Crash with Bollard on ART near Bladensburg

[Brett L.]

A post to fuel the debate about bollards, especially those that are in the worst possible location.

The collision with the bollard occurred under the Bladensburg Road bridge, west side of the river, on the ART. Location: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.938537,-76.9435134,326m/data=!3m1!1e3

We were heading north after a ride to the Navy Yards, along the fantastic ART when we came to this stupid stupid location. For those who are not familiar with this section of trail, as you are approaching the bridge, you have to descend down into the valley, go around a somewhat blind curve and dodge these massive concrete bollards in the middle of the trail, that aren’t even centered or perfectly vertical. The trail also narrows due to the presence of guard railing. There is a bollard on each side of the bridge, such that no vehicle can possibly enter underneath the bridge deck on the trail. These bollards make me uncomfortable even at very low speeds, and I almost always cross to the west side of the path, regardless of direction, as they aren’t centered and they are most definitely off-kiltered. When we got there Sunday, several drunk fisherman were also sprawled out along the trail underneath the bridge (probably because it’s sheltered from sun), making it even more perilous to navigate. Our group successfully navigated past the first bollard and the drunkards, but one of our riders struck the second bollard on her thigh, as she was focused on not hitting those idiots. Fortunately, she will only need to deal with some deep bruising on her leg and no bike damage, but it’s an “accident” that didn’t need to happen.

These bollards have been bothering me for a very long time, but I have negligently not spoken up as nothing has happen, until now. I will disagree in part with Steve O, in that I think intelligent application of bollards are useful, but these bollards are in the worst possible location, very dangerous, and have now lead to injury that I have witnessed. There is ZERO point to those bollards being there, and they are a danger. If anyone reading this has power to remove them, please do so. If they are absolutely needed to protect the bridge, at least move them beyond the blind curve to the top of the hill. They are a danger to even slow moving cyclists.

Topic

[jrenaut]

Those bollards are unquestionably bad, even if one is generally (gasp) pro-bollard. It’s too narrow and too steep there.

[Judd]

@Brett L. 162884 wrote:

A post to fuel the debate about bollards, especially those that are in the worst possible location.

The collision with the bollard occurred under the Bladensburg Road bridge, west side of the river, on the ART. Location: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.938537,-76.9435134,326m/data=!3m1!1e3

We were heading north after a ride to the Navy Yards, along the fantastic ART when we came to this stupid stupid location. For those who are not familiar with this section of trail, as you are approaching the bridge, you have to descend down into the valley, go around a somewhat blind curve and dodge these massive concrete bollards in the middle of the trail, that aren’t even centered or perfectly vertical. The trail also narrows due to the presence of guard railing. There is a bollard on each side of the bridge, such that no vehicle can possibly enter underneath the bridge deck on the trail. These bollards make me uncomfortable even at very low speeds, and I almost always cross to the west side of the path, regardless of direction, as they aren’t centered and they are most definitely off-kiltered. When we got there Sunday, several drunk fisherman were also sprawled out along the trail underneath the bridge (probably because it’s sheltered from sun), making it even more perilous to navigate. Our group successfully navigated past the first bollard and the drunkards, but one of our riders struck the second bollard on her thigh, as she was focused on not hitting those idiots. Fortunately, she will only need to deal with some deep bruising on her leg and no bike damage, but it’s an “accident” that didn’t need to happen.

These bollards have been bothering me for a very long time, but I have negligently not spoken up as nothing has happen, until now. I will disagree in part with Steve O, in that I think intelligent application of bollards are useful, but these bollards are in the worst possible location, very dangerous, and have now lead to injury that I have witnessed. There is ZERO point to those bollards being there, and they are a danger. If anyone reading this has power to remove them, please do so. If they are absolutely needed to protect the bridge, at least move them beyond the blind curve to the top of the hill. They are a danger to even slow moving cyclists.

Went past these on Saturday with a large group and had a conversation about them being quite possibly the worst bollards of all time. I saw bikedavid wipe out on the extra slanty one during a doughnut ride. I have the power to fix them if someone will lend me an F-350 and a chain. I’ll supply the asphalt soft patch.

