Detour under Memorial Bridge on Mt. Vernon Trail

[DrP]

@Fulton 201683 wrote:

New signs suggesting that the Mount Vernon Trail will soon close where it goes under Memorial Bridge have appeared.

The NPS website has no helpful information. Looks like it hasn’t been updated for months.

Can anyone confirm a closure is coming? If so, for how long?

And, for those of us riding from Rosslyn to the Airport (and back), what will the detour be? (Maybe via Iwo Jima to the cemetery, and then pick up the trail on the eastern side of the bridge?)

-Fulton

I think it is a sporadic trail closure. The signs were to the side of the trail early in the week, one day they were on the trail (I and everyone else rode or walked around them – this was around 7 am), and the next off the trail. There was no detour when it was up (which is why I rode around) – the signs were way too close to the closure to allow any detour. I think it is when they are working on the railing on the bridge, but that is pure guess work. I was not pleased to see no detour. I was thinking they really needed people with stop and slow signs to allow us through, like they would when moving vehicles across the trail just south of the bridge.
If anyone has more info, that would be of interest.

[accordioneur]

Wednesday morning around 9 AM the trail was closed just north of the cutoff to Memorial Bridge. So it’s for real.

[Fulton]

Thanks to both of you for your replies.

When I rode by yesterday (Friday) afternoon at about 4pm, I noticed that both “trail closed” signs were lying on the ground. North of the bridge, one was on the ground a couple hundred yards away — still useless for route-planning purposes — and south of the bridge, it was just after the turn-off that goes across the Parkway and heads toward the big circle on the Virginia side of the bridge.

I don’t understand the details of the bridge rehab project, but it would make sense for that last section — where the trail goes under and where cars heading north on the Parkway pass under — to be closed at some point. When it happens, we’ll probably have to detour by Iwo Jima, Route 110, and the Cemetery, no?

BTW, there’s a massive and dangerous pothole on the road alongside Iwo Jima (from the back gate of Ft. Meyer to Route 110). I reported it to Arlington this week. Fingers crossed that it’s repaired before someone kills themself in it.

[ursus]

Didn’t the original plan include a separate opening in the bridge for bikes so that the trail width would not need to narrow, or was that just someone’s idea here?

[Judd]

@ursus 201695 wrote:

Didn’t the original plan include a separate opening in the bridge for bikes so that the trail width would not need to narrow, or was that just someone’s idea here?

I think you might be thinking of Rock Creek Trail and rerouting the trail through the bridge. My understanding was that the bridge had a cavity here which made the opening feasible.

Check out page 38: https://www.ncpc.gov/docs/actions/2019April/7998_Rock_Creek_Park_Trail_Access_and_Safety_Improvements_Staff_Report_Apr2019.pdf

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Henry]

Here is what the GWMP Superintendent shared with me:

George Washington Memorial Parkway

[ONGOING] Arlington Memorial Bridge rehabilitation project

Until early 2021, drivers should exercise caution, reduce their speed (the limit is 20 miles per hour), and watch for workers and construction equipment as they approach and cross the Arlington Memorial Bridge. Learn more at go.nps.gov/memorialbridge.

[ONGOING] Arlington Memorial Bridge temporary dual lane closures at night.

Until early 2021, workers on Arlington Memorial Bridge will stop and flag traffic to do heavy construction work. Short or extended closures may happen between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. This work may happen Monday through Saturday.

[ONGOING] Lane closures under Arlington Memorial Bridge

Until the end of July, workers will close lanes on the northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway and northbound Washington Boulevard near and under Arlington Memorial Bridge. The closures are scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. and end at 5 a.m. and may happen seven days a week.

Traffic on northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway will be redirected through Memorial Circle. Drivers should expect detours and to see workers in the area. The closures are to allow workers to repair concrete and clean granite underneath the arch as part of the ongoing bridge rehabilitation project. Learn more at go.nps.gov/memorialbridge.

[UPCOMING] Southbound lane closure near Turkey Run

From Monday, June 29 to Wednesday, July 1 construction workers will close the right lane on the southbound side of the George Washington Memorial Parkway near Turkey Run Park. The closure will begin at 10 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. each day. Drivers should watch for signs in the work zone. The closure is to do underground utility work. The work may be rescheduled if there is bad weather.

