Rants about the NPS and government shutdown.

[baiskeli]

You’re going to make us wait for the correct answers? It’s not like you’re busy right now – you could just tell us.

Anyway, yeah, shutdown. That sucks.

[jhr]

I don’t really blame the NPS but it is annoying that all the trails are (technically) closed when it’s probably physically impossible to bike from Arlington to DC without either going through NPS land or illegally riding on a restricted access highway. I don’t know who working where in the government is responsible for that decision, but I wish if they can keep the GW Parkway open then they could at least keep a minimal portion of the trails open as well. While it’s probably not the NPS’s fault it does make me sort of wish that none of these trails were under their jurisdiction in the first place.

[consularrider]

From my experience over the past eight days no one has closed down bike or pedestrian access to the Mt Vernon Trail between Four Mile Run and Rosslyn. No signs, no barriers, no caution tape, no cones, no bollards. Can’t speak for it south of that.

[lordofthemark]

@jhr 66216 wrote:

I don’t really blame the NPS but it is annoying that all the trails are (technically) closed when it’s probably physically impossible to bike from Arlington to DC without either going through NPS land or illegally riding on a restricted access highway.

Wait, Key Bridge?

I took the 14th street bridge last friday, both ways, and the access on both sides was open. I hope to bike in this Friday, and will report back.

[Steve]

@jhr 66216 wrote:

While it’s probably not the NPS’s fault it does make me sort of wish that none of these trails were under their jurisdiction in the first place.

Though the fact that NPS does own that land is probably the main reason that the VA side of the Potomac is a beautiful bike trail that winds thru some nice parkland. For that I think we should be thankful.

[dasgeh]

@Steve 66222 wrote:

Though the fact that NPS does own that land is probably the main reason that the VA side of the Potomac is a beautiful bike trail that winds thru some nice parkland. For that I think we should be thankful.

I’ve had that thought before, but then I look at things like the Pentagon parking lot. The federal ownership of land in Arlington is a blessing and a curse. We could probably have smarter growth without it.

[rcannon100]

While it’s probably not the NPS’s fault it does make me sort of wish that none of these trails were under their jurisdiction in the first place.

All in All the NPS has been pretty great. I think the MVT is one of the original local trails (I remember from being a kid). C&O is an absolute treasure. NPS does a great job.

No, I think the real solution is that NPS and the rest of the federal government should not be under the jurisdiction of an incompetent House of Reps in the first place.

[Terpfan]

Oops, saw this thread after posting in Missed Connections.

Someone ordered NPS to go close down every open air spot they could find to show the pain. In some cases, I’m convinced they have spent more time in certain sections of the trails and parks than they ever have before. The horrors of trash and rats really don’t freighten me much given they permitted Occupy to stink up McPherson forever and I managed to survive. I don’t blame NPS though, I just blame whatever idiot is giving them these sort of orders and of course those also trying to score political points by having reporters trail them around about the barriers.

As for votes that someone mentioned–that’s whole other issue, but one side has passed a CR (non-sequester, but a CR nonetheless) and the other has passed mini-CRs, one of which includes NPS. Neither wants to act so I don’t really find much room to say there is much a moral high ground when it comes to their collective treatment of NPS and those using the trails, parks, etc.

[dbb]

@rcannon100 66230 wrote:

All in All the NPS has been pretty great. I think the MVT is one of the original local trails (I remember from being a kid). C&O is an absolute treasure. NPS does a great job.

I agree. I think the NPS GWMP is a great asset to Arlington cycling. Like many of us, they respond to many masters, with limited resources.

[Rootchopper]

The MVT is open from end to end. The parking lots are closed. This has resulted in impromptu parking on the grass near Gravelly Point and Belle Haven parks. It has also resulted in cars parking partially on the MVT near DCA. This is a danger to cyclists and to the toddlers jumping out of the parked cars onto the trail.

[PotomacCyclist]

14th St. Bridge bike path was open today. No barriers or signs anywhere that I could see.

P.S. Did you know that Occupy DC is still running WiFi hotspots near McPherson? Or maybe it’s a honeypot set up by the FBI or NSA…

[Rootchopper]

A co worker told me that back in the late 70s or early 80s a group of volunteers built the trail (unpaved) through Belle Haven Park.

The NPS is great but their unwillingness to make basic safety improvements and changes to the GWMP and MVT is foolish and contrary to the public interest. They need to do something about the at grade crossing of the GWMP just south of Memorial Bridge. They need to allow bike commuters to park at Belle Haven and other parks along the MVT. They need to make major safety improvements near Belle View Boulevard where crashes happen with sickening regularity.

[KWL]

@Rootchopper 66246 wrote:

The NPS is great but their unwillingness to make basic safety improvements and changes to the GWMP and MVT is foolish and contrary to the public interest.

What about the two above grade crossings at National Airport that were formerly at grade? What about the more recent improvements at the Humpback Bridge? You cannot say the NPS shows an “unwillingness to make basic safety Improvements.”

[Steve]

@dasgeh 66228 wrote:

I’ve had that thought before, but then I look at things like the Pentagon parking lot. The federal ownership of land in Arlington is a blessing and a curse. We could probably have smarter growth without it.

Yea, I kinda flip-flop on my feelings about the PNT area. On one hand, they won’t allow anyone to finish the trail around the south side, and make things pretty difficult on cyclists in general. The lack of CaBi seems silly too. That being said, they allow their front porch to be a huge bus terminal, not just for people going to work there, and buses are a huge part of a multi-modal world. You think if the PNT was CIA headquarters instead, that you’d have the bus terminal there? My guess is no, and the PNT has just as sensitive things going on inside as Langley. So they are pretty friendly to Metro and Bus, just not to cyclists. I’ll call that a split, especially because Metro and Bus take WAY more people out of cars than bikes do.

[dasgeh]

@Steve 66256 wrote:

Yea, I kinda flip-flop on my feelings about the PNT area. On one hand, they won’t allow anyone to finish the trail around the south side, and make things pretty difficult on cyclists in general. The lack of CaBi seems silly too. That being said, they allow their front porch to be a huge bus terminal, not just for people going to work there, and buses are a huge part of a multi-modal world. You think if the PNT was CIA headquarters instead, that you’d have the bus terminal there? My guess is no, and the PNT has just as sensitive things going on inside as Langley. So they are pretty friendly to Metro and Bus, just not to cyclists. I’ll call that a split, especially because Metro and Bus take WAY more people out of cars than bikes do.

You’re right: they could be worse. But look at the aerial map of the Pentagon: parking lots, parking lots, parking lots. That’s not good land use. So they could be better.

I do wish Arlington County would do more to bring them into the SmartGrowth fold.

[Author]

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