Draft National Park Service Regional Trail Plan

[Terpfan]

Lot of pluses, but also some minuses. I noticed they’re proposing a Belle View Blvd from Ft Hunt Rd to the GWMP “off-road connector.” They seem to have no idea about VDOTs bike lane and sharrows. I don’t think we need an off-road thing there. I just want their next recommendation of a traffic calming device to facilitate crossing the GWMP. Really, I would simply love a crosswalk. Maybe even connect said crosswalk to trail with pavement, but I would settle for just a crosswalk ha.

Also, it looks like they’re kicking the can on snow removal:

“The NPS maintains several Memorandums of Agreement (MOA)
that support maintenance of trail and trail bridge assets. As
needs and demands increase across the region for snow removal,
lighting, and more amenities, MOAs with local governments
and partners will allow the NPS to accomplish more in terms
of maintenance needs. The NPS does not have a Service-wide
set of design standards for paved trails. The study recommends
the development of comprehensive trail design standards and
guidelines for the NCR that address a variety of topics including
trail width, snow removal, clearances, and safety features, among
other factors, as well as the recognition of high-volume corridors.
Standards should incorporate innovative, sustainable and
durable materials that could help reduce long-term maintenance
requirements.”

[Emm]

@Terpfan 138565 wrote:

Lot of pluses, but also some minuses. I noticed they’re proposing a Belle View Blvd from Ft Hunt Rd to the GWMP “off-road connector.” They seem to have no idea about VDOTs bike lane and sharrows. I don’t think we need an off-road thing there. I just want their next recommendation of a traffic calming device to facilitate crossing the GWMP. Really, I would simply love a crosswalk. Maybe even connect said crosswalk to trail with pavement, but I would settle for just a crosswalk ha.

They have the Belle View Blvd crossing mentioned on page 6-14 with an action to “Provide Traffic Calming Measures to facilitate crossing of GWMP”. Not sure if that also means “add a crosswalk and a paved entrance to the trail” but it’s something at least.

They actually have about 5 of those recommendations for GWMP/MVT. I think they’d help alot, although I doubt they’d be perfect–the crosswalks and signs by Memorial Bridge are considered traffic calming measures, and they’re still dicey crossings.

[lordofthemark]

Wow, looks like a lot of work went into this.

@chris_s 138557 wrote:

Remove stairs at Ohio Drive SW Tidal Basin Inlet Bridge to connect to Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway Trail

Does this mean the stairs on the right, that lead down to Ohio Drive, that you see when you are getting on the 14th Street bridge coming up from the CaBi station by the Jefferson Memorial? The ones that always give me a fright?

Does “remove the stairs to connect” mean that in place of the stairs, there would be a trail with appropriate grades?

[chris_s]

@lordofthemark 138588 wrote:

Does this mean the stairs on the right, that lead down to Ohio Drive, that you see when you are getting on the 14th Street bridge coming up from the CaBi station by the Jefferson Memorial? The ones that always give me a fright?

No, they’re talking about here.

[Terpfan]

@Emm 138584 wrote:

They have the Belle View Blvd crossing mentioned on page 6-14 with an action to “Provide Traffic Calming Measures to facilitate crossing of GWMP”. Not sure if that also means “add a crosswalk and a paved entrance to the trail” but it’s something at least.

They actually have about 5 of those recommendations for GWMP/MVT. I think they’d help alot, although I doubt they’d be perfect–the crosswalks and signs by Memorial Bridge are considered traffic calming measures, and they’re still dicey crossings.

Good call. I found it too further down.

In my comments to them, I pretty much said they could widen that part of the roadway at Belle View (I’ve seen a few accidents), build a crosswalk, and a little connector from crosswalk to MVT and that would be splendid. Plus consider it a transportation route thus snow removal is a must, remove bollards, and try to make those wooden bridges more flat without pitch/turns/etc and maybe more sticky paint or plex stuff. Those were my selfish asks of them.

[chris_s]

WABA is encouraging everyone to comment on the Draft Trails Plan.

In addition to throwing in my support for the plan, here is my obligatory crazy suggestion for additional connections that I added to my comment:

I strongly support this plan. Trails are a vital resource in the DC region and this plan is a strong start toward connecting, maintaining and improving the trail network.

I believe an important piece of connectivity has been missed however – and that is getting Arlington residents to the Capital Crescent Trail. Access via Key Bridge is challenging, access via Chain Bridge is death-defying. An improved connection is needed at both ends, and probably also somewhere in the middle via a new dedicated bike/ped bridge. Potential locations for a new bridge & trail connection may include Windy Run Park, Donaldson Run Park and Potomac Overlook Regional Park.

[Author]

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