indigenous trees, improved wildlife opportunities, and a greater buffer for landowners. In this large area, 2 to 3-year-old seedlings of native species were planted at a density of approximately 622 trees per/acre.