Memorial Bridge lane closures will be "permanent" through 2021

[SarahBee]

Tried the bridge coming from custis and MVT this morning. Horrible- so many crossings of the parkway. Serious driver road rage refusing to stop at crosswalks for pedestrians, wheelchairs, and strollers. Witnessed a road worker almost get mowed down replacing Lane cones. Should have taken TR bridge and cut my way through the city. If it’s bad now, I hate to think what it will be like is the summer with all the buses and tourists.

[LeprosyStudyGroup]

I was on 110 beside the pentagon this morning and every single inbound lane was bumper to bumper from memorial bridge to the spaghetti junction at 395, possibly beyond. Those poor people won’t have a good time bailing to become bike commuters because they’ve made it equally impenetrable for us, my smugness is deflated.

[huskerdont]

@Yule 181916 wrote:

It appears that some regular Memorial Bridge bicycle traffic may be self-diverting onto the sidewalk along Roosevelt Bridge.

Roosevelt Bridge is too narrow along most of its span and is flat-out not meant to accommodate heavy bicycle traffic. Bike-on-bike accidents waiting to happen. It has “just enough” space for two bicycles abreast, if neither one makes the slightest error. In fact, any time two bicycles pass each other going opposite directions on Roosevelt Bridge, at anything above walking speed, I’d say it meets the technical definition of “near collision;” and with cars racing by just to the other side of the low-railing…

Besdies the narrowness problem, Roosevelt Bridge is not an adequate work-around for most Arlington-DC trips because of its indirectness: It lets you off on the DC side at the Kennedy Center, out of the way for most people’s destinations and not in an particularly bicycle friendly area, and on the Virginia side onto the limited-access Mount Vernon Trail, totally unlit at night and potholed, making it dangerous at low-light times on multiple levels and a small commute time sink.

The best alternative to/from North Arlington was formerly Memorial Bridge, now looking unattractive thru circa 2021. That leaves Key Bridge. I use Key Bridge, but I believe it to be the most dangerous crossing of all (more than Roosevelt) if one goes to/from downtown via M Street, as most seem to. M Street is probably the most bicycle unfriendly street I regularly use. Add to this that Key Bridge will presumably have more car traffic through 2021 due to the Memorial Bridge project.

Disappointing, but it seems to mean that DC-to-Virginia bicycle movement is to be at its most difficult in years. Or is there a solution I am overlooking? 14th Street Bridge will be fine again for commutes or other runs to/from South Arlington and Alexandria, once its own construction project is done soon. That leaves Chain Bridge and Wilson Bridge, both of which are, I presume for most reading this, between “way out of the way” and “way, way out of the way.”

North ArlingtSolution: A nice-and-wide, pedestrian- and bicycle-only bridge from Rosslyn to Georgetown Waterfront. Stay off M Street, stay off Key Bridge, no need for use of Roosevelt Bridge, less pressure on MVT to hit the other bridges.

A perfectly apt description of the situation, except re Roosevelt Bridge you left out Trollheim. Anyone not used to this route this fall could be in for an unpleasant surprise involving wet leaves and slimy wood.

Slow down, Roosevelt Bridge is for regular ridin’, not fancy ridin’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1Ey01yDYJw

[bentbike33]

@huskerdont 181934 wrote:

A perfectly apt description of the situation, except re Roosevelt Bridge you left out Trollheim. Anyone not used to this route this fall could be in for an unpleasant surprise involving wet leaves and slimy wood.

Not to mention riders coming from the south at the T-intersection who don’t bother to look left.

It’s too bad the equivalent sidepath on the downstream side of TR Bridge ends on the Virginia side in the middle of a field surrounded by high-speed ramps and roadways.

Also, 14th Street Bridge is still there for people who can carry their bikes up and down stairs, but that issue is supposed to last only until early December. Even if you would go north on the MVT, if you are coming from south of the Mall (or even a bit north of the Mall) 14th Street Bridge might be worth the extra distance rather than fighting traffic through Northwest to get to TR or Key.

[dasgeh]

I think Yule’s description is a bit unfair. The MVT is the access point for most of the trips from Arlington to DC, and while it could be better, it’s not apocalyptic. Except for the Trollheim, which is worth a mention. The TR Bridge is way too narrow and the barriers are a joke, but Foggy Bottom (where it lets out on the DC side) is a great place to bike.

I think it’s worth a discussion at ABAC: because of work by NPS, it’s incredibly hard to bike from Arlington to DC right now. What is Arlington doing about it.

Anyone want to write a draft letter?

[Yule]

@huskerdont 181934 wrote:

Trollheim

I am not familiar with the name Trollheim (from context it looks like you mean the wooden, elevated path of the MVT, also unlit at night, but at least plenty wide); I take it that this forum slang and not an official name for this section.

