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@dasgeh 182343 wrote:

It’s the stairs I fear the most, when I’m biking in the Virginia-bound direction with my kids.

Just aim for a runnel! They are in like new condition!

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It occurred to me that we might be able to link Mayor Bowser’s recent Vision Zero initiatives with the Memorial Bridge issues at Memorial Circle. Memorial Circle