[dasgeh]

Me: having dropped my kid off at school, excitedly turning into the nb Veitch protected bike lane, which is the first of a bunch of dedicated bike infra on my ride. Yay, safety

You: salmoning sb in the nb Veitch PBL, hugged against the cars so I couldn’t see you until…

Me: &#*@(&$@)!!!!!!

Do better, You, do better. You can ride on the sidewalk if you need to head sb on that side of the street.

[dasgeh]

First, we need the bike station that was promised for the Ballston station.

Second, we need secure parking (cameras might be enough, but they need to work), that is covered, and that works for all type of bikes — if you’re going to provide staples relatively close together, like we see at Clarendon, there also needs to be cargo bike parking elsewhere.

[dasgeh]

@Crickey7 197240 wrote:

I get the anger at the supposed bait and switch, though I recall the promises less than absolute. I’m not for making this a hill to die on, though. The price tag is pretty steep for avoiding one intersection, and it’s not like you can cruise through at speed anyway, given that there’s a signalized crossing a block to the West at extremely crowded Woodmont Ave.

I’m not an expert at this area, but from my experience, the tunnel is the difference between a trail that could serve all ages, and one that only serves current riders. Seems like a difference worth fighting for.

[dasgeh]

@Hancockbs 197238 wrote:

Does everyone but me have a subscription to WAPO? Seems like I get a popup blocking the article every time I click one of these links.

I do. I think it’s a small price to pay for having local, national and international reporting.

[dasgeh]

Meanwhile, more than 5 months after the storm, no word on when the destroyed bridges will be replaced. Best we have is this, last updated in October: https://parks.arlingtonva.us/2019/08/july-8-storm-update/

Quote:

County contractors have removed bridges that were destroyed by the storm, including the bridges at 38th St. N. and N. Chesterfield Street, Bon Air, Lubber Run, Glencarlyn and Gulf Branch. The 38th St. N. and N. Chesterbrook Street bridge has been replaced. All other bridges and fords damaged in the storm are being assessed for next steps.

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@run/bike 196852 wrote:

Honest question: how do you convey to the front strobers that they ARE a legitimate safety hazard on the trail after dark.

You don’t. If you have a chance to have a nice conversation, that may work, but you have no hope of convincing someone they’re doing it wrong in 2 seconds, and, luckily, it’s not your job.

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@DrP 196622 wrote:

Cars, trucks, and motorcycles have non-blinking lights (aside from emergency vehicles – I will comment on them soon). To me as a driver, pedestrian, or cyclist, when I see a blinking light, then I think bicycle or maybe pedestrian. When I see a solid light, I think car, truck or motorcycle. In speaking with friends of both the cyclist and non-cyclist variety, they agree. So having a blinking light, even in combination with a solid light (as I do in the dark with my blinky “be seen” and my solid “to see” front lights), indicates a bicycle (I may be a slow rider, but usually fast enough to not be a jogger. A sprinter perhaps…). On a street, I think this is imperative. On a trail I think this is nearly imperative too, for a couple of reasons. First, it lets the others on the trail know that I am a bicycle. Second, it lets those drivers, who do not always realize that the trail is a trail (there are lots of examples in the archives and news) that at least there are bicycles here to worry about. There are legitimate motor-vehicle uses on the trail, e.g., cops and ambulances when there is an issue on the trail (I won’t mention the short cuts) or standard patrols (this is standard in some localities), and they will have solid and flashing lights, usually in different colors than what the bicycles have. Thus everyone knows who everyone is.
Also, as someone who commutes on a combination of trails and roads – and trails that cross roads – changing the rear light from blinking to solid and back as I transition between them is just ridiculous – and I can get migraines from blinking/flashing/strobe lights so I understand why people do not like them, but I find turning away occasionally works and allows the identification I mention above to work. I turn away for the bright headlights (of bicycles, pedestrians, cars, street lights, moon, and sun), and can do the same for the rear lights. And those other bright and flashing lights that so many people wear or have on their bicycles just to be seen.
As the OP suggests, just chill on the lights and learn to look away from time to time.

I have biked a lot for a long time, and I do not think a blinking light helps identify bikes. It just makes it hard to tell how far away you are.

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What’s tough is that I see Arlington getting *better* but, the pace is very slow, and they’re not getting good enough fast enough. That’s a hard line to walk — “thanks for installing a PBL on Quincy, but please fix it so it’s entirely protected” is hard than “we need protection on Quincy”.

Anyway, onward and upward.

Oh, and Parks is so much worse with their maintenance (bridges are still out, with no timeline for fixing, from the July 8, 2019, storm) and MOTs (e.g. detouring the Custis to Lee)

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@buschwacker 196565 wrote:

As a daily commuter, I’m always looking for tips on courtesy. I’ve always run my rear red light blinking, mainly for the portions of my commute that mix with cars, but didn’t realize it was a problem for some on the trails. Should I switch to solid or slow fade even during the day? Thanks for the input.

There’s no good answer — it’s definitely better to be blinking around cars, and better to be steady on the trail. You know what your commute is like and where the danger is. Do what’s best for you, but think about others. It’s the best you can do.

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@arlcxrider 196086 wrote:

I was almost right-hooked there (Lee Hwy. and Oak) last week. I had the walk signal westbound, driver had a red arrow, but made the turn anyway, without stopping. The sign says “no turn on red.” In other places I’ve seen “no turn on red” with a red arrow below, to make it clearer.

