Long Bridge across the Potomac – Community Wed, 27 Jan 1600-1900 L’Enfant Plaza

[lordofthemark]

@dbb 132281 wrote:

Long Bridge Study
January 2016
The Long Bridge Phase II
Community Meeting
DDOT completed an initial (Phase I) feasibility study of the Long Bridge in January 2015, which conducted a preliminary evaluation of various concept designs for upgrading the existing bridge, identified opportunities for multimodal connectivity and operational improvements, and determined existing and future capacity needs of the bridge.

And in case anyone is unclear about what that means, in addition to identifying rail options (either a base case of renovating the two track bridge, or the more likely outcome of expanding it to four tracks) they also looked at adding either transit lanes for a streetcar (probably dead now that ArlCo has killed their street car project) general travel lanes (IE for cars, buses and maybe bikes?) and bike/ped paths. Which latter would significantly improve connectivity from NoVa/MVT to Hains Point, the SW Waterfront with its new development, and the Navy Yard area, and would provide some relief to the 14th street bridge path.

[dasgeh]

I believe this is also the project that we were hoping would connect Arlington’s Long Bridge Park to the MVT via a bridge over the GWMP.

[chris_s]

The dream:

Long Bridge Park access
Mt Vernon Trail access
Ohio Dr access
Ohio Dr access again
Maine Ave access (Hey Wharf, hurry up and finish your damn PBL)

[lordofthemark]

@chris_s 132336 wrote:

The dream:

Long Bridge Park >> Mt Vernon Trail >> Ohio Dr >> Ohio Dr again >> Maine Ave

My dream

MVT>>Long Bridge(see above) >> Maine Avenue PBL (proposed in Wharf project)>> Eye Street PBL (proposed in MoveDC plan)

[PotomacCyclist]

More like the dream of the next generation. Seems like this is on a 10-15 year schedule.

Not that we shouldn’t push for improved bike/pedestrian and multimodal connections though. The people in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s paved the way for much of the bike infrastructure we have today, including the MVT bridges over the ramps at National Airport, the bike path along the Wilson Bridge, Capital Bikeshare, etc. Some of those advocates didn’t really get to benefit from all of the projects because they took so long to develop and build. I’m grateful for their work, and that’s a reason to continue to push for improved and safer multimodal infrastructure.

As for the streetcar, I wouldn’t quite call it dead. It’s officially dead for now, but nothing prevents the idea from being revived later on. Probably not right away, but when traffic continues to back up on Columbia Pike over the coming decades, there could be another push, for either a streetcar or perhaps a MetroRail line (depending on how dense development is along the Pike and in Bailey’s Crossroads 10, 20 or 30 years from now). The replacement of the Washington Blvd bridge over Columbia Pike was designed to accommodate a streetcar line. That is still the case, even though the streetcar project was canceled.

That’s a long way off in the future, but so is the Long Bridge replacement. It makes sense to anticipate long-term transportation needs for such a project.

[dasgeh]

@PotomacCyclist 132346 wrote:

More like the dream of the next generation. Seems like this is on a 10-15 year schedule.

10-15 years isn’t next generation when you’re talking infrastructure.

[PotomacCyclist]

For some people it might be, those in their 60s and 70s. They may not be riding in 15 years.

[consularrider]

@PotomacCyclist 132391 wrote:

For some people it might be, those in their 60s and 70s. They may not be riding in 15 years.

Them’s fight’n words. I’m going live and ride forever. :p

[Terpfan]

I would be surprised if they added a pedestrian/cyclist phase all the way across the river here. It’s always worth asking. But I would be happy if they connected Long Bridge Park Crystal City over to MVT. I think that alone would be tremendously helpful. But then again, I suspect this requires NPS so I’m not holding out hope.

[PotomacCyclist]

NPS objections to a Long Bridge Park-MVT connector would be bizarre. I could understand the reasoning if this were some remote national park with no traces of human development anywhere for miles. But the location of the proposed connection would likely sit in between the Metrorail bridge and the freight rail bridge (today’s Long Bridge) with the 14th St road bridges just a short distance away from that.

That’s not a very natural-looking spot today. I do understand objections based on the number of trees that would have to be cleared on that spot for the connection. But other trees can be planted elsewhere, while the connector would promote cycling, running and walking, which can have a positive effect on the environment if they displace automobile trips. Even if we’re just talking about recreational trips, better access to the MVT means that perhaps some people will not drive out to the Gravelly Point parking lots. Instead, they can take Metro or a bus or CaBi or walk to Long Bridge Park.

