Bridge out on Wayne Andersen Bikeway (IE the trail in 4MR park in Alexandria)

[mstone]

@peterw_diy 211236 wrote:

Yesterday I rode by there for the first time in weeks. The surface of the now closed bridge looks as it has since late May — the damage doesn’t seem any worse, they’ve just closed the bridge, forcing us to use the marsh route, which unfortunately is unlit and feels more cramped than it sometimes does because of foliage overhanging the trail. Anyhow, I wonder why the City closed the bridge entirely after two months of merely keeping people away from the damage. Does anybody know?

I’d guess an engineer looked at it and freaked.

[Judd]

@mstone 211237 wrote:

I’d guess an engineer looked at it and freaked.

It looks like it got significantly bigger from the first time I saw it since the last time I saw it. There’s lots of kids around this bridge and the hole looks big enough that a kid could get hurt doing kid stuff around it.

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[peterw_diy]

@Judd 211241 wrote:

There’s lots of kids around this bridge and the hole looks big enough that a kid could get hurt doing kid stuff around it.

Agree to disagree. The hole had been pretty effectively blocked with an impressive combination of cones, caution tape, and one of those steel barricades, and I’ve never seen unsupervised kids in 4MR park that weren’t old enough to know how to stay safe around that kind of damage. “could” get hurt, I guess, but the same thing could be said of the 6″ steep drop off the edge of the asphalt trail that remains open there.

[Judd]

@peterw_diy 211242 wrote:

Agree to disagree. The hole had been pretty effectively blocked with an impressive combination of cones, caution tape, and one of those steel barricades, and I’ve never seen unsupervised kids in 4MR park that weren’t old enough to know how to stay safe around that kind of damage. “could” get hurt, I guess, but the same thing could be said of the 6″ steep drop off the edge of the asphalt trail that remains open there.

Didn’t know they had barricaded off just the hole. This is what it looked like the last time I saw it before the bridge was closed.

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[CaseyKane50]

From the City’s web page

https://www.alexandriava.gov/tes/info/default.aspx?id=123842

In Summer 2021, it was observed during a field inspection that a hole had formed in the Four Mile Run Park Trail bridge deck. After a follow-up structural inspection, it was determined that the condition of the bridge was not suitable for use by people driving, biking, or walking. To ensure the safety of trail users, the bridge was closed in August 2021. Based on the latest inspection, the bridge condition is rated as “poor” due to structural deficiencies in the decking and beams.

Detour Information

Temporary detour signs have been installed on the trail to assist trail users in reaching their destinations. Additional signage is under development and expected to be in place by September 2021. A map showing the detour routes is below. Trail users should follow the Four Mile Run Wetland Trail during the daytime. Trail users should follow the provided on-street route during nighttime when the Wetland Trail is not lit. [/quote]

Due to the emergency nature of the bridge closure, repair/replacement of the bridge is not currently funded. However, staff is requesting funding for this project for the City’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget.

[Steve O]

Quote:

due to the emergency nature of the bridge closure, repair/replacement of the bridge is not currently funded. However, staff is requesting funding for this project for the city’s fiscal year 2023 budget.

Closed for several years, then, evidently.

[chris_s]

@CaseyKane50 211433 wrote:

Due to the emergency nature of the bridge closure, repair/replacement of the bridge is not currently funded. However, staff is requesting funding for this project for the City’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget.

Alexandria advocates may want to suggest that this would be a good use for Alexandria’s upcoming piece of American Rescue Plan Act funding.

[peterw_diy]

@Steve O 211438 wrote:

Closed for several years, then, evidently.

Not necessarily — we’re in FY 2022 now and FY 2023 begins next July. If the City is willing & able to spend money on design before FY 2023, we could be looking at “just” one year of complete closure. If they’re making a request they must at least have a ballpark estimate for replacement cost; anybody know what the estimated cost is? And if they will spend money on design work this fiscal year?

More good news for folks on bikes: the City seems to be mowing “shoulders” beside the wetland path now, which makes it feel less cramped (though also less natural). There’s enough light from Arlington across 4 Mile Run that cheap “city” lights are generally adequate after dark although, as I’ve noted, some Recreation and Police staff seem to think the 10pm citywide park closing time also applies to the paved paths inside 4MR park.

