December 2015 Road and Trail Conditions

[consularrider]

@Steve O 128788 wrote:

Okay. I’m replacing the typo-ridden thread with this one.

Such a gentleman!

[DrP]

Since it is now December, I am replying to the November report on Trollheim bridge (http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?9503-November-2015-Road-and-Trail-Conditons&p=128751#post128751). The bridge was open this morning and I gather it wasn’t closed too long since they replaced only 9-12 boards (some looked nearly new, but so dark that I wasn’t sure if that was darker wood or rain). Many more boards could really use replacing, but oh well.

[P.S. I reported the dead deer along the trail to NPS. Just south of the bridge at the north end of Columbia Island. It looked so peaceful lying there]

[bobco85]

@bobco85 128684 wrote:

Update on the 2 bollards at Braddock Rd and Potomac Yard Trail in Alexandria, VA:

The bollards have been given reflective siding which helps with visibility. I had placed a Call.Click.Connect request for this back in early September, and although the bollards remain (I inquired into any plans for removal), at the very least they are safer than before.

Before (image taken by CaseyKane50)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]9468[/ATTACH]

After
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10148[/ATTACH]

I heard back from Call.Click.Connect regarding removal of one/both of the bollards and have good news: one bollard (I’m guessing the one farther from Braddock Rd) will be removed! Right now, they are still scheduling the bollard removal so that it coincides with the hole being filled in with concrete, so I do not have a timeline of when this is expected to take place.

[MFC]

Anyone know if 15th Street NW is closed to bikes due to the National Xmas Tree lighting? Thanks.

[NickBull]

@DrP 128795 wrote:

Since it is now December, I am replying to the November report on Trollheim bridge (http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?9503-November-2015-Road-and-Trail-Conditons&p=128751#post128751). The bridge was open this morning and I gather it wasn’t closed too long since they replaced only 9-12 boards (some looked nearly new, but so dark that I wasn’t sure if that was darker wood or rain). Many more boards could really use replacing, but oh well.

[P.S. I reported the dead deer along the trail to NPS. Just south of the bridge at the north end of Columbia Island. It looked so peaceful lying there]

Thanks so much for reporting the dead deer, I was expecting to be smelling it for the next week or so …

[bobco85]

Update on the repaving of George Mason Drive between Four Mile Run Dr and Columbus St in South Arlington:

While the bike lanes have not yet been repainted, I did see dashed guidelines were added where the lines will be made. It’s not much, but the faint markings were enough to cause drivers to give room for a bike lane. I figure the painting will take place next week.

[dbb]

This is along Eads just north of the WMATA bus facility

The problem is that the contractor who needed the parking lane for the construction project did a crappy job of signing the area.

While “Bike Lane Closed” is true, the sign provides no guidance for cyclists or motorists.

How about a second sign that says “Bikes May Use Full Lane”.

The folks that review lane closures for the County can do a better job.

[CaseyKane50]

@dbb 129769 wrote:

This is along Eads just north of the WMATA bus facility

The problem is that the contractor who needed the parking lane for the construction project did a crappy job of signing the area.

While “Bike Lane Closed” is true, the sign provides no guidance for cyclists or motorists.

How about a second sign that says “Bikes May Use Full Lane”.

The folks that review lane closures for the County can do a better job.

Maybe something like this?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]10246[/ATTACH]

I suggested to Alexandria city staff that they should adopt them for city projects.

[bobco85]

Moving this to the current month’s thread:
@CaseyKane50 129773 wrote:

And now there is only one bollard.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]10247[/ATTACH]

The pylon is covering the hole that was left when the pylon was removed. City will be filling the hole.

Awesome! I did not think it would happen that quickly since it took a few months to put the reflective siding on the bollards, but I am glad to see that the less-useful one is gone.

[consularrider]

@CaseyKane50 129772 wrote:

Maybe something like this?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]10246[/ATTACH]

I suggested to Alexandria city staff that they should adopt them for city projects.

DC could use those on all the blocked cycletracks.

[CaseyKane50]

@bobco85 129808 wrote:

Moving this to the current month’s thread:

Awesome! I did not think it would happen that quickly since it took a few months to put the reflective siding on the bollards, but I am glad to see that the less-useful one is gone.

Today, the hole was filled with cement.

[bobco85]

@bobco85 129705 wrote:

Update on the repaving of George Mason Drive between Four Mile Run Dr and Columbus St in South Arlington:

While the bike lanes have not yet been repainted, I did see dashed guidelines were added where the lines will be made. It’s not much, but the faint markings were enough to cause drivers to give room for a bike lane. I figure the painting will take place next week.

Update: as of this morning, the bike lanes have been repainted! I think all that is left is for the bike symbols to be added (it’s amazing how naked the lanes look without the bike symbols).

[S. Arlington Observer]

@dbb 129769 wrote:

This is along Eads just north of the WMATA bus facility

While “Bike Lane Closed” is true, the sign provides no guidance for cyclists or motorists.

How about a second sign that says “Bikes May Use Full Lane”.

The folks that review lane closures for the County can do a better job.

What bothers me is that there isn’t actually a need for the long term closure of the bike lane there. I ride that route almost every work day. A few times in the past months there has been construction activity in the “closed” area. 98% of the time (or more) the barrels protect an inactive area where the only activity is a few parked cars. (Which raises the question of why the bike lane needs to remain closed if parking is still allowed.)

That part of S. Eads Street is full of buses and large delivery trucks. Taking the lane is dangerous indeed and there is no “shoulder” with the barrels right up against the traffic lane. The contractor could move the barrels to the curb when no activity is taking place and move them back only as needed. Or, if it simply left a small margin between the lane edge and the barrels, cyclists would at least have a bit of road shoulder to use.

This is a County project so I am surprised the County sees nothing wrong with simply taking away a busy commuter lane for months on end (when on most days that isn’t even necessary.) They are certainly allowing cars to park within the so called “closed” area and seems like bike lanes are always expendable.

[peterw_diy]

On the MVT around parkway mile marker 3.5 (toward the southern end, where the trail sits on the west side of the road) there’s a tree down. It only extends a few feet past the trail and there’s plenty of grass for riding around it (slick wooden bridges are far more trouble today). NPS has been informed.

[rcannon100]

Wooden bridges in Holmes Run are suicide. If you look closely at the gouge marks in the boardwalks, you can see my initials.

[Author]

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