Memorial Bridge lane closures will be "permanent" through 2021

[pmf]

I think you guys should just avoid Memorial Bridge. I rode across Roosevelt for years. It is a bit narrow and the barrier is a bit low, but it’s doable. The job I have now is closer to the Mall so I go across 14-th Street Bridge. The construction (stairs) project is over this week. It’s a wide bridge with a high barrier. You can easily access Ohio Drive and head back towards Memorial Bridge are once you cross it if that’s where you need to go. I went across Memorial for the first time earlier this month and found it to be a PITA crossing the Parkway and dodging all the construction. Now it’s even worse. Neither Roosevelt or 14-th Street bridges involve crossing the Parkway or dodging traffic.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

@VA2DC 181928 wrote:

I dunno. Bridge traffic was bumper-to-bumper this morning, and there is no bailout eastbound. Just temporary jersey barriers in the right lane and oncoming traffic in the reversible middle lane. Plus the rear-ender that I saw in the outbound lane this morning confirmed that I’ll stick to the sidewalk despite the foot traffic, construction barriers, etc. I’d rather put up with that inconvenience than end up sandwiched between two cars. The sidewalk was faster than the vehicle lanes anyhow.

Good point about no bailout. Last couple times I tried the upriver sidewalk. I then figure-8 my way to the RCP trail which requires a dismount and quick cyclocross by the vollyball courts and abandoned (?) tunnel. I’ve always wanted to do cyclocross, but this is going to get old fast.

[LeprosyStudyGroup]

I’ve encountered/overheard a few bewildered and unhappy tourists on cabis during my commutes recently. Lost people, bug-eyed at the 14th street bridge stairs, complaining about not being able to figure out how to cross memorial bridge kinda stuff. It’s a bad look for the city.

[dasgeh]

@phog 182218 wrote:

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?

I think you get all those crossings from looking at the map. There are bridges involved, so, e.g. you cross over Rock Creek Parkway.

You do have to cross Bacon & 23rd, both at lights, ramp from RCP to Memorial Bridge, then the murder-crosswalk where cars are exiting the bridge and think they’re already on 395, then you cross Memorial Ave at the new temp crosswalk, then the 27-Memorial Bridge ramp, the 27-GWMP ramp, then the GWMP. 8 crosswalks, 2 of which are lights.

To be fair, without the detour, you still have to cross from the Lincoln to the south side path, Ohio Drive, the off ramp from the bridge to RCP, the 27-GWMP ramp, then the GWMP. 5 crossings, no lights, none as bad as the murder-crosswalk.

[dasgeh]

@Brendan von Buckingham 182236 wrote:

I then figure-8 my way to the RCP trail which requires a dismount and quick cyclocross by the vollyball courts and abandoned (?) tunnel. I’ve always wanted to do cyclocross, but this is going to get old fast.

What? To get from the upstream Memorial Bridge sidepath to the RCP trail is super easy — when you get to the ramp from RCP to Memorial Bridge (first road crossing, no light), just turn left on that first sidewalk. Down the hill and you’re on the RCP trail.

[scoot]

@dasgeh 182245 wrote:

What? To get from the upstream Memorial Bridge sidepath to the RCP trail is super easy — when you get to the ramp from RCP to Memorial Bridge (first road crossing, no light), just turn left on that first sidewalk. Down the hill and you’re on the RCP trail.

I think he may be taking RCP southbound toward Ohio Drive and the Tidal Basin, and doesn’t want to go all the way up to Peters Point to access it.

[dasgeh]

@scoot 182248 wrote:

I think he may be taking RCP southbound toward Ohio Drive and the Tidal Basin, and doesn’t want to go all the way up to Peters Point to access it.

Ok. But that’s the routing of the trail, so it’s not the biggest detour. Alternatively, you can just zip around the Lincoln and take the road down.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

@scoot 182248 wrote:

I think he may be taking RCP southbound toward Ohio Drive and the Tidal Basin, and doesn’t want to go all the way up to Peters Point to access it.

Correct. I need to go southbound. I’m a big John Ericsson fan.

[Judd]

@Brendan von Buckingham 182365 wrote:

Correct. I need to go southbound. I’m a big John Ericsson fan.

That’s a hidden gem of a memorial in a terrible location to visit.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

While the bridge overhaul is putting a hitch in regular commutes, we can entertain ourselves with a virtual tour of the inside of the bridge

[ChristoB50]

@Brendan von Buckingham 183795 wrote:

While the bridge overhaul is putting a hitch in regular commutes, we can entertain ourselves with a virtual tour of the inside of the bridge

Thanks for sharing! Fascinating to look at all that!

[ChristoB50]

My commute doesn’t cross the river — but I’ve biked over Memorial Bridge on most weekends since the construction / traffic changes started; fortunately the bridge sidewalks haven’t been chaotic then. (And wow — I’m not brave enough to imagine biking in the car lanes there during rush hour!)

I think if I did need to regularly cross the Potomac, and my targeted or direct route made Memorial Bridge the ideal crossing point — I’d just trade the hassle of the bridge construction zone (and that murder crosswalk) entirely, for some extra minutes and the roughly what, 2.3 mile detour? to go down Ohio Dr, cross 14th Street Bridge (now that the trail is reopened / freshly paved!) and onto Mt. Vernon Trail.

I’d likely chose that over Roosevelt Bridge, speaking for myself, even though TRB route detour could likely be a little shorter? The TRB does feel too narrow for comfort with any other users sharing it, not to mention the nightmare images that pop into mind, of tipping over the low railing into traffic… The 14th St. detour just feels far less stressful overall to me, and worth the stray miles.

(That said, I’ve also not biked my commute, or at all yet, below 28 degrees — I could see where soon, I’d loathe the idea of adding even 2.2 miles if I didn’t have to

[Starduster]

@Brendan von Buckingham 183795 wrote:

While the bridge overhaul is putting a hitch in regular commutes, we can entertain ourselves with a virtual tour of the inside of the bridge

Way cool! Thank you, for all of us who never knew or had forgotten that this is/was an artfully disguised drawbridge. The detours/delays/dangers suck, true, but there was no longer any choice- the drawspan structure was rusted out beyond repair. Here is a link to how they are replacing the drawspan while still keeping the bridge open: https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/learn/management/bridge-rehabilitation.htm

And we will keep pressing to make the bike commute as safe as we can.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

Reverse!

Memorial Bridge flipped construction around from the south side to the north side. I was able to ride inbound on the south side of the bridge today. Smooth sailing. It was nice to cross without going over two or three temporary wooded bridges or hop raised seams.

[Starduster]

Today’s Coffeeneuring trip was a mission to ride and document the freshly finished south side of Memorial Bridge. The wait was worth it in that we get the safer south side trail connections back.

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The only thing that tells you that you’re crossing the former artfully disguised drawspan is that the original metal railing and facing is maintained and restored. A smooth trip by bike.

[Author]

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