Upcoming Four Mile Run Trail closures

[consularrider]

Time to start riding Eads to 18th through Crystal City for my extended commute route.

[DismalScientist]

Or 23rd:

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Mt+Vernon+Trail&daddr=38.8546188,-77.049407+to:38.850874,-77.0537216+to:Four+Mile+Run+Trail&hl=en&sll=38.844581,-77.068709&sspn=0.11732,0.070295&geocode=FZHyUAIdDF9o-w%3BFdrfUAIdwVFo-ymZM9Y9L7e3iTEd1-Vt4LiepQ%3BFTrRUAId50Bo-ym9-ZUyKre3iTHyl2UeP4a_yQ%3BFbGyUAIdxSpo-w&oq=Shirlington&dirflg=b&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=14&via=1,2&t=m&z=14&lci=bike

(This is not to disparage 18th Street, which is fine as well.)

[dbb]

18th has the advantage of crossing US Route 1 through an underpass rather than at grade. Many cyclists will find that a bit less stressful. I will work up a photo guide from Eads and the FMR Trail to the Waterpark and Crystal City Connector this weekend.

[consularrider]

@DismalScientist 68981 wrote:

Or 23rd:

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Mt+Vernon+Trail&daddr=38.8546188,-77.049407+to:38.850874,-77.0537216+to:Four+Mile+Run+Trail&hl=en&sll=38.844581,-77.068709&sspn=0.11732,0.070295&geocode=FZHyUAIdDF9o-w%3BFdrfUAIdwVFo-ymZM9Y9L7e3iTEd1-Vt4LiepQ%3BFTrRUAId50Bo-ym9-ZUyKre3iTHyl2UeP4a_yQ%3BFbGyUAIdxSpo-w&oq=Shirlington&dirflg=b&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=14&via=1,2&t=m&z=14&lci=bike

(This is not to disparage 18th Street, which is fine as well.)

I used to take 23rd, but hate its US1 intersection, very confusing. Of course I’m not sure I gone westbound on 18th. Maybe I’ll just keep going south on the MVT to Slaters Lane and get some extra milage in (padding Freezing Saddles stats?).

[Subby]

I am terrible with change. This will not end well.

Seriously though, thanks for the update.

[creadinger]

Tomorrow morning I’ll probably take Reed St. from Commonwealth to cross Rt 1 and then cut through the shopping center to head north on Potomac Ave into Crystal City. If that becomes annoying maybe I’ll do Eads or some other connection I haven’t thought of yet.

At the very least I forsee this detour causing me to stop for dinner in Crystal City more often… I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.

[Kolohe]

Not a closure (and technically on the W&OD rather than 4MR I guess) but just an alert that the trail just on the north side of the Columbia Pike crossing is rather torn up right now. Still totally passable, but I wouldn’t want to come across it for the first time in the dark unawares. (particularly as there’s dirt now where I normally start my braking for the light and/or other trail traffic)

[dbb]

[ATTACH]4082[/ATTACH]

As promised, here is a detailed photo route from the FMR trail to the Crystal City Connector.

The summary version is below:

Turn off the FMR Trail onto Eads between the Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Virginia Power substation

Cross South Glebe (1st light).

Cross 23d Street (2d light)

Cross 20th Street (3d lignt) and turn right on 18th Street (4th light)

Turn left on Crystal Drive (T intersection) and then quickly turn right on the bike route under the railroad tracks.

[CaseyKane50]

Signs were posted eastbound on the Four Mile Run Trail just before the trail splits to go under the bridges and at the top of the new stairs and ramp. I didn’t notice any signs as you come off of the Mount Vernon trail.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4141[/ATTACH]

Bridge B with the construction equipment is in the background.

[cyclingfool]

@CaseyKane50 70179 wrote:

Signs were posted eastbound on the Four Mile Run Trail just before the trail splits to go under the bridges and at the top of the new stairs and ramp. I didn’t notice any signs as you come off of the Mount Vernon trail.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4141[/ATTACH]

Bridge B with the construction equipment is in the background.

Out of curiosity, are there signs for those coming onto the trail from Route 1, as one would do if they came up Commonwealth Avenue from Del Ray and tried to get onto Four Mile Run on the Arlington side?

My bike is still out of commission, as I’m trying to make arrangements with the welder to fix up the frame, so this is probably a moot question for me until next week, and I usually go up Potomac Avenue anyway, but it seemed worth asking.

[creadinger]

@cyclingfool 70188 wrote:

Out of curiosity, are there signs for those coming onto the trail from Route 1, as one would do if they came up Commonwealth Avenue from Del Ray and tried to get onto Four Mile Run on the Arlington side?

I haven’t seen any. I rode that way to get to Eads St. last week (Thursday) and didn’t see one.

[gothedistance]

Sigh. The closure is yet another example of the second class status accorded cyclists. The detour offered is time-consuming and undesirable, and that brand new zigzag bicycle ramp at the end of detour is an abomination with its narrow path and tight turns (I’d be astounded if that ramp were designed with any input from cyclists). How come we keep letting traffic engineers and planners get away with abusing us?

[Tim Kelley]

@gothedistance 70197 wrote:

Sigh. The closure is yet another example of the second class status accorded cyclists. The detour offered is time-consuming and undesirable, and that brand new zigzag bicycle ramp at the end of detour is an abomination with its narrow path and tight turns (I’d be astounded if that ramp were designed with any input from cyclists). How come we keep letting traffic engineers and planners get away with abusing us?

FYI–You are right, my understanding is that the temporary zig-zag ramp is in ADA accordance and not built with bikes in mind. The bike ramp alongside the stairs are intended for bikes.

[GB]

@Tim Kelley 70198 wrote:

FYI–You are right, my understanding is that the temporary zig-zag ramp is in ADA accordance and not built with bikes in mind. The bike ramp alongside the stairs are intended for bikes.

So we can probably all take a moment to be grateful that we don’t *need* those (and other ADA) ramps.

[gothedistance]

@Tim Kelley 70198 wrote:

FYI–You are right, my understanding is that the temporary zig-zag ramp is in ADA accordance and not built with bikes in mind. The bike ramp alongside the stairs are intended for bikes.

Ah, it sounds as if you’re saying there is straight ramp right next to the steps. I never noticed it. I assume the ramp is not intended to be ridden down? In other words you walk down the steps while you guide your bike down the ramp?

[Author]

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