Another bad intersection on my normal commute routes is Pershing and Arlington Blvd. Lots of drivers blaze through a right-turn-on-red without stopping first (or even slowing very much). It’s a trouble spot that could use some police enforcement. Dedicated right turn lanes seem to present an “attractive nuisance” to a certain sub-set of inattentive and aggressive drivers.

My guess is that the scofflaw drivist at Lee & Oak knew what he was doing was wrong and did it anyway. No amount of signage will help that. From what I’ve seen, drivists are obeying the new signal and it’s lovely.

On Pershing & Arlington Blvd, PLEASE email police@arlingtonva.us. They’ll do some ST enforement, but it helps if it comes from the public. TIA

[dasgeh]

Thanks for starting the thread. Can the powers that be change the title to “January 2020 Road and Trail Conditions” for posterity?

Thanks!

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@Judd 195325 wrote:

I saw one in Arlington about five years ago near the Air Force Memorial. Confused the heck out of me at first because my brain was trying to make it be a dog.

There are consistent reports from neighbors of coyotes along the Custis… (Some of us think it’s just foxes and imaginations)

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@bentbike33 195170 wrote:

On a recent afternoon commute, I noticed another stupid about this project. The right-turn slip lane from Lee Hwy to Oak Street is now open, and a right-turn arrow, which turns on when Oak Street has the green and Lee Hwy has red, has been added for traffic in that lane. This light can only be seen by west-bound trail users. Given how often there is no traffic coming out of Oak Street on its green light, many Custis users cross the empty Oak Street on the Lee Hwy red, and in the past drivers turning right on red would generally yield to crosswalk users. With the new green arrow, I’m sure some drivers will feel entitled not to yield, and if there is a crash, liability will be in dispute.

I love this change. When I’m riding downhill, I can confidently proceed with the walk sign, without worrying a car will whip a right turn into me (it’s happened). Now cars get to go when cyclists and trail users shouldn’t go. Cars shouldn’t go when trail users get to go. Easy peasy.

Also, there’s no slip lane. There’s a right turn lane.

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@wheels&wings 195072 wrote:

Today on my morning run I stopped at 19th and Sycamore and snapped a couple pictures. When I ventured through that intersection two nights ago, I was heading west. Why had I crossed the I-66 on-ramp? Because I was following the Detour signs. The sign for westbound cyclists is on the far side of the ramp. As a vehicular cyclist, that seems reasonable, as I want to ride with traffic – not against it. My destination was up 19th, which becomes Westmoreland. There is nothing telling you to cross on the south side if you are a cyclist heading west. And that would only add intersections to get through amidst a lot of hurried and distracted drivers coming to and from the Metro and surrounding areas. So I simply followed the Detour signs…

I need to get around Banneker several times a day at all different hours. I am grateful for the advice of my route-savvy peers…now I am crossing Roosevelt downstream and taking Columbia. I just worry about ignorant folks (like I was) who actually follow the designated detour route. At the very least, I would move the detour signs and put up a warning about crossing the on-ramp. Or even better, fix the signals so pedestrians and bicycle riders have a designated time to cross. As for me, I will stick with Columbia.

Thanks for this. I’ll ping staff about the signage. If there are more issues, or if anyone wants to talk to staff, lmk.

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@wheels&wings 195013 wrote:

Hi all – how are people maneuvering around Banneker Park (near East Falls Church) now that the County’s contractor has put up fencing to keep us out (in addition to the barricades)? I tried the official detour tonight and nearly got myself killed trying to cross the I-66 on-ramp off Sycamore/N Roosevelt (cars whip around their turns and completely ignore the Walk signal). Is there a safer detour? I wish that the County would adjust the signals so that people on foot or on bicycles could have a safe time to cross without being plowed under.
Thanks. w&w

I’m confused – are you (1) crossing the ramp, or (2) staying on the south side of the street and riding in the PBL, which would mean you only need to cross Sycamore? I ask because County staff was thinking people would do #2. If the problem is that you’re doing #1 because [insert reason here], the solution might be to address that reason. If the problem is that you’re doing #2 and crossing Sycamore sucks, then the solution is…

@ShawnoftheDread 195015 wrote:

I’m doing trail past the basketball court to Roosevelt, right on 17th, left on Roosevelt/Sycamore, right on 16th.

@accordioneur 195019 wrote:

I avoid the whole mess and take Columbia Street.

@Steve O 195031 wrote:

Columbia avoids the bridge construction but not the Banneker Park section.
Dread’s and bentbike’s option (the purple line on the map) is the continuation of Columbia/16th St. around Banneker. The trick here is that one has to cross Roosevelt without a traffic signal, which is easier or harder depending on time of day.

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YOU ARE ALL TALKING ABOUT THE SAME DETOUR.

But my read on that detour was that it would be scary dangerous headed eastbound, because the intersection of 16th & Sycamore is pretty blind. Am I wrong there?

@arlcxrider 195025 wrote:

The handling of that detour and the Banneker Park detour have been pretty dismal, in my opinion.

Agree with the detour for the bridge (why isn’t it just Columbia for bikes?). On on the schedule, County staff might be able to open the trail back up in the Spring. Depends on a lot so they’re not coming anywhere close to making promises. Staff has been responsive here — they put in the temporary PBL on 19th in response to BAC feedback. They met with people onsite on a really disgusting day and listening and are looking into fixes.

If we can be more clear about why the PBL doesn’t work (see my q to W&W), then maybe County staff could fix it.

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