Upcoming Four Mile Run Trail closures

[Bike-Ped Manager]

Starting December 2nd and running for approximately 6 months, a short section of the Four Mile Run trail in Potomac Yard near the junction with the Mt. Vernon Trail will be closed during most commuting hours due to demolition of a bridge overhead.
A detour will be provided, but many riders may find it better to pick an alternate route to avoid the construction area altogether.
The detour – designed for ADA compliance, not necessarily bicycles – diverts traffic off of the trail onto the Jeff Davis Hwy west side sidewalk and also at the new switchback ramps to cross US1 at the S. Glebe Road signal. For those who are game, the switchback does incorporate a flight of stairs with bike rails built in.
The trail will be closed from 5am to 7pm Monday thru. Friday; and 8:30am to 6:30pm Saturdays. For the most up to date information, trail users are encouraged to check http://www.novaregion.org The demolition project is being managed by the Potomac Yard Development LLC. Issues and comments should be directed to [URL=”http://stephen.collins@pultegroup.com”%5Dstephen.collins@pultegroup.com%5B/URL%5D

Topic

[PotomacCyclist]

I wonder how much of that wall will be left in place. Part of it is chipped so they would have to repair it, if it’s going to remain. Otherwise, there would be a risk of chunks of concrete falling onto the trail in the future.

[dbb]

From the soil surface, it looks like the are close to final grade. They will likely then form up some type of cap to the sloped concrete abutment (now a retaining wall). There is some rebar stubbed up along the trail so I’d think there may be some sort of wall on the slope side of the trail.

Until that is done, it looks like the fat tire riders could have a field day!

[paulg]

I hope the trail is still in fairly good shape after all that concrete has been dropped on it. It didn’t look like they put down any kind of protection for the trail such as a layer of sand, and the excavators they used to demolish the bridge were fairly hefty and would have tracked all over the trail area.

I guess we’ll have to see, but I would think we’ll see some damage to the concrete trail surface. I suppose as part of the master plan the trail will be replaced?

Looking forward to this opening up again, although I have to admit I do enjoy riding up and down the zig zags. It’s a been a great bike handling exercise.

[PotomacCyclist]

Will they leave the “temporary” zig-zag path in place? I would think so, at least until the permanent connector is built.

[CaseyKane50]

@paulg 88428 wrote:

I hope the trail is still in fairly good shape after all that concrete has been dropped on it. It didn’t look like they put down any kind of protection for the trail such as a layer of sand, and the excavators they used to demolish the bridge were fairly hefty and would have tracked all over the trail area.

I guess we’ll have to see, but I would think we’ll see some damage to the concrete trail surface. I suppose as part of the master plan the trail will be replaced?

Looking forward to this opening up again, although I have to admit I do enjoy riding up and down the zig zags. It’s a been a great bike handling exercise.

Here are some pictures from this morning. It appears as if they have cleaned out the old concrete path and will be replacing it. Railings that had been removed during the bridge demolition are being reinstalled.

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[CaseyKane50]

@PotomacCyclist 88486 wrote:

Will they leave the “temporary” zig-zag path in place? I would think so, at least until the permanent connector is built.

That was my understanding.

[CaseyKane50]

Photos from this morning.

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[Starduster]

Looks perhaps a foot wider?

[PotomacCyclist]

Where’s the ramp for people that want to bomb down the hill and jump over Four Mile Run to the south bank?

[Geoff]

Taken this evening, about 5:30.
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[CaseyKane50]

For those itching for a different access point to the trail, it appears that you might get your wish.

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However, you will have to scale a fence to get to the ramp.

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[consularrider]

I think that’s the new 4MR skateboard ramp.

[Starduster]

I will leading the Arlington Loop Ride for Papillon Cycles tomorrow morning. Will report on the status of this connection.

[KLizotte]

@Starduster 89194 wrote:

I will leading the Arlington Loop Ride for Papillon Cycles tomorrow morning. Will report on the status of this connection.

It was still closed off to all users as of this evening.

[PotomacCyclist]

@CaseyKane50 89171 wrote:

For those itching for a different access point to the trail, it appears that you might get your wish.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6058[/ATTACH]

However, you will have to scale a fence to get to the ramp.

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[ATTACH=CONFIG]6065[/ATTACH]

“I approve this design.”

[Author]

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