July 2018 Road & Trail Conditions

[ursus]

I rode the C&O between Great Falls and Seneca. The part where I had to walk last month has been fixed enough so one can ride. Due to it not being completely smooth, Tuesday’s rain caused some puddles to form. No big problems. It probably was worse yesterday.

I returned over WF, then the W&OD and the MV trail to the 14th St bridge. Big question — when did they turn the portajohns around at the north end of DCA? And why?

[consularrider]

@ursus 179685 wrote:

…I returned over WF, then the W&OD and the MV trail to the 14th St bridge. Big question — when did they turn the portajohns around at the north end of DCA? And why?

I saw the portajohn turned around two weeks ago. I assumed it was to change the traffic pattern. Too often someone exiting the portajohn would step out directly on the trail. I might also keep the aroma from wafting across the trail so strongly on a hot day.

[bentbike33]

@ursus 179685 wrote:

Big question — when did they turn the portajohns around at the north end of DCA? And why?

Not sure when, but the why is probably to reduce the risk of oxygen-starved users from staggering onto the trail into the path of cyclists.

[semperiden]

Something fluid hit my face while the truck was cleaning the portajohns with the new configuration. I don’t really want to know what it was.

[KWL]

@bentbike33 179687 wrote:

Not sure when, but the why is probably to reduce the risk of oxygen-starved users from staggering onto the trail into the path of cyclists.

Is this part of the redesign of that area for the placement of the CaBi station?

[Judd]

@bentbike33 179625 wrote:

There is an erosion run-off prevention fence set up between the MVT and the Potomac south of Memorial Bridge and the GWMP crosswalk. Anyone know what NPS is up to and whether it will affect the MVT?

I noticed that on Thursday as well. Not sure what it is, but I think I might be able to find out.

[Judd]

@KWL 179703 wrote:

Is this part of the redesign of that area for the placement of the CaBi station?

They’ve been turned the other way for at least a few weeks. It does seem to help deconflict with the trail.

IIRC, the CaBi station is going to be placed next to the portapotties and will also be oriented so that people docking or undocking are not standing on the trail side

[jepstein]

When I passed around 5:10am, the turn from 4MR to MvT was under a couple of inches of water and presumably building.

Hains Point at about 5:30am was washed out on the south end of the front-side.

[Emm]

@jepstein 179721 wrote:

When I passed around 5:10am, the turn from 4MR to MvT was under a couple of inches of water and presumably building.

It was clear as of 8am, but the debris was pretty nasty. Along with the normal mud and sticks, a few bottles and what appeared to be a canister of sunscreen were on the trail. This spot always gets the grossest debris pile after it floods…

[Greenbelt]

Anacostia River Trail and tributary trails were fine this morning. A little muddy, but not deep mud — OK for road tires under semi-skilled rider. Wood bridges slippery as usual after multiple days wet.

[Crickey7]

Everybody be careful out there.

[Judd]

@Greenbelt 179724 wrote:

Anacostia River Trail and tributary trails were fine this morning. A little muddy, but not deep mud — OK for road tires under semi-skilled rider. Wood bridges slippery as usual after multiple days wet.

Watch them Anacostia River Trail Bridges after rain. I took out TwoWheelsDC last year when I slipped on a layer of mud that was the exact same color as the bridge. I ended up destroying my rear wheel in the process.

Kitty fell victim as well, although she crashed without my assistance.

[DCAKen]

No more cycling through the zoo on the Rock Creek trail for the foreseeable future. From WABA’s Facebook page:

BIKE TRAFFIC ALERT:

A section of the Rock Creek Trail next to the Zoo is closed. (see map)

You know that section where you always think, “it looks like this trail is going to fall into the creek?”

Turns out it’s about to fall into the creek.

Park officials have deemed it unsafe.

You can bypass the closed section by riding the sidewalk through the tunnel. It’s definitely not ideal. Take it slow, yield to pedestrians and ride single file.

This segment of the trail is slated to be rebuilt by @DDOTDC as part of the Beach Drive Rehabilitation project, but that isn’t scheduled to happen for another year. We’re talking to the agency to see if that can be accelerated.

Either way, this closure is going to be measured in a scale of months, not days, so plan accordingly.

[accordioneur]

Here’s a photo of the Madison Manor Park bridge this morning (connects the W&OD to N. Powhatan St. via the Aronson/Claeys bikeway just west of Mile 4.5). This may happen again tomorrow if the rains are as predicted.

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[Erin Potter]

Our friends at Arlington Parks and Recreation asked me to help get the word out about an upcoming invasive plant treatment, which will begin around August 15th and be completed within a few days, weather permitting.
More, from the email I was forwarded:
“Dominion Energy, in partnership with NOVA Parks and NoVA Prism (a consortium of local agencies – including Arlington County and the City of Falls Church – interested in managing invasive species in Northern Virginia), will coordinate a herbicide application along the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in an effort to control invasive plants and restore native meadow. The invasive plant control will occur along the Trail between South Walter Reed Drive in Arlington to just past Virginia Lane in Falls Church-Fairfax County. Invasive Plant Control, Inc., (invasiveplantcontrol.com) was selected to perform this application due to their extensive knowledge in the field of invasive plant management. IPC will be using a low volume, selective, backpack application of a triclopyr/glyphosate tank mix to control target vegetation to include porcelain vine, mile-a-minute vine and autumn olive. These herbicides are readily available at most ‘box’ stores. The application is expected to begin August 15th and be completed a few days later, weather permitting.”

They’ll also be posting up some of these signs!
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