I-66/Theodore Roosevelt Bridge Trail Closure

[Tim Kelley]

From an email I received:

Pepco will be temporarily closing the sidewalk on the I-66/Theodore Roosevelt Bridge (Date and Duration: TBD) during regular business hours (9:00am-3:30pm) to perform reliability work on the transformers servicing the street lights and traffic signals. I will have a more specific start date, from our construction department, a week prior to the closing of the sidewalk.

If you have any questions or need more details, please do not hesitate to call me at the number below.

Adrian Davis
Engineer
202-388-2622

I’ve asked to be keep in the loop for a start date and will let you know if I hear more!

Topic

[dasgeh]

Can they not figure out a way to do the work without blocking the entire sidewalk? There’s been work on the bridge before, and there was always an option to get through. At those times, they could easily take a traffic lane and not cause drivers any inconvenience.

It may help to remind them that the alternative for peds and cyclists is to _cross the GW Parkway at grade_ to get to the Memorial Bridge. It’s not a little detour.

At the very least, could they make sure to not start before 10am, to let the late-comers get to work. (not that I know any)

[TwoWheelsDC]

I also hope they realize they need to close the sidewalk all the way down at the troll and not where the bridge actually starts at the top of the hill. They’ll also need really good signage at the KenCen end, since the connection to Memorial Bridge is tricky if you aren’t familiar with it.

Oh well, I guess this just provides extra motivation to take longer 4MRT/MVT route to work instead of the Custis.

[Drewdane]

@TwoWheelsDC 49895 wrote:

I also hope they realize they need to close the sidewalk all the way down at the troll and not where the bridge actually starts at the top of the hill. They’ll also need really good signage at the KenCen end, since the connection to Memorial Bridge is tricky if you aren’t familiar with it.

Oh well, I guess this just provides extra motivation to take longer 4MRT/MVT route to work instead of the Custis.

They’ll need good signage at the Lynn/Lee intersection as well, preferably with detour signs pointing towards Key Bridge.

[Dirt]

Why not leave the sidewalk open and close I-66 for a week. Better make it a month. You know how these projects always take longer than expected. Come to think of it… Just to be safe close down everything within a mile to motorized vehicles of every kind. Can’t be too safe these days.

Yes. The world my brain inhabits is a very happy place.

Love,

Dirt.

[Tim Kelley]

Just passing along a bit more from Pepco:

I would first like to apologize for any inconvenience Pepco’s work may cause. The bridge will only be closed during regular business hours and based on the scope of work, it should not take an inordinate amount of time to complete. Pepco has coordinated with the National Park Service and the District Department of Transportation to ensure we provide safe, clear, and accurate detour information. We will be sure to take all your comments into consideration while completing the final preparation task. If you have any other concerns, please feel free to post them. I will take all of your thoughts into consideration and do all I can to eliminate any frustration our work may cause.

[jrenaut]

The world Dirt describes is a lot more believable than the one where Pepco replies that way to cyclist concerns.

[dasgeh]

Thanks, Tim. How can we post concerns? The fact that they’ve only coordinated with NPS and DDOT re: detours makes me think they’re not going to adequately sign the work (i.e. they need to coordinate with Arlington, which conveniently has an entire office dedicated to bike issues).

[Tim Kelley]

@dasgeh 50182 wrote:

Thanks, Tim. How can we post concerns? The fact that they’ve only coordinated with NPS and DDOT re: detours makes me think they’re not going to adequately sign the work (i.e. they need to coordinate with Arlington, which conveniently has an entire office dedicated to bike issues).

Post the concerns on this thread.

I think that since the MVT on the Arlington side is NPS controlled, Arlington wouldn’t have any say in detours here.

[dasgeh]

@Tim Kelley 50183 wrote:

Post the concerns on this thread.

I think that since the MVT on the Arlington side is NPS controlled, Arlington wouldn’t have any say in detours here.

Drewdane had a very good point about detour signs at Lee/Lynn (because Key Bridge will be a good detour for many), and that’s in Arlington. Similarly, detour signs should be at the 14th Street Bridge and GWP crossing to the Memorial Bridge on the MVT.

[dasgeh]

Oh, and have they answered why they have to close the trail v. one car travel lane on the bridge? Closing the right car travel lane would have much less impact.

[Tim Kelley]

@dasgeh 50189 wrote:

Drewdane had a very good point about detour signs at Lee/Lynn (because Key Bridge will be a good detour for many), and that’s in Arlington.

Agreed. I’m not sure where the exact line is, but it’s my understanding that the MVT comes all the way up to Lynn Street. Anyone have specifics?

[TwoWheelsDC]

This also highlights the need to connect the EB side’s “sidewalk to nowhere” to the MVT. The EB side would actually be my preferred route, since it would be a more direct shot to my office on the DC side of the river.

http://goo.gl/maps/KiXPa

[DaveK]

@Tim Kelley 50194 wrote:

Agreed. I’m not sure where the exact line is, but it’s my understanding that the MVT comes all the way up to Lynn Street. Anyone have specifics?

I was curious about this so I went to the NPS website – the link to the map of the MVT is broken.

http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/mtvernontrail.htm

A good metaphor, actually…

[Tim Kelley]

@DaveK 50200 wrote:

I was curious about this so I went to the NPS website – the link to the map of the MVT is broken.

http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/mtvernontrail.htm

A good metaphor, actually…

It’s a flash popup–work filters oppressing you?

[DaveK]

@Tim Kelley 50201 wrote:

It’s a flash popup–work filters oppressing you?

I get

Error retrieving uploaded document

The specified document no longer exists!

[Author]

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