I was intrigued by your article “Georgetown Pike Gets Walkable” (Connection, Oct. 30) noting the “hard work of many people including the Great Falls Citizen Association.” When my wife and I built our dream house in Great Falls in 1983-84, we were told that there were plans for walking trails to the Great Falls Park, Riverbend Park, and the shopping center. Riverbend Road, Arnon Chapel Road, and Walker Road were main routes under consideration. Now, over 35 years later, folks are taking pride in a trail out to the Seneca Center and on to Sterling. I can’t even walk to Arnon Cemetery and the kids still need buses to get to the Elementary school. Only the Sterling business have benefited. Many opportunities were lost as water pipes with fireplugs were installed along Arnon Chapel Road, as well as fiber optic communications lines. Trees were continually cleared beneath the power lines. Riverbend Road is now the route for buried power lines. Any of these projects could have included a trail instead of restoration to a natural state.

Gene Phillip

Great Falls