4MR at George Mason trail closure (?)

[bentbike33]

When I went through eastbound last Wednesday morning on the way to HDCC in the mostly dark, I could not detect a way to get back on the trail through the construction after crossing George Mason. I stayed on the frontage road adjacent to Four Mile Run Drive until the cut-through street about a block further east, then got back on the trail. I think this week, I will take the lane on Four Mile Run Drive at Columbia Pike.

[Steve O]

@bentbike33 166849 wrote:

When I went through eastbound last Wednesday morning on the way to HDCC in the mostly dark, I could not detect a way to get back on the trail through the construction after crossing George Mason. I stayed on the frontage road adjacent to Four Mile Run Drive until the cut-through street about a block further east, then got back on the trail. I think this week, I will take the lane on Four Mile Run Drive at Columbia Pike.

I think what you did works well for eastbound. However, there is no signage of any kind to help direct trail traffic. Westbound is trickier, since one does not know the trail is blocked until one is right there.

[Judd]

@elbows 166847 wrote:

I was driving past 4MR at the awful George Mason intersection last night at 6pm and I saw cyclists heading into traffic the wrong way to get to the other side of the trail due to fencing around trail work.

I wasn’t on the trail so hopefully the cyclists were not thrust into the situation by poorly planned trail work, but I suspect my optimism is misplaced.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15622[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]15623[/ATTACH]

Rode through yesterday headed north towards the Pike. The official detour was to cross Four Mile Run, cross George Mason and then cross Four Mile Run again. One of those detours that no one is likely to follow because who wants to wait for three changes of the crosswalk to cross one street.

If you’re driving through here in a car, expect that peds and bicyclists are going to be unpredictable.

[Henry]

@Judd 166857 wrote:

Rode through yesterday headed north towards the Pike. The official detour was to cross Four Mile Run, cross George Mason and then cross Four Mile Run again. One of those detours that no one is likely to follow because who wants to wait for three changes of the crosswalk to cross one street.

If you’re driving through here in a car, expect that peds and bicyclists are going to be unpredictable.

FYI, the contractor reported to the county work is supposed to wrap at this intersection by mid-week (Oct. 25). Then work will immediately begin at the S. Oakland intersection.

Project page here.

[Judd]

@Henry 166869 wrote:

FYI, the contractor reported to the county work is supposed to wrap at this intersection by mid-week (Oct. 25). Then work will immediately begin at the S. Oakland intersection.

Project page here.

Here’s the 30% Design for Oakland from the project page. Slight trail alignment going up the hill.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15625[/ATTACH]

Henry – Do you know if this section of the trail is going to be closed during construction? Seems like they’ll have to at least for the concrete work.

[TimeBobby]

The trail at that intersection was open again when I passed through this evening.

[Henry]

@Judd 166874 wrote:

Here’s the 30% Design for Oakland from the project page. Slight trail alignment going up the hill.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15625[/ATTACH]

Henry – Do you know if this section of the trail is going to be closed during construction? Seems like they’ll have to at least for the concrete work.

A temporary trail will be built toward the uphill side of the intersection. It will be done in 3 phases over a couple of months and bike traffic will be allowed throughout.

Henry

[zsionakides]

@TimeBobby 166924 wrote:

The trail at that intersection was open again when I passed through this evening.

I saw the same today. The contractors were sodding some grass in around the new sidewalks.

It would have been nice if the county had taken this opportunity to change how the light signals work to give multiple crossing opportunities for getting across George Mason. If they changed the lights at 4MR Minor to flashing red when 4MR is green, then the pedestrian signal could be on when 4MR has a green, and not just when 4MR Minor has a green. Lost opportunity, but perhaps in the future.

[zsionakides]

@TimeBobby 166924 wrote:

The trail at that intersection was open again when I passed through this evening.

I saw the same today. The contractors were sodding some grass in around the new sidewalks.

It would have been nice if the county had taken this opportunity to change how the light signals work to give multiple crossing opportunities for getting across George Mason. If they changed the lights at 4MR Minor to flashing red when 4MR is green, then the pedestrian signal could be on when 4MR has a green, and not just when 4MR Minor has a green. Lost opportunity, but perhaps in the future.

[Erin Potter]

Update from my inbox:

“The W&OD Trail improvements are nearing completion at the S. Oakland Street. The contractor is expected to complete work at this intersection by the end of November, then shift activities to the signalized entrance at the Barcroft Community Center during the first week of December. This work is expected to be completed by February 2018. The schedule is contingent upon the weather.

Construction times are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday – Friday. The W&OD Trail will remain open throughout construction with short detours identified in the field when necessary during active construction to direct pedestrians and cyclists around the construction activities. At times during construction, the entrance to the Barcroft parking lot will be restricted to entrance traffic only in order to safely construct the new crosswalk, curb ramps, and pedestrian signals at the entrance. The non-signalized entrance will be available, as always, for entering and exiting the parking lot.

Please consult the website for more info on the project:
https://projects.arlingtonva.us/projects/wod-trail-safety-improvements-phase-2/
“

[Author]

Posts