[huskerdont]

@Yule 181949 wrote:

I am not familiar with the name Trollheim (from context it looks like you mean the wooden, elevated path of the MVT, also unlit at night, but at least plenty wide); I take it that this forum slang and not an official name for this section.

Correct. If only a name like “Trollheim” could be official.

[Yule]

@SarahBee 181932 wrote:

Tried the bridge coming from custis and MVT this morning. Horrible

I agree with your negative assessment of the conditions following the total downstream side shutdown this week.

This evening I witnessed (from the safe distance of a few seconds’ slow-to-moderate rising speed behind), a near collision between two bicyclists right at the blind turn towards the terminus of the bridge on the DC side. This even though one of them was ringing away at his bell to alert an unseen oncomer, there was no way to see each other and hardly the space to dodge out of the way; it was a near miss; my memory tells me there was some kind of construction-related equipment right there, partially blocking the sidewalk, which must have contributed. That and (obviously) the sudden rise in bicycle traffic, including by people who normally take the now-closed downstream side in.

[BTC_DC]

Coming from the south on the MVT I tried taking the lane into DC this morning, as a few others had suggested, and think it may be the fastest, easiest and safest option. I also then avoid the stairs on 14th St Bridge until that detour is finished.

I am not sure, however, that one of the lanes would be as convenient in the evenings out to Virginia.

[VA2DC]

@BTC_DC 181986 wrote:

Coming from the south on the MVT I tried taking the lane into DC this morning, as a few others had suggested, and think it may be the fastest, easiest and safest option. I also then avoid the stairs on 14th St Bridge until that detour is finished.

I am not sure, however, that one of the lanes would be as convenient in the evenings out to Virginia.

Perhaps it’s just the sidewalk vs. vehicle traffic during my normal commute into DC, but I still find that the sidewalk seems to be a faster option than taking one of the lanes. In my view, it’s definitely more comfortable than taking the lane with the proviso that, as always, you need to be careful and respectful of other foot and wheeled traffic on the sidewalk.

I agree with the assessment for the Virginia-bound traffic in the evening. I suppose that taking the lane would mean taking the middle reversible lane outbound, then merging to the left with traffic that might be coming northbound around Memorial Circle, to hop onto the MUP north of Memorial Circle. As much as I dislike crossing those 3 lanes of traffic, at least I can see the traffic coming and decide when to cross. Sometimes this means stopping in front of the near or middle lane waiting for traffic in the other lane(s) to stop. But for me, this seems safer than mixing it up on the bridge with the angry outbound traffic.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

@BTC_DC 181986 wrote:

I am not sure, however, that one of the lanes would be as convenient in the evenings out to Virginia.

Outbound this time of year is tough because of the low sun. Memorial Bridge drivers are driving directly into it.

[dasgeh]

Have we discussed that corner on the DC-NE corner of the bridge sidepath yet? The completely blind 90 degree left you have to make if you’re headed east (right if you’re headed west)? Seems like a collision waiting to happen with more than modest traffic.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

It was mentioned quickly. I’ve never rounded that bend until this week, but I only had to do it once to see that it’s a bad spot. Have to open the angle of approach to increase sight lines and stopping time.

[Harry Meatmotor]

@dasgeh 181895 wrote:

Ah, but they’ve added flags at the highly dangerous crossing.

Flags.

I used them. Felt MUCH safer.

[phog]

I should have read this thread before riding a bike from the Capitol to Falls Church last night. I had heard about the closure, but thought it would be on the Northern side of the bridge. When I got to it (in the dark), the South side walkway was barricaded and I could find no detour signs or maps posted at all. I walked the bike across Eastbound (city-bound) bridge traffic, rode with (in) Westbound bridge traffic in the left lane, ran around the traffic circle on the Virginia side, but still could not find what path to take there. So I re-merged with traffic heading Eastbound across the bridge back into DC, and bailed at the path that crosses the parkway to the trail to Rosslyn.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]18529[/ATTACH]

So…. commuters heading into Virginia to the Mount Vernon Trail to the are supposed to cross Henry Bacon Drive, 23rd Street, the Rock Creek Parkway (TWICE), Route 50/Arlington Boulevard (TWICE), and finally, Memorial Avenue? And then, to top things off are supposed to Washington Boulevard, then cross the Washington Memorial Parkway? Is this truly what is being proposed? Why doesn’t the NPS endorse Crisscrossing the Beltway in high heels while they’re at it? Count ’em, you’re crossing a dozen roads, half of them high speed arteries, with no traffic control and when the “odd soul” motorist takes pity and stops for you, others won’t anyway and will swerve around them!

Here’s what I ended up doing:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]18530[/ATTACH]

At least, coming off the bridge in the left travel lane, I was able to get directly onto the Memorial Avenue loop without having to cross any highways.

Now that I know what’s happening there , it looks as if, from the Lincoln Memorial, taking Rock Creek Parkway headed North, to Roosevelt Bridge, to the Mount Vernon Trail would have been the better option than taking Memorial Bridge.

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