August 2022 Road and Trail Conditions

[DrP]

Bluemont trail was being closed between Jefferson and Kensington Sts this morning (or maybe further from Kensington to W&OD – they were not yet done setting up closure). The signs at Jefferson were handwritten on white paper with a ball point pen, i.e., not really legible until at the location. No idea what they are doing, for how long, or who is doing the work. The unsigned (at that hour) detour was up Jefferson to 5th to Kensington back to the trail.

[arlcxrider]

https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Projects/Project-Types/Uncategorised/Bluemont-Junction-Trail-Intersections-Improvements-Project

The County is reducing the street width and adding a speed table (doubles as a raised crosswalk.) Not only much safer for trail users but smooths out the annoying “dip.”

[chris_s]

Bluemont Junction Trail aficionados may want to take a gander at this SusMo Alert on the Ballston Holiday Inn Redevelopment proposal. The feedback window runs through Thur 8/4

[consularrider]

Bluemont Junction Trail Detour to 5th S N Tuesday PM

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29098[/ATTACH] Looking north after leaving the W&OD

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29100[/ATTACH] Looking south from Jefferson
Note the tape blocking the trail has been broken and there is a dog walker just about out of sight towards Kensington

The stag below was on the 4MRT at the creek crossing in Madison Manor near the W&OD mm 4.5. Incorrectly loaded

[arlcxrider]

@consularrider 219702 wrote:

Bluemont Junction Trail Detour to 5th S N Tuesday PM

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29098[/ATTACH] Looking north after leaving the W&OD

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29100[/ATTACH] Looking south from Jefferson
Note the tape blocking the trail has been broken and there is a dog walker just about out of sight towards Kensington

Hand-lettered signage is always the hallmark of quality.

[consularrider]

@arlcxrider 219703 wrote:

Hand-lettered signage is always the hallmark of quality.

Local trying to be helpful??

[DrP]

@consularrider 219704 wrote:

Local trying to be helpful??

Those were the signs that were being installed Monday morning by whomever was doing the installation of the signs. Ball point pen and all.

[Henry]

Any flooding, trail or bridge wash outs after last night’s storms?

Henry

[DrP]

@Henry 219745 wrote:

Any flooding, trail or bridge wash outs after last night’s storms?

Henry

Yes! A large tree fell across the Bluemont trail between the entrance from 5th St N (i.e., where you now have to enter/exit due to the construction) and W&OD. It is a “double” tree and definitely too high for me to go over. One can crouch to go under. I had to turn my bike flat and carefully slide it under (luckily it was a bike trunk rather than paniers morning – the paniers probably would have had to come off).

If limbo isn’t your thing, and you are going from Wilson to W&OD on Bluemont, I recommend turning down Kensington (workmen appear to be allowing cars through one at a time) and entering from Carlyn Springs Rd.

[consularrider]

@DrP 219748 wrote:

Yes! A large tree fell across the Bluemont trail between the entrance from 5th St N (i.e., where you now have to enter/exit due to the construction) and W&OD. It is a “double” tree and definitely too high for me to go over. One can crouch to go under. I had to turn my bike flat and carefully slide it under (luckily it was a bike trunk rather than paniers morning – the paniers probably would have had to come off).

If limbo isn’t your thing, and you are going from Wilson to W&OD on Bluemont, I recommend turning down Kensington (workmen appear to be allowing cars through one at a time) and entering from Carlyn Springs Rd.

Wasn’t there at 4:30 Friday. Not much going on at the Kensington crossing. The west-side caution tapes at all three barriers between Kensington and Jefferson had been broken.

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[DrP]

@consularrider 219749 wrote:

Wasn’t there at 4:30 Friday. Not much going on at the Kensington crossing. The west-side caution tapes at all three barriers between Kensington and Jefferson had been broken.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29102[/ATTACH]

So the tool to tell the county about trees works. (or someone called it in)

[dbb]

Crystal City Connector at the Water Park was a shit show this afternoon. The contractor dug a trench across the ramp down to the tunnel. Gotta love this stuff.

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[ATTACH=CONFIG]29104[/ATTACH]

I logged a service ticket with Arlington. Remains to be seen what happens.

[dbb]

Inspection at noon today shows no real improvement. Developer is aware and is working to get trail reopened. Some in ArCo seem to feel that MOT allowed a “walk your bike” segment
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[arlcxrider]

Ridiculous if the county pre-approved this. I get the feeling there’s just an “anything goes” attitude when it comes to work associated with “National Landing.”

I’ve submitted several tickets about steel plates covering utility trenches on Crystal Drive south of 18th. They’re often placed at odd angles to the direction of travel, not spiked down, and there are no asphalt edge “ramps.” All at odds with best practices. Several times I’ve noted multiple plates stacked. Easy enough to spot during the day I suppose, but a hazard for the unwary, those riding at night, or in the rain.

[consularrider]

On the goods news front, upgrades to facilities along the W&OD. New non-“winterized” water fountain with bottle filler at Smith Switch, several new porta-johns, and new mirrors at mm 33 on either side of the Leesburg Bypass underpass giving a pretty clear view of what’s been hiding under there all these years. Now, how about for the Carling Springs Underpass along 4 Mile Run?

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[Author]

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