Issue on 4 Mille Run trail just before Mount Vernon

[elvis313]

I’ve reported this to Arlington County with the links mentioned in this forum but for any frequent commuters or casual riders, it might be good to get another few comments or reports into them.

“I’m a daily bike commuter from my home in Alexandria to my office in Rosslyn, VA. I use a variety of road bike lanes, roads, and bike paths to get to work. There is a problem area on the Four Mile Run stretch that I wanted to bring to your attention and recommend an improvement for safety and water quality.

At this approximate location on Google Maps (38.841183, -77.050022),

https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&q=38.841183,+-77.050022&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x89b7b0d3e2d648cb:0x3da999a147a0905a,38.841183,+-77.050022&gl=us&ei=HjDcUaPEMbe44APr0IDAAQ&ved=0CC8Q8gEwAA

you can find rocks, dirt, mud, and debris from where people tramp down to the trail from Potomac Ave. As this road and areas continues to develop, more people use this unapproved path to access Four Mile Run trail. As a result, bike tires are punctured by loose rocks and dirt (not to mention slipping on the loose dirt and stones) and debris wash into Four Mile Run contributing to poor water quality.

I don’t know if a path or stairs with a fence would be a good alternative but I imagine you’ve got some wonderful engineers and landscape architects in your employ who can help with a much-needed solution.

I appreciate your time and concern.

Regards,
Jasen”

Topic

[consularrider]

@PotomacCyclist 64721 wrote:

Plus the homeless guy sometimes likes to sleep where the foot of those stairs will be located. Just to throw more confusion into the mix. Someone is likely to run over him or trip onto him or stumble onto him after heading down the path or stairs, especially as the sun sets earlier. That could turn out badly for everyone involved.

Actually he prefers to be out of the weather and under the bridges (in the dark to boot).

[PotomacCyclist]

I saw him at the foot of the unfinished path on a couple evenings, when I was walking or riding along the Potomac Ave. bridge above. However, I don’t see him there all the time.

[bikesnick]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3729[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]3730[/ATTACH]

[americancyclo]

It looks like the bicycle turning area and the platform between the pedestrian steps overlap quite a bit.

[JimF22003]

I’m a decent bike handler, but I don’t think I would try to ride around those tight turns. Is it intended that this trail is just for walking bikes up and down the embankment?

[Steve]

It would have been nice if there was a straight ramp on the side of the zig-zag path opposite the stairs (the zigzag would essentially be going back and forth from stairs to straight ramp path). It would be a steep little climb, but still probably better for most cyclists. I assume the zigzag is for ADA compliance, which makes sense.

[consularrider]

My impression is that this design is not really for riding bikes, and I will continue to use either S Glebe Rd or Reed Ave to cross Route 1 over to Potomac Ave.

[mstone]

it would be nice if the stairs had one of those bike ramps; walking a bike around those zig zags looks horrible.

[Vicegrip]

Built to cover a code rather than common sense and with little regard to working well. Check the boxes and move on.

[PotomacCyclist]

@JimF22003 65095 wrote:

I’m a decent bike handler, but I don’t think I would try to ride around those tight turns. Is it intended that this trail is just for walking bikes up and down the embankment?

Probably.

But it looks like the stairs are intended for a nice downhill ride with a jump into Four Mile Run. Should be great during the winter!

[dbb]

Work is progressing on the ramp/stairs. Mats are in place to facilitate grass growth.

[Rod Smith]

The switchbacks look fun but preventing riders from cutting off the corners may be tough.

[Vicegrip]

Looks like it was built to cover ADA. Steps and a H-cap ramp. No thought to bikes.

[KWL]

@Rod Smith 65852 wrote:

The switchbacks look fun but preventing riders from cutting off the corners may be tough.

I’m thinking within a few days we’ll see a path worn like this….

[dbb]

As I understand it, this is a “temporary” ramp to facilitate the demolition of the bridge upstream about 50 yards. There is a plan to put in a permanent ramp. This is one of the few engineering projects where a full scale prototype (this ramp) will be built and reviewed. We should do that and collect those observations and suggestions to provide input to the permanent ramp design.

[Author]

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