[Steve O]

@dbb 132281 wrote:

Long Bridge Study
January 2016
The Long Bridge Phase II
Community Meeting

Wednesday, January 27, 2016
4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
L’Enfant Plaza Club Room, Promenade Level
470 L’Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC
L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station

Did anyone go to this? Or have info on what happened?

[PotomacCyclist]

It was postponed because of the snow. The meeting has been rescheduled for February 10:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, February 1, 2016

Media Contacts

Terry Owens — (202) 763-8635, terry.owens@dc.gov

Michelle Phipps-Evans — (202) 497-0124, michelle.phipps-evans@dc.gov

Long Bridge Phase II Study
Community Meeting

(Washington, DC) – The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) invite the public to the rescheduled community meeting for the Long Bridge Phase II Study on Wednesday, February 10, 2016, from 4 pm to 7 pm at the L’Enfant Plaza Club Room, Promenade Level, 470 L’Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC.

The meeting will provide an opportunity for public input on the replacement or rehabilitation of the Long Bridge across the Potomac River in Washington, DC. The existing two-track railroad bridge, owned by CSX Transportation, serves freight, intercity passenger, and commuter rail services. The meeting will focus on recent project activities, next steps in the planning, and provide a general overview of environmental concerns within the project corridor.

DDOT received an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant from FRA to complete a preliminary analysis in Phase I of the Long Bridge over the Potomac River. The Final Phase I Report is available on DDOT’s website, http://ddot.dc.gov/publication/final-long-bridge-study.

The Long Bridge Phase II Study, currently underway, will expand on Phase I to advance the National Environmental Policy Act process.

For more information, please visit the project website http://www.longbridgeproject.com or call 202-671-2218. Project comments can be submitted at info@longbridgeproject.com or Attn: Anna Chamberlin, Project Manager, DDOT, 55 M Street, SE, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20003.

What: Long Bridge Phase II Study Project Update Community Meeting

When: Wednesday, February 10, from 4 pm to 7pm

Where: L’Enfant Plaza Club Room, 470 L’Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC

Transit: L’Enfant Plaza Metro and VRE Station

Getting to the Meetings

Be sure to check out http://www.goDCgo.com to learn about transportation options for getting to the meeting.

Can’t Make a Meeting?

Materials from this meeting as well as the opportunity to provide feedback will be made available at http://www.longbridgeproject.com within 72 hours of the meeting.

Do you need assistance to participate?
If you need special accommodations, please contact Cesar Barreto at 202-671-2829 or Cesar.Barreto@dc.gov 5 days in advance of the meeting. If you need language assistance services (translation or interpretation), please contact Karen Randolph at 202-671-2620 or Karen.Randolph@dc.gov5 days in advance of the meeting. These services will be provided free of charge.

[streetsmarts]

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?13932-Long-Bridge-Project-Meeting-*tonight-in-DC*-11-29-18-4-30-and-6-00-pm

There’s a meeting re this TONIGHT 11/29/18. Hope the link above or this one comes through. http://longbridgeproject.com/#

[dbehrend]

@streetsmarts 183205 wrote:

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?13932-Long-Bridge-Project-Meeting-*tonight-in-DC*-11-29-18-4-30-and-6-00-pm

There’s a meeting re this TONIGHT 11/29/18. Hope the link above or this one comes through. http://longbridgeproject.com/#

Thank you for the info, streetsmarts. The materials they posted from the meeting were helpful.

The selected option, with the wider space between the bike/pedestrian path and rail traffic, seems preferable. However, should we be concerned that since the bike/pedestrian bridge will be a separate structure that there may be a greater risk it doesn’t get built?

[lordofthemark]

@dbehrend 183247 wrote:

Thank you for the info, streetsmarts. The materials they posted from the meeting were helpful.

The selected option, with the wider space between the bike/pedestrian path and rail traffic, seems preferable. However, should we be concerned that since the bike/pedestrian bridge will be a separate structure that there may be a greater risk it doesn’t get built?

I expressed precisely that concern on twitter – there is not yet a funding source definitively identified for either the RR bridge of the bike/ped bridge, so it was my concern the RR bridge could be built and the bike/ped bridge deferred indefinitely due to lack of funds.

I have since learned that one of the environmental issues created by the new RR bridge is loss of park space where the RR bridge takes NPS property. Apparently NPS considers the bike ped bridge to be mitigation for that (the bike ped/bridge will presumably be owned by NPS?) and the Environmental Impact Statement would say so, ergo the bike/ped bridge would legally have to be completed along with the new RR bridge. IIUC.

[Author]

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