Four Mile Run Park Trail Resurfacing Work (Alexandria Side) 7/21/16

Some of the paving has been completed. The remaining paving should be completed early next week.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12207[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12206[/ATTACH]

The desire path has been repaved, but couldn’t the path have been bent just a bit to miss the utility cover? This and the multiple utility access points in the middle of the Potomac Yard trail make me wonder if any of the decision makers utilize these trails.

@KWL 143774 wrote:

… make me wonder if any of the decision makers utilize these trails.

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! Good one!

@peterw_diy 143775 wrote:

How are the shoulders? Lately some of Alexandria’s MUP repaving has created some seriously steep (>65deg), tall (>3″) shoulders that are likely to cause wipeouts and injuries for anyone who wanders off the trail, as kids tend to do.

But Potomac Yard is the worst, especially the sections that abutt the free on-street parking, where car doors are frequent hazards for southbound traffic — Potomac Yard has included hazards since opening day.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12225[/ATTACH]

@KWL 143774 wrote:

The desire path has been repaved, but couldn’t the path have been bent just a bit to miss the utility cover? This and the multiple utility access points in the middle of the Potomac Yard trail make me wonder if any of the decision makers utilize these trails.

Here is some background on the desire path and the entire project.

Back in April, BPAC and a representative from the Four Mile Run Community reached out to City staff to see if some fixes could be made to the Four Mile Run Park Trail before the detour was put in place on the Arlington side. Staff agreed to look at options and agreed to go on a bike ride to see the conditions of the trail.

Following the ride, BPAC provided the following list of suggested fixes:

• Repave the entire Four Mile Run Park Trail that was not repaved during the Wetlands restoration project
• Pave the existing gravel paths from Bruce to Four Mile Run Park Trail
• Repave the path that runs from Mount Vernon Avenue to the south of the community building to the Four Mile Run Park Trail
• Realign and pave the desire path running from the Four Mile Run Trail up to the Route 1 Bridge. The current path is too narrow and does not provide safe sightlines. The new alignment should move the path further from the Four Mile Run Stream
• Install wayfinding from the Arlington County side at the Mount Vernon and Route 1 Bridges directing users to and from the Four Mile Run Park Trail
• Install signs on Mount Vernon Avenue that bikes may use the full lane (These have been installed)
• Install signs along the trail reminding all users of proper trail etiquette
• Traffic light at Four Mile Run and Mount Vernon should be reprogrammed to be automatic and not require the desire button to be pushed
• Relocate the northbound WMATA bus stop on Mount Vernon that is located just south of the parking lot for the park

While the City was receptive to the list and some of the fixes have already occurred or are still being considered, some fixes will not happen this year. The most notable of these is the realignment of the desire path and fully repaving the trail. In order to realign the path, engineering and environmental studies need to be completed. The desire path was identified in the Pedestrian and Bicycle Chapter of the Transportation Master Plan as priority trail project, but the study has not begun nor has funding been found to pay for the work. Also, the gravel paths from Bruce Street will not be repaved. These paths are on private property and the owner did not want them to be paved.

I would agree in a perfect world that no trail should have any utility boxes located within the trail, the reality is that rarely if ever happens. However, I would note that this utility cover is the only one on the main part of the Four Mile Park Trail. I rode over the cover today and did not find it to be that bad, especially considering some of the covers on other trails or in bike lanes throughout the area. Prior to widening the path, the utility cover was off to the side of the trail. The net benefit of a wider path and smoother transition points at the Route 1 Bridge and the main trail, I believe offset the fact riders have a utility cover to ride over.