Long Bridge Park: Technically not a bike trail, sort of

[Arlingtonrider]

Are there any good places to get breakfast near Courthouse Plaza after the LBP part early Saturday? It’s pretty hard for people (especially those named Kathy) get up and out that early on a weekend, and some extra incentive might help!

Kathy

[DaveK]

@Arlingtonrider 14620 wrote:

Are there any good places to get breakfast near Courthouse Plaza after the LBP part early Saturday? It’s pretty hard for people (especially those named Kathy) get up and out that early on a weekend, and some extra incentive might help!

Kathy

Brooklyn Bagel at Courthouse and Wilson is pretty good, they make a mean egg sandwich. They’re cash only so be prepared.

[Arlingtonrider]

Breakfast at Bayou Bakery tomorrow morning, anyone? I’ve been wanting to try this place, and a friend reminded me that it is near Courthouse plaza, where we need to have a group together from 8:30 to 9 a.m. to support the Long Bridge park connection. Anyone up for making it a social event after the LBP issue?

p.s. Thanks for the suggestion, Dave K, but I’ve been waiting to try Bayou Bakery and didn’t realize that it was so close to Courthouse Plaza.

[JustinW]

Bayou is a good option (try their hot chocolate – high impact!), and usually District Taco has a cart outside that features yummy breakfast burritos. I’m trying to figure out which option is best for me to use to “incentivize” my daughter to attend the Board meeting as well….

[Arlingtonrider]

It would be great to have her come along! Her evaluation of their hot chocolate would be much appreciated.

[DaveK]

@Arlingtonrider 14627 wrote:

Breakfast at Bayou Bakery tomorrow morning, anyone? I’ve been wanting to try this place, and a friend reminded me that it is near Courthouse plaza, where we need to have a group together from 8:30 to 9 a.m. to support the Long Bridge park connection. Anyone up for making it a social event after the LBP issue?

p.s. Thanks for the suggestion, Dave K, but I’ve been waiting to try Bayou Bakery and didn’t realize that it was so close to Courthouse Plaza.

Bayou Bakery is fantastic, you won’t be disappointed. I actually didn’t realize they had breakfast b/c I’ve never been there in the morning.

[WillStewart]

@PotomacCyclist 4883 wrote:

They have to finish up the park and the esplanade, hopefully by early fall. Then WABA and other organizations and individuals can help to push for those trail extensions.

I say go ahead and push for it now, there’s no reason to wait. Getting on the plans as soon as possible is important to getting it sooner rather than much later.

[JustinW]

With the growth of the school population in Arlington, there is a very real concern that funding for many future projects will be diverted to school capacity fixes. Anything Parks-related may get left behind as a result, thus the urgency in getting funding approved (or at least moved along towards approval) sooner rather than later.

[KLizotte]

@Arlingtonrider 14627 wrote:

Breakfast at Bayou Bakery tomorrow morning, anyone? I’ve been wanting to try this place, and a friend reminded me that it is near Courthouse plaza, where we need to have a group together from 8:30 to 9 a.m. to support the Long Bridge park connection. Anyone up for making it a social event after the LBP issue?

p.s. Thanks for the suggestion, Dave K, but I’ve been waiting to try Bayou Bakery and didn’t realize that it was so close to Courthouse Plaza.

Sounds like a good time and will force my sorry butt out of bed.:p

[consularrider]

@KLizotte 14639 wrote:

Sounds like a good time and will force my sorry butt out of bed.:p

And into the crappy weather they are predicting for the morning.

[Arlingtonrider]

I have to admit it – in view of the crappy weather, I’m probably going to drive. The important thing is to show up (free parking), bring or wear something bikey, make some new friends, and show support for an important cause, followed by a fun get together at a New Orleans style bakery before you go home and go to sleep again. You don’t have to be fully awake to participate.

I just read in ARLnow that Arlington is planning a day of festivities at LBP on the 4th of July, and it should be a great place to watch fireworks from. It’s a wonderful park and will get even better as it develops, but we need a bike connector to the trail. Please show up and give your support for this important connection, and also for hot chocolate and beignets (or whatever else you would like from the Bayou).

[PotomacCyclist]

@WillStewart 14634 wrote:

I say go ahead and push for it now, there’s no reason to wait. Getting on the plans as soon as possible is important to getting it sooner rather than much later.

You quoted an 8-month-old post of mine. The park and esplanade have since been finished so of course now is a good time to push for the MVT connector. At the time I wrote the initial post, the County had to focus on completing the first phase of the park. They were not going to build an MVT connector before the esplanade had even been built. That would make no sense. That connector would not have connected to anything at the time.

The park project is now moving onto the next phase, which may include the extension of the esplanade and the aquatic/fitness center. Those would take the path very close to the MVT. Then we’ll see if the County continues the path onto the MVT.

I’m pointing all of this out because your post makes it sound like I am somehow opposed to pushing for an MVT connector now. I am not.

[JustinW]

*Thanks* to those who made a showing at the Board meeting today. I think there were Arlintonrider and KLizotte sightings (sorry I did not say hi in person, I had to get my daughter off to basketball) and perhaps other bike-folks were there as well.

Overall we had a solid turnout by various park user groups, and while early in the process, I think the Board took note of the interest in properly and fully completing the parks and associated amenities (read: the trail connection to the MVT).

There may be a need in May or June for a larger turnout at a similar meeting, so stay tuned, and if in the mean time you want to express your interest in having a trail connection between LBP and the MVT, please write to the Board.

[KLizotte]

@JustinW 14667 wrote:

*Thanks* to those who made a showing at the Board meeting today. I think there were Arlintonrider and KLizotte sightings (sorry I did not say hi in person, I had to get my daughter off to basketball) and perhaps other bike-folks were there as well.

Overall we had a solid turnout by various park user groups, and while early in the process, I think the Board took note of the interest in properly and fully completing the parks and associated amenities (read: the trail connection to the MVT).

There may be a need in May or June for a larger turnout at a similar meeting, so stay tuned, and if in the mean time you want to express your interest in having a trail connection between LBP and the MVT, please write to the Board.

Yup, that was Arlingtonrider and me. Was thrilled to see so many youngsters out participating in the democratic process (though probably not by choice). I think the council members were surprised by the number of supporters to “complete and connect” the park were there. They even did an informal headcount of those who supported an aquatics center or an indoor soccer field.

To reiterate what Justin alluded to, the council members did say that they are still mulling over the county’s capital improvement plan and that the issues for Long Branch wouldn’t come up till around May, at which point they invited us all back.

I’m thinking that maybe for the next public meeting we inundate them with cyclists to push for more and better cycling infrastructure (for the entire county). The point was made that the county doesn’t control a lot of the roads (rather, VDOT and NPS does) which significantly complicates matters.

[PotomacCyclist]

Yes, NPS has a veto over any MVT connector. Their research fellow has already complained about the environmental assessment for the connector in recent weeks. (I didn’t attend the January meeting so I’m not sure what the exact problem is.) He said that the problem was holding up the connector. I hope it’s not some nonsense about aesthetics. A bike/pedestrian ramp from the park to the MVT would probably lie in between the Long Bridge (for trains) and the MetroRail bridge. It’s hardly a scenic spot as is.

There are a few trees that would probably have to be cut down to build the connector, but it wouldn’t be a massive number.

[Author]

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