Synthetic Turf Fields

Want to Play on Synthetic Turf?

Search for a location suited to your interest by viewing a list of our rectangular fields and diamond fields. You can also visit our online services page to request a field permit.

View a map of synthetic fields

Advantages of Synthetic Turf 

Synthetic turf is a grass-like surface material made of synthetic fibers that replicates natural grass. However, unlike natural grass, synthetic turf is very durable. A synthetic turf field can support as much as five times the amount of play as natural grass, even in bad weather, without degrading the field. There are many benefits of synthetic turf fields, including:

• Rain drains off of the field quickly, so it can be used all year round in a variety of weather conditions.
• Synthetic turf fields maintain their resilient qualities over time and will not stiffen, thus enabling athletes to enjoy a consistent natural bounce to the surface throughout the life of the field.
• Maintenance is minimal; there is no mowing, irrigation, fertilization, weed control, aeration or over-seeding required.

Background

Like many urban and suburban areas, the use of Arlington‘s grass fields far exceeded the amount of play that the fields could provide and still remain in good condition. Arlington was on a continual cycle of removing fields from play to install new sod; aerating, fertilizing, and reseeding to try and maintain that sod; still seeing the turf die from overuse; and then restarting the whole process over again.

Synthetic Turf Fields in Arlington

All of Arlington’s synthetic turf fields adhere to Synthetic Turf Council (STC) Guidelines and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) requirements, including those for physical property characteristics, permeability, relative abrasiveness, lead content and impact attenuation. Each field is tested annually to ensure it meets or exceeds national standards for shock absorption and impact attenuation.

Arlington is strategically, but cautiously, moving forward with its use of synthetic turf for athletic fields. Arlington County uses no materials from recycled tires in its synthetic turf fields. Rubber-like materials in Arlington’s synthetic turf fields use a virgin material manufactured expressly for the purpose of providing a high-quality playing surface in athletic fields. With the replacement of the stadium athletic field at Washington-Liberty High School and the two fields at Williamsburg Middle School, Arlington County is testing an entirely organic product as the infill material. The advantage of this infill is that it is entirely organic and significantly cooler in the summer months and can be easily recycled as landscape mulch at the end of the field’s life.

Turf Safety

Arlington County is committed to the safety of our patrons and maintains Arlington County fields to meet the highest standards for synthetic turf safety. More than 50 independent and credible studies from groups such as the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and statewide governmental agencies such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Department of Health and the California Environmental Protection Agency, have validated the safety of synthetic turf.  The County continues to monitor information on synthetic turf and will take appropriate action based on government recommendations. Read Arlington County Public Health Synthetic Turf FAQ(PDF, 109KB).