New GW ParHighway Path Marked

[pfunkallstar]

Dana many thanks, my daily crossings pine for a shorter and more graceful gallop across the “parkway” of fury.

[dbb]

@pfunkallstar 27636 wrote:

Dana many thanks, my daily crossings pine for a shorter and more graceful gallop across the “parkway” of fury.

Well it won’t be shorter (longer by maybe 150 feet) but will be possibly less exciting (meaning the odds of becoming a hood ornament will go down). Common sense will remain a valuable trait! The motorists should be provided a less detracting situation at the new crosswalk location.

[jhr]

@dbb 27671 wrote:

Well it won’t be shorter (longer by maybe 150 feet) but will be possibly less exciting (meaning the odds of not becoming a hood ornament will go down). Common sense will remain a valuable trait! The motorists should be provided a less destracting situation at the new crosswalk location.

I think pfunkallstar means the length of the actual crossing itself, compared to the current two-lane crossing, although if it will now be where the pink line was on your image from the first page this won’t decrease either.

Assuming some cars stop for cyclists at the crossing (I guess illegally if you listen to the NPS) it may get shorter in terms of waiting time, though, since it won’t be necessary to wait for both lanes to stop.

I wish they could somehow make the crossing from the Washington Blvd path only one lane as well.

[pfunkallstar]

Right – one lane instead of two – for some reason the path reminded me a lot of Candy Land?

[dbb]

My bad. Crappy comprehension skills.

Yes. While the roadway may be almost as wide at the new crosswalk location as at the old, they are going to work to get everybody into one traffic lane which should make the crossing much less exciting. The first car to stop provides a 3000 pound traffic cone between you and the traffic. And everybody on the forum thought I’d never say anything positive about traffic cones!

[jrenaut]

And hey, if this doesn’t work – Justice Scalia says that it’s not clear that rocket launchers are illegal so long as you can “bear” them, so there are always other options . . .

[dbb]

@jrenaut 27712 wrote:

And hey, if this doesn’t work – Justice Scalia says that it’s not clear that rocket launchers are illegal so long as you can “bear” them, so there are always other options . . .

But remember this is in the District so Virginia’s liberal interpretation of weapons laws don’t apply between the Humpback bridge and Roosevelt Island. Maybe Dirt could design a mod for the rocket launcher pod on the side of the bike.

Probably wouldn’t be particularly environmentally sensitive.

[jrenaut]

@dbb 27732 wrote:

Probably wouldn’t be particularly environmentally sensitive.

Neither is running over cyclists.

[dbb]

Update

Visited the site on the way home tonight. It is staked out for an alignment with gentle curves and maximum visibility for the trail users. The actual crosswalk location will be as far as practical from the roadway split.

I think it will be a good strategy that will improve trail safety.

[pfunkallstar]

@dbb 28176 wrote:

Update

Visited the site on the way home tonight. It is staked out for an alignment with gentle curves and maximum visibility for the trail users. The actual crosswalk location will be as far as practical from the roadway split.

I think it will be a good strategy that will improve trail safety.

Agreed, I really like the layout. I hope it happens sooner rather than later. I saw a 70+ couple in a green Toyota with their hood caved in the other day, hope this change helps with the number and frequency of auto-auto, auto-others accidents.

[dbb]

I think the NPS is going to move out smartly on this one, weather permitting. All those with connections to the controllers of the weather, please think fair weather thoughts.

[dbb]

We have construction!

Rode by on the way home and the NPS has started construction! Way cool!

The new trail will start at the paint stripe on the existing trail and will be to the left of the stakes

Visibility will be good for motorists and the crossing will move towards the river, providing more time for motorists to see and react.

If you have ever wondered what the underside of an asphalt trail looks like.

While I was on the site, I observed a bunch of cars actively stopping for these trail users. What do they have that the rest of us are lacking?

[dbb]

Construction is progressing. The NPS seems to be doing this project with their in-house crew.

The new trail section will be nice and wide.

And although some might think it rude of me to highlight this, the congestion contrast between the MVT and the GWMP was pretty obvious.

Nobody seemed to be loving their commute, except us cyclists!

[pfunkallstar]

@dbb 28677 wrote:

Construction is progressing. The NPS seems to be doing this project with their in-house crew.

The new trail section will be nice and wide.

And although some might think it rude of me to highlight this, the congestion contrast between the MVT and the GWMP was pretty obvious.

Nobody seemed to be loving their commute, except us cyclists!

That is pretty much the only reason I love riding on the MVT to Custis – sharp contrast. I even smile in the rain.

[dbb]

Update on project.

From the National Park Service “Weather permitting, the tie-in will probably be done on Wednesday and Thursday next week. The striping of the merge will be done on Tuesday the 4th, after labor day and that will complete the job. The detours will be kept to a few hours at each end. again we hope the weather cooperates.”

Here is what it looked like last night.

The tie in on this side will be along the orange line in the foreground.

The weather may be unpredictable and we need to recognize the need for us to be flexible and keep our eye on the prize – an improved, safer crossing of a roadway. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

Dana

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