[Judd]

Update from the folks at Four Mile Run Conservatory on all of the nearby bridges including this one: https://www.fourmilerun.org/2022/03/bridges-of-lower-four-mile-run-updates.html

Excerpt:

The trail bridge, near the baseball and softball fields, has been closed since late Summer 2021 due to decking failure and structural damage caused by vehicular use of the bridge. The hole in the decking first appeared last spring, and subsequent analysis by structural engineers indicated the bridge is unsafe. Further engineering analysis will determine whether the existing bridge abutments are in good enough condition to allow only the span to be replaced.

[mstone]

@Judd 218691 wrote:

Update from the folks at Four Mile Run Conservatory on all of the nearby bridges including this one: https://www.fourmilerun.org/2022/03/bridges-of-lower-four-mile-run-updates.html

Excerpt:

The trail bridge, near the baseball and softball fields, has been closed since late Summer 2021 due to decking failure and structural damage caused by vehicular use of the bridge. The hole in the decking first appeared last spring, and subsequent analysis by structural engineers indicated the bridge is unsafe. Further engineering analysis will determine whether the existing bridge abutments are in good enough condition to allow only the span to be replaced.

I’ve heard this (that vehicles screw up the bike/ped facilities) a number of time from local authorities and I don’t understand why it’s something they can’t actually address rather than saying “oh well, your facility will be broken indefinitely because we don’t have the money to repair the preventable damage”. Like, if the police or telco or whoever tear up the trail, why don’t the costs come out of their budget?

[arlcxrider]

We’re still waiting for a replacement footbridge in Lubber Run Park to replace two bridges destroyed by the flash flood on July 8, 2019. Construction is supposed to start “soon” on one bridge. The other will not be replaced. We had to wait through a Capital Improvement cycle and then a lengthy public engagement process. All this to put a footbridge back in exactly the same place. If it were a road bridge, would it take 3 years? That’s a rhetorical question.

[lordofthemark]

@mstone 218694 wrote:

I’ve heard this (that vehicles screw up the bike/ped facilities) a number of time from local authorities and I don’t understand why it’s something they can’t actually address rather than saying “oh well, your facility will be broken indefinitely because we don’t have the money to repair the preventable damage”. Like, if the police or telco or whoever tear up the trail, why don’t the costs come out of their budget?

You don’t follow the police budget discourse in Alexandria, do you?

[mstone]

@lordofthemark 218696 wrote:

You don’t follow the police budget discourse in Alexandria, do you?

no, I’ve got my own mess in fairfax

[peterw_diy]

@mstone 218694 wrote:

Like, if the police or telco or whoever tear up the trail, why don’t the costs come out of their budget?

In this situation I think it’s likely that the biggest culprit IS the parks department, which relies on heavy, full-size trash trucks to collect from the few cans located on Alexandria‘a trail. Sure, police drive the trail more often, but a mid size SUV with one occupant and a little gear must be much lighter than a compacting trash truck.

My question is, why doesn’t Alexandria put aside “rainy day” money to expedite infrastructure repairs. And it’s not just small infrastructure – just yesterday ArlCo+Alx announced new capacity reductions on the W Glebe bridge over 4MR that was identified as unsafe back in 2018. Seems like each time we act surprised and have to wait for the next budget cycle to do anything more than erect barricades.

[lordofthemark]

@peterw_diy 218726 wrote:

My question is, why doesn’t Alexandria put aside “rainy day” money to expedite infrastructure repairs. And it’s not just small infrastructure – just yesterday ArlCo+Alx announced new capacity reductions on the W Glebe bridge over 4MR that was identified as unsafe back in 2018. Seems like each time we act surprised and have to wait for the next budget cycle to do anything more than erect barricades.

Massive infrastructure needs backlog. Schools, city hall repairs, all kinds of things. You mention “rainy day fund” Big stormwater issues ( not only the CSOs) and some folks think every spare penny should go to accelerating fixes (I don’t agree but this isn’t the place for that discussion)

Meanwhile we at BPAC are advocating for better resourcing of the complete streets/vision zero efforts.

Theres a lot to do. More hands helping with advocacy are always welcome.

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