Mount Vernon Trail at Woodrow Wilson Bridge – Safety Hazard

[Rootchopper]

Last Wednesday I cyclist was critically injured when he rode through what appeared to be an open security gate on South Royal Street at the Woodrow Wilson bridge. I is not clear to me whether the gate was only partially recessed in the roadway or was rising as the cyclist approached. Be careful.

https://rootchopper.wordpress.com/2017/10/25/be-careful-out-there/

Topic

[scoot]

That’s awful. From the distance in your north-facing photo, the metal bar looks like a harmless line of paint on the asphalt.

[Rootchopper]

Just distortion from the photo. When it is the up position, it’s clearly visible. But if you don’t know it’s there and it’s in the down position, you could end up running into it if it starts to come up. It’s not a very good design. And based on the amount of maintenance it requires, it’s costly too. And why does the entrance to the underside of the bridge need to be two-lanes.

[lordofthemark]

Are you on the BPAC open google group? That would be a good place to post it. I can post it there, and on the BPAC members group when I get a chance. This is a very serious injury, caused directly by an infrastructure issue. It needs to go on our agenda.

[Rootchopper]

No I am not but feel free to post.

Keep in mind that the injured party was from out of town. He came upon an island and two yellow boxes. He had no way of knowing there was a metal bar rising from the pavement. Those of us familiar with this device at least know a metal bar is somehow involved in the design.

Also, I think the original intent was to use the underside of the bridge for city employee parking. That never happened. The design suggests there would be a two way traffic flow. It only needs to be one lane wide given its current use.

[paulg]

Thanks for posting that. I agree, there should be signage or something letting bikers know that the barrier could raise after a car has gone through or if it’s broken, as it quite often is that it’s dangerous to try riding over it in case it lifts just at the wrong moment.

I admit that I always ride around, even if the barrier is down, but I’m a regular rider through that area.

I hope the injured riders get well soon.

[KLizotte]

Thanks for posting this. I’ve never noticed the ground level barrier even though I’ve ridden past a million times. I could easily see myself passing through the gate if it were open. Hopefully this situation will be remedied soon. I suspect a lawsuit will be needed to fix it though as is usually the case.

[AlexandriaBiker]

I have a friend who had a similar experience with this gate. He ended up in the Emergency Room and destroyed the bike. The gate is a tremendous hazard to bicyclists and we should lobby NPS to remove it.

[RickVB]

Hi everybody on this thread:

I am the attorney representing the couple from Long Island hurt when the Royal Street gate/barrier rose suddenly out of the asphalt. Husband had two serious neck surgeries as a result.
If alexandriabiker sees this thread I would really like to know more about the biker previously hurt on this terribly designed gate.
My mobile is 757-335-4222 if anyone knows anyone hurt on this gate before 10-18-2017 when they were hurt.
We want to get VDOT to change the design and erect warning signs also.

Thanks
Rick

[Author]

Replies