October 2015 Road and Trail Conditions

[ginacico]

@consularrider 125172 wrote:

their debris on the roads is like hitting slick patches of gravel.

I forget exactly where I was yesterday, somewhere on the MCT, where there was a patch of big green walnuts on the trail. A rider in front of me hit one with his back tire and side skidded, while the thing got spit off into the grass. Too many of those would be a serious hazard.

It’s also paw paw season. The correct protocol for finding those is to stop and eat ’em, they’re delicious. But I’ve only seen them on wooded hiking trails.

[bobco85]

@consularrider 125172 wrote:

Starting the tread a day early. Here in Kyiv one additional hazard are the buckeyes (horse chestnuts). A very popular tree lining many streets, but they fall on your head (a good reason to wear a helmet :p) and their debris on the roads is like hitting slick patches of gravel.

Hey, that’s more than a day early!

…and is that an Xmas advertisement I just saw*?!

* – the day WILL happen that Christmas advertisements start before the end of September, and that will be the sign of the Apocalypse

[Crickey7]

Large tree down across the Capitol Crescent about 2/3 mile south of the District line. Totally blocks the trail, which is why I suspect it will get cleared today.

[creadinger]

MVT along the airport south of Crystal City spur.

Does anyone know what’s going on with the 3 detours that are being set up there?? I was appalled to see that they’re lining the detours with wood chips! That’s going to be terrible for skinny tired bikes to ride on. I think I’ll just get on at Crystal City instead.

Any info on when they’re making the closures and for how long would be very much appreciated.

[PotomacCyclist]

There have been some posts on the September trail conditions thread. I thought there was another thread about the project (renovation work on the Airport Connector Road/bridge and the MVT under the bridge) but I can’t find it now.

ARLnow posted about the project, a month ago:

https://www.arlnow.com/2015/09/09/lane-closures-expected-on-reagan-national-airport-access-bridge/

Arlington long-term traffic alert:
http://transportation.arlingtonva.us/streets/long-term-traffic-alerts/

George Washington Memorial Parkway Bridge Connecting Crystal City and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

The National Park Service and the Federal Highway Administration will perform maintenance and safety improvements to two bridges that connect Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to the George Washington Memorial Parkway. During the approximately nine month project, significant work will be performed on the Route 233 bridge, which connects Crystal City to the airport and the southbound Parkway ramp from the airport. Drivers should expect lane closures and detours as the work is performed.

– Single lane closures will begin on September 10 and 11 from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. on the Route 233 bridge.
– At least one lane will remain open to traffic on the Route 233 bridge and on the ramp from the airport to the Parkway, except during one weekend of construction.

The Park Service and Federal Highway Administration bridge construction project will allow for better access to and from the airport and add safety improvements to sidewalks and trails for pedestrians.

Expect at least some construction work to continue in that area as late as next summer. I’m not sure how long the detour will be necessary.

[GovernorSilver]

@creadinger 125488 wrote:

MVT along the airport south of Crystal City spur.

Does anyone know what’s going on with the 3 detours that are being set up there?? I was appalled to see that they’re lining the detours with wood chips! That’s going to be terrible for skinny tired bikes to ride on. I think I’ll just get on at Crystal City instead.

Any info on when they’re making the closures and for how long would be very much appreciated.

dbb started warning us about this beginning of September:
http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?9221-September-2015-Road-and-Trail-Conditions&p=123249#post123249

Yes, in related discussion, routes through Crystal City were suggested as alternatives.

[Tania]

It looks like the section of Gallows by the Dunn Loring metro is almost completely repaved: just one short piece remains (from Prosperity to the bridge over 66).

And changing locations, have the eastbound moguls by the bridge to nowhere gotten deeper in the three or four weeks I’ve been off commuting?

[KLizotte]

I’m hoping that if I get out of work in time I can do some laps.

[ginacico]

@Tania 125508 wrote:

And changing locations, have the eastbound moguls by the bridge to nowhere gotten deeper in the three or four weeks I’ve been off commuting?

Ugh, it’s like riding a bucking bronco. I vote that segment of trail the most in need of maintenance.

[Crickey7]

The tree has been removed from the Capitol Crescent. It was a big sucker, punched a hole right through the pavement. Those riding at night should keep an eye out for the cone marking the hole, dead center in the trail. I’ll see if I can find some reflective tape at lunch.

[Tania]

It was gone by 6pm last night – I was out exploring the best way to get to the chain bridge from the cap crescent thinking the C&O would be too wet (it wasn’t). My coworker thought there was a connector “trail” (more like cut through hiking path) at Manning Place/Carolina Park) but I’d have to cross Canal Road and…no. Just no. We went a little farther up to where the tree had been cleared before I said it was just easier to turn around and take the stairs at Arizona (?).

[Steve O]

@Tania 125591 wrote:

It was gone by 6pm last night – I was out exploring the best way to get to the chain bridge from the cap crescent thinking the C&O would be too wet (it wasn’t). My coworker thought there was a connector “trail” (more like cut through hiking path) at Manning Place/Carolina Park) but I’d have to cross Canal Road and…no. Just no. We went a little farther up to where the tree had been cleared before I said it was just easier to turn around and take the stairs at Arizona (?).

Yes, I used that trail every day for years. I call it the “portage.” Not sure if it’s better or worse than the stairs at Arizona, but my experience was pre-stairs.
Traveling south on the CCT after passing mile marker 7, look for the wooden fences on your right alongside the trail. There are two of them (although the first might be before the mile marker). At the south end of the second fence is the trail down through the woods. If you know what to look for you can actually sort of see it in this photo. It’s across from the white car that is 3rd back from the bridge. It comes out at the top just past the end of the word “trail.”

Here’s a link to my recent description on another thread.

[Tania]

Stairs are a little better since you then don’t have to cross Canal Road and hop the guard rail (which honestly looked impossible last night). It was a fun adventure, but probably easier for me to just take the tow path now that I have this fancy gravel bike and all. Planning to hit 41st Street at least once a week. I WILL make it all the way up by x-mas.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Tania 125591 wrote:

It was gone by 6pm last night – I was out exploring the best way to get to the chain bridge from the cap crescent thinking the C&O would be too wet (it wasn’t). My coworker thought there was a connector “trail” (more like cut through hiking path) at Manning Place/Carolina Park) but I’d have to cross Canal Road and…no. Just no. We went a little farther up to where the tree had been cleared before I said it was just easier to turn around and take the stairs at Arizona (?).

C&O to Chain Bridge used to be my commute when I lived in Capitol Hill…I can’t imagine portaging there every day, or even really at all. If the towpath was wet, I’d take the CCT to the last possible point (the stairs at the trestle), but on dry days I just hopped on the towpath at Fletchers and save myself the potential of stumbling to my death on those stairs (which used to be MUCH worse, but still not as bad as the portage/Canal Rd crossing). If you’re feeling spry, you can also take the Custis up to Lorcom, then over Military, which will dump you at the western side of Chain Bridge, but I don’t know if that makes sense for where you’re trying to go.

[DismalScientist]

Well, of course, you don’t want to take the “portage” if you are crossing the Chain Bridge and going South/East on the C&O/CCT to Georgetown. The “portage” is only useful for going North on the CCT from Chain Bridge or the reverse direction.

[Author]

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