May 2016 Road and Trail Conditions

[bobco85]

At the start of May, already a partial trail closing on the Metropolitan Branch Trail: http://wtop.com/dc/2016/05/csx-train-derails-in-northeast-d-c-possible-hazardous-leak/

The pictures suggest the derailment occurred near the Rhode Island Ave Metro station. Due to the hazmat situation, the Red Line and the MBT are closed in that area.

Topic

[bobco85]

@Boo Boo 139785 wrote:

Courthouse Road (Vienna) Eastbound Bike Lane. Grrrrrrrrrr……….

They need to put bright/reflective flags in the pile so that people will be able to see it at night. I’ve had the not-so-enjoyable experience of running into the side of one of these at night because I couldn’t see it (it basically blends into the pavement in the dark). At the very least, it’s rather soft, but it’s still super-annoying.

[scoot]

@bobco85 139796 wrote:

They need to put bright/reflective flags in the pile so that people will be able to see it at night. I’ve had the not-so-enjoyable experience of running into the side of one of these at night because I couldn’t see it (it basically blends into the pavement in the dark). At the very least, it’s rather soft, but it’s still super-annoying.

Hmm… I didn’t think of that. Perhaps these things should be reported as safety hazards?

There was a similar pile completely blocking the northbound parking lane and bike lane on Military Road when I rode through there this past Saturday morning. It was just past the crest of the hill in the 3100 block (across from the golf course), so I didn’t see it until I was quite close. Of course I was also going very slow, having just climbed up from Donaldson Run, so it didn’t seem especially hazardous. Just annoying to have to check traffic and merge over into a vehicle lane at that spot. Encountering something like that at speed in darkness would be dangerous for sure.

[Emm]

@Boo Boo 139785 wrote:

Courthouse Road (Vienna) Eastbound Bike Lane. Grrrrrrrrrr……….

I’m surprised that’s legal. In Alexandria if I have anything–even a small pile of sticks–in the parking lane or road in front of my house I get a note from the code people within 48 hrs telling me it needs to be removed ASAP or I’ll get a ticket (luckily the city removes it for free once it gets reported). They make extra sure with multiple notes in the mail during the spring you know mulch must be delivered ONTO your property, and can’t even fall into the sidewalk.

Maybe Alexandria is just a special level of crazy though…

[Boo Boo]

I reported it to Vienna PD last night – asking that they just talk to the property owner about the safety issue, rather than citing her/him for anything.

Haven’t gotten a response yet.

[huskerdont]

In Arlington those piles have to be removed within 24 hours, and I think they usually put an orange flag in them for visibility.

[Steve O]

@huskerdont 139810 wrote:

In Arlington those piles have to be removed within 24 hours

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[sjclaeys]

OK, so maybe the pile extends into a third of the bike lane? Not ideal but also does not seem to rise to being a significant problem since it appears that one can easily avoid the mulch and stay in the lane.

[huskerdont]

@Steve O 139830 wrote:

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Perhaps that could have been worded better, but at least chippy got a laugh out of it.

[huskerdont]

Tree across the trail just below the S-turn on the Custis. Probably easy enough to see if you’re paying attention, but it is pretty soon after the turn, and if your glasses are fogged up like mine were, you might actually have to use the hand brake.

Also, on Key Bridge, someone has hit the barrier at the Whitehurst cut-through, pushing it out into the narrow-enough-already slot that pedestrians and cyclists are supposed to slip through. Still plenty of room if you’re paying attention, but put a couple of thousand people through there and someone will run into it. I’ll probably alert DC to this one.

[Judd]

Bag of trash right in the middle of the ramp from LBJ Memorial grove to the MVT this morning.

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[KLizotte]

That bag of trash has been sitting by the side of the trail for months now. I expect an animal finally decided to investigate it last night.

[mello yello]

Case Bridge has scaffolding on the long span, close to Hains Point. I think it’s sign work, it may be there for a while.

[KWL]

So the Key Bridge sidewalk users lose half of the sidewalk so drivers can be told there is a small bump from the pavement milling. Shouldn’t 1/2 the road be blocked to give this information?

[ginacico]

@KWL 140300 wrote:

So the Key Bridge sidewalk users lose half of the sidewalk so drivers can be told there is a small bump from the pavement milling. Shouldn’t 1/2 the road be blocked to give this information?

Yeah, that sucked. I basically flintstoned behind some girl (yakking on her cell phone) trying to get around that sign.

Was it just me, or did the barriers at the Whitehurst crossing encroach further onto the sidewalk also? It was like navigating a maze tonight.

[ShawnoftheDread]

It would be a shame if that sign kept getting knocked over into the traffic lane.

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