2-Wk Custis Trail Detour, Aug 24-Sep 6

New detour is poorly marked. Heading NW on W&OD there are no signs after one goes under Wilson Blvd to indicate that this would be a good place to turn if one wanted the Custis Trail. I knew I would need to, so I did. They have blocked off twice the width of the bike lane, but have a sign to tell cyclists to dismount (why? Isn’t that why it was blocked off?). When reaching N. Lexington St, there is a sign to turn left on to it. There are no other signs what to do next. Since I know that there is a trail through Bon Air park that ends at a T on the trail near the overpass I take that. Well, at the T it is blocked. It is also blocked in the other direction at N. Lexington. It looks like the intention was for people to take N Lexington to the trail and go to the overpass.

Other people were confused. There was one person walking their bike overland from the area of the shelter, I gather from the W&OD-Custis intersection. There were several people at the blocked trail and the N Lexington entrance. So, I am guessing that it is poorly marked at that location and at the Custis intersection.

Who designs these detours and signs them? There needs to be signs at least:
*NW direction of trail after Wilson underpass;
*Signs on N Lexington to indicate that it is the direction at the Bon Air parking lot entrances (both of them);
*More signs explaining the detour at the N Lexington entrance to the trail in both directions;
*Remove the dismount sign; and
*I am guessing more signs at the W&OD-Custis intersection.

Poor detour signage is a constant problem, and it happens every.single.time.

I do not know what is so hard about someone actually getting on a bike and riding along (or walking if they don’t have a bike), following the signs, to see if they work. That would seem to be something that should be standard practice for immediately after the signs are placed.

@Henry 202095 wrote:

DrP, I forwarded your comments to DES staff, who said they are working with VDOT improving the detour signage. Thanks for providing this information.

Henry

Well, there are now two signs on Lexington to help guide, if one is on the sidewalk, and the “walk bike” sign removed, so some progress. There is nothing at the split at the top of the hill (when coming from the W&OD) and nothing to tell someone heading west that one needs to turn after the Wilson underpass – if I didn’t know, I would ride to the Custis trail then have to turn around and go back.

This should be done soon, right?

I like the expanded pavement area which will make it easier to negotiate the “S” turn. I’m not sure I see the benefit of the raised curb circle in the middle of it.

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@Starduster 202223 wrote:

We have a traffic circle on a bike path.

We have a traffic circle on a bike path!

Is this new design practice?

I’ve seen it in Massachusetts (Cape Cod) where two trails merge, but not locally.

Racers on road bikes will hate the circle.

Every other casual rider will love it.

@Sunyata 202245 wrote:

Mountain bikers on commuter bikes will also love it.
#WWDD

It appears that the Elite button is back.

@dbb 202259 wrote:

I rode it in the dark, for the first time, this morning and was a bit surprised by the sharp corner coming out on the uphill side (following the detour). Initial impression is that many cyclists are likely to go through the circle on the wrong side when heading eastbound after the bridgework is complete. That may get exciting.

Agreed. If they want those who want to follow the rules but don’t go there daily to go on the correct side, they will have to put up several signs.