[ONGOING] Staging area construction traffic for Arlington Memorial Bridge rehabilitation

Ongoing and weather permitting, workers will move construction equipment and materials to the fenced staging areas south of Memorial Circle and on the Potomac River. The work will happen during the day and flaggers will direct traffic during temporary lane closures as trucks deliver material there. These closures will also affect the Mount Vernon Trail. The trail will not close, but users may have to wait while workers move material over it. Drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists should watch for flaggers who may be directing traffic while the work is going on. Learn more at go.nps.gov/memorialbridge.

Superintendent
George Washington Memorial Parkway

[Fulton]

Henry,

Thanks for sharing the GWMP Superintendant’s message.

[ONGOING] Lane closures under Arlington Memorial Bridge

Until the end of July, workers will close lanes on the northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway and northbound Washington Boulevard near and under Arlington Memorial Bridge. The closures are scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. and end at 5 a.m. and may happen seven days a week.

Traffic on northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway will be redirected through Memorial Circle. Drivers should expect detours and to see workers in the area. The closures are to allow workers to repair concrete and clean granite underneath the arch as part of the ongoing bridge rehabilitation project. Learn more at go.nps.gov/memorialbridge.

Interesting that they’re not going to gut and rebuild that little section as they’ve had to with the sections over the water. Too bad they can’t widen it to allow two-way traffic.

Thanks.

Fulton

[Henry]

Sharing an Update from the GWMP Supervisor:

[ONGOING] Mount Vernon Trail temporary detours near Arlington Memorial Bridge

Until early 2021, construction activity will change pedestrians’ and bicyclists’ access to the Mount Vernon Trail near Arlington Memorial Bridge. It is important for pedestrians and bicyclists to follow signed detours and watch for construction traffic in this area. Bridge users should expect:

The north sidewalk on Arlington Memorial Bridge to be closed. Bridge users can follow signed detours that will take them to the south sidewalk of the bridge instead. The north sidewalk is scheduled to reopen in early 2021.
Limited nighttime closures under Arlington Memorial Bridge on the west side of the Potomac River. These closures are scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. and end at 5 a.m. and may happen seven nights a week until early 2021.

These changes are related to the ongoing full rehabilitation of Arlington Memorial Bridge.

–end of forwarded content–

Henry

[Steve O]

So will there be signage?
If someone is riding along the MVT at night, will they know long before they get to Memorial Bridge that they need to have already detoured? Or will they get to the bridge and have to backtrack? Coming from Roosevelt Island direction makes for a long backtrack.

I hope they don’t use the excuse, “People shouldn’t be on the trail then anyway.”
As per the actual NPS pamphlet:

The Mount Vernon Trail is open year-round from 6 am to 10 pm. Commuters may use the trail at any time.

[scoot]

@Steve O 201800 wrote:

Coming from Roosevelt Island direction makes for a long backtrack.

Needs signage all the way back at IOD. TR Bridge is the only legal trail access point between there and Mem Bridge. A diversion across the TR Bridge would lengthen the necessary detour, even if measured starting from Trollheim.

[arlcxrider]

@Steve O 201800 wrote:

So will there be signage?
If someone is riding along the MVT at night, will they know long before they get to Memorial Bridge that they need to have already detoured? Or will they get to the bridge and have to backtrack? Coming from Roosevelt Island direction makes for a long backtrack.

I hope they don’t use the excuse, “People shouldn’t be on the trail then anyway.”
As per the actual NPS pamphlet:
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So, it’s OK to use the “closed” trail between 10 pm and 6 am, but only if you’re a “commuter.”

You have to wonder about the Park Service sometimes. The official regulations for the C&O Trail say that audible warning must be given “100 feet” before passing other users. At 15 mph (or 22 feet per second, the NPS’s speed limit) if takes over 4 seconds to cover 100 feet. Dinging the bell or bellowing “on your left” 4-5 seconds before overtaking would not be very effective.

[Sunyata]

@arlcxrider 201816 wrote:

The official regulations for the C&O Trail say that audible warning must be given “100 feet” before passing other users. At 15 mph (or 22 feet per second, the NPS’s speed limit) if takes over 4 seconds to cover 100 feet. Dinging the bell or bellowing “on your left” 4-5 seconds before overtaking would not be very effective.

Why not?

I like to give plenty of warning before I overtake another trail user (granted, this was in the before times, when I actually rode on a trail). You can give another warning as you are closer, if the other trail user does not hear you or acknowledge you. Easy-peasy.

[scoot]

There are situations where it is not even possible to produce a vocal warning audible at 100 feet. Consider a loud environment (like the 14th Street Bridge) on a day with a strong headwind.

[Author]

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