Four Mile Run Detour, 2016-2017

[lordofthemark]

I rode the detour this AM (though some folks Strava seems to indicate that the existing route is not yet closed?) and I must say, the signage is terrible. A map from what looks like a PPT on the issue is a fine thing to have, but it is not an adequate detour sign. For an idea of what good signage would look like, see the Safetrack signs. It needs to be big, bold, and simple.

Also I got off the trail too soon anyway, doing a bit more Glebe sidewalk than necessary (hail to those of you taking the lane on Glebe – I might try that one day, but exploring the other routes first). The Alexandria part of the detour worked okay, but not too many folks out this AM.

Topic

[Steve O]

@Harry Meatmotor 161412 wrote:

Total tease!!! about 15 meters of trail seem to be open at the east end… but no more.

“open” is open to interpretation: https://www.strava.com/activities/1032189008

[Judd]

@Steve O 161426 wrote:

“open” is open to interpretation: https://www.strava.com/activities/1032189008

I’m sad that you skipped an opportunity to ride on the Wayne F Anderson Bikeway.

[bentbike33]

@Judd 161434 wrote:

You skipped an opportunity to ride on the Wayne F. Anderson Bikeway?!? SAD!

ftfy

[vern]

They were paving Eads north of Glebe mid-morning, so this little opening was a mere tease to add a few extra yards to the ride because in the end, I had to jump back on Glebe anyway.

[Bike-Ped Manager]

The segment of the Four Mile Run Trail between US1 and S. Eads Street is now OPEN!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14969[/ATTACH]

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Bike-Ped Manager 161523 wrote:

The segment of the Four Mile Run Trail between US1 and S. Eads Street is now OPEN!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14969[/ATTACH]

So does this mean I can ride S. Glebe to Eads and get on the trail there instead of taking the 4MR Park detour? That would be ideal.

[Judd]

@TwoWheelsDC 161524 wrote:

So does this mean I can ride S. Glebe to Eads and get on the trail there instead of taking the 4MR Park detour? That would be ideal.

Why would you want to miss out on the pure joy that is riding the Wayne F. Anderson Bikeway?

[peterw_diy]

@peterw_diy 161286 wrote:

Thanks. BTW do you know if they think those steep drop-off shoulders, like the ones from the bridge to Mt Vernon Ave, are acceptable? I nearly wiped out the other day because of that…

Ray Hayhurst was kind enough to look this up. AASHTO trail construction standards, which apparently VDOT endorses, say the shoulder grade should be no more than a 1:6 height:width ratio (about 9.5 degrees). Many of the shoulders west of Wayne Anderson to me look more like a 6:1 ratio.
🙁

[streetsmarts]

@Steve O 161426 wrote:

“open” is open to interpretation: https://www.strava.com/activities/1032189008

So I wondered where this Eads st. Is. I never go there. Possibly because it seems dangerous to cross Rte 1 there. No ? Use crosswalk or…take the lane?

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[lordofthemark]

@streetsmarts 161664 wrote:

So I wondered where this Eads st. Is. I never go there. Possibly because it seems dangerous to cross Rte 1 there. No ? Use crosswalk or…take the lane?
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I use Eads to get to WTF coffee club. No Rte 1 crossing till after coffee, and then on 12th under Rte 1, as most WTFCC attendees do anyway.

For Crystal City, pre detour, I would go Eads to right on 18th, which also passed under rte 1. Though 18th can provide its own excitement, its generally not too bad. When the detour is done, I expect to go back to that for going to CC, because its better than the other route from 4MRT, which is the way we did on BTWD – Sidewalk on Rte 1, crossing rte 1 at Glebe, Glebe to Potomac to Crystal.

[streetsmarts]

@lordofthemark 161665 wrote:

I use Eads to get to WTF coffee club. No Rte 1 crossing till after coffee, and then on 12th under Rte 1, as most WTFCC attendees do anyway.

For Crystal City, pre detour, I would go Eads to right on 18th, which also passed under rte 1. Though 18th can provide its own excitement, its generally not too bad. When the detour is done, I expect to go back to that for going to CC, because its better than the other route from 4MRT, which is the way we did on BTWD – Sidewalk on Rte 1, crossing rte 1 at Glebe, Glebe to Potomac to Crystal.

I will check that out. I do remember we crossed there on BTW day but going east. I was thinking going west would be challenging…so many lanes of cars.

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[lordofthemark]

@streetsmarts 161666 wrote:

I will check that out. I do remember we crossed there on BTW day but going east. I was thinking going west would be challenging…so many lanes of cars.

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Oh, I seldom go to Eads from the East, I go from Shirlington, hence Shirlington>4MRT>Eads>WholeFoods

I do occasionally take Eads home to avoid Gravelly – then it would be 14thBridge>LBJ>BoundaryChannel>LongBridgeDrive>12thStreet>Eads. So again, crossing under rte 1 on 12th street.

Were I coming from Old Town to WF via Eads, I would probably just go MVT>4MRT>Eads.

Coming from Potomac Yd part of Alexandria, not sure. I’d like to think I would be confident to go Potomac>Glebe>Eads and hope that good vehicular cycling on Glebe westbound would make going through Rte 1 comfortable enough. But I’ve never done that. The other alternative would be Potomac, then down the twisty path to the 4MRT to Eads. I could see where it wouldn’t be worth doing Eads in that case though.

[Erin Potter]

One last temporary closure related to this project on 9/22 and 9/25: Details here.

Also, you can attend a ribbon cutting celebration on 9/23, if that sort of thing is your jam.

[zsionakides]

Does anyone know what those artistic fish decals they installed are made of and whether they are slippery or have grip. Two of them are located around curves, including one in the chicane at Eads road. Without knowing how much grip they have, I’m concerned about sliding out, particularly when it’s wet out.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@zsionakides 166572 wrote:

Does anyone know what those artistic fish decals they installed are made of and whether they are slippery or have grip. Two of them are located around curves, including one in the chicane at Eads road. Without knowing how much grip they have, I’m concerned about sliding out, particularly when it’s wet out.

They’re made out of bundles of cash, from what I heard.

[Author]

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