[drevil]

@Judd 162888 wrote:

Went past these on Saturday with a large group and had a conversation about them being quite possibly the worst bollards of all time. I saw bikedavid wipe out on the extra slanty one during a doughnut ride. I have the power to fix them if someone will lend me an F-350 and a chain. I’ll supply the asphalt soft patch.

I was right behind David and had the choice of riding around him or bunny hopping him, which would’ve ended like this or that. Good thing for both of us I swerved

[Brett L.]

@Judd 162888 wrote:

Went past these on Saturday with a large group and had a conversation about them being quite possibly the worst bollards of all time. I saw bikedavid wipe out on the extra slanty one during a doughnut ride. I have the power to fix them if someone will lend me an F-350 and a chain. I’ll supply the asphalt soft patch.

Considering they are 9-inch solid concrete, not sure that’d even be enough. Probably rebar reinforced as well. I’m tempted to go rent a concrete saw from Home Depot….

[bobco85]

Both of those bollards are in probably the most dangerous and hittable spots, but the one at the bottom of the slope is particularly nasty. On top of that, the bollards are also completely unnecessary because the other access points from Bladensburg Rd and side streets are already blocked off with gates.

If you can, get a picture of the bruises and send it in a message to (insert government entity in MD that this should go to). Folks on the forum can also spread the word via social media to garner more attention to removing them.

@Judd 162888 wrote:

Went past these on Saturday with a large group and had a conversation about them being quite possibly the worst bollards of all time. I saw bikedavid wipe out on the extra slanty one during a doughnut ride. I have the power to fix them if someone will lend me an F-350 and a chain. I’ll supply the asphalt soft patch.

I wouldn’t try it since that thing seems to be solid concrete. I think you’d wind up with an F-350 missing a few parts!

[anomad]

Sounds like a good job for a backhoe.

[Judd]

@Brett L. 162893 wrote:

Considering they are 9-inch solid concrete, not sure that’d even be enough. Probably rebar reinforced as well. I’m tempted to go rent a concrete saw from Home Depot….

The challenge with bollard removal is that you have to do it without creating a just as dangerous stump or hole. Those ones do see concrete filled. Jackhammer rental and some asphalt patch might do it.

[AFHokie]

@anomad 162895 wrote:

Sounds like a good job for a backhoe.

A better job for explosives…

what bollard?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930AZ using Tapatalk

[KLizotte]

@AFHokie 162897 wrote:

A better job for explosives…

what bollard?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930AZ using Tapatalk

Aren’t the bollards under a bridge?

[Steve O]

@Brett L. 162884 wrote:

A post to fuel the debate about bollards, especially those that are in the worst possible location.

Actually, I don’t think this one fuels any debate at all. I believe there is unanimity regarding the idiocy and danger of these two.

[dasgeh]

Sounds like someone needs to figure out what agency maintains this trail, and talk to that agency about removing these.

[Judd]

@KLizotte 162898 wrote:

Aren’t the bollards under a bridge?

Yes. Just in front of the trolls. Basically right underneath the edge of each side of the bridge. I’d be happy to engage in a Remove Useless Bollards (RUB) campaign on these ones. Does anyone have any idea which government entity owns them?

[Brett L.]

@dasgeh 162905 wrote:

Sounds like someone needs to figure out what agency maintains this trail, and talk to that agency about removing these.

My thoughts are the MNCPPC.

[Sunyata]

@Steve O 162902 wrote:

Actually, I don’t think this one fuels any debate at all. I believe there is unanimity regarding the idiocy and danger of these two.

Normally bollards do not bother me much. I am used to riding in close quarters with immovable objects (trees, mostly). And yes, I know that just because they do not pose much of a threat to me does not mean they are safe for others.

However, I did comment on Saturday that these bollards are extremely dangerous. Not only are they at the bottom of a hill and around a blind corner on a very narrow section of the trail, they are not where one would expect a bollard to be. If you can not anticipate the bollard, how is one to avoid them, especially when coming down a hill, around a curve, or going from bright sun to dim light under a bridge. 😡

[Brett L.]

Good news – it looks the PG County Parks and Rec were actively removing these bollards as of this morning!

[Author]

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