Bike lanes needed on Buckeye Drive? Tidal Basin bridge repaving too

[dasgeh]

@PotomacCyclist 47817 wrote:

I think I’ll write to NPS about this problem too.

I woudl also write NPS about both issues, especially if someone else posted some text and contact information, making it easy…

[Bilsko]

The Ohio Drive Bridge didn’t use to be so bad. (Sorry, for some reason the link isn’t going straight to Streetview) The problem with the asphalt waves is specifically because of the the buses having to brake, either for peds crossing at the crosswalk, or as the slow to take the left curve down.

[DismalScientist]

All you ELITE riders with your crabon frames can take these moguls with ease, but we old folks with touring bike with long wheelbases have a hard time cutting through these mogul fields.:rolleyes:

[PotomacCyclist]

@dasgeh 47887 wrote:

I woudl also write NPS about both issues, especially if someone else posted some text and contact information, making it easy…

The NPS site doesn’t make it easy to find email addresses. I’ve been able to figure out that East Potomac Park is officially considered to be part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks.

http://www.nps.gov/nama/contacts.htm

National Mall and Memorial Parks

900 Ohio Drive, SW

Washington, DC 20024

For Visitor Information (Phone): 202.426.6841

Park Headquarters (Phone): 202.485.9880

There is a Facebook page for the National Park Service: http://www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice

I’ll try to locate email addresses later. I remember looking up some of this info a couple years ago, but I don’t remember if the NPS National Capital Regional Office has a public email address.

***
There is also the Trust for the National Mall: http://www.nationalmall.org/

They are the official non-profit partner of the NPS dedicated to restoring and improving the National Mall.

http://www.nationalmall.org/contact.php

[dbb]

I just sent a note with the link to this thread to Sean Kennealy, Chief, Division of Facility Management from the NPS National Mall and Memorial Parks. I got an out of the office reply and will post when he responds.

[Terpfan]

Two lanes or not, this is the time of year I hate that portion of Ohio Drive. I moved over into the left lane with no visible cars coming to proceed left onto the trail over the bridge. No surprise a guy with NY tags comes flying up and then moves to the right lane to pass me, but encounters a parked vehicle and nearly hits me. I’ve seen NPS ticket cyclists going the wrong way there, but never run a speed trap. I think they could make a killing during tourist season just pulling folks over.

Honestly, after the one exit to 395, the right lane there should really merge into the left and it should be a no parking and not a lane.

[KLizotte]

I can’t figure out where Bilskos’s pic is taken since the huge mogul of a speed bump that I’m aware of is perpendicular to the line of travel on the bridge itself. If you don’t know it’s there, it is quite a shock and could easily take a biker out if he or she wasn’t looking for it. I’m sure it has surprised a car or two, especially those that have low clearances.

[Bilsko]

@KLizotte 48065 wrote:

I can’t figure out where Bilskos’s pic is taken since the huge mogul of a speed bump that I’m aware of is perpendicular to the line of travel on the bridge itself. If you don’t know it’s there, it is quite a shock and could easily take a biker out if he or she wasn’t looking for it. I’m sure it has surprised a car or two, especially those that have low clearances.

Sorry, that pic is not from Ohio Drive – just a generic wavy asphalt pic to demonstrate the awesome power of big bus tires and brakes

[consularrider]

@Bilsko 48067 wrote:

Sorry, that pic is not from Ohio Drive – just a generic wavy asphalt pic to demonstrate the awesome power of big bus tires and brakes

The summertime moguls that hang around. We had a lot of this in El Paso when I lived in Juarez.

I noticed recently that the pavement on Buckeye Dr is particularly bad heading east. The pavement is breaking up where the buses tires travel leaving the six inches by the curb and the center of the lane as the only remotely smooth part of the roadway. Guess where I’m going to be (especially when the buses tend to straddle the center line anyway). 😡

[dbb]

Here are some photos of the actual Buckeye Drive

And the “street mogul” on the bridge over the gates to the Tidal Basin

[PotomacCyclist]

Yeah, Buckeye Drive isn’t exactly smooth either.

I think they could get away with just a bike lane on the eastbound lane, since most cyclists are riding clockwise around East Potomac Park. I don’t see too many cyclists heading westbound on Buckeye Drive.

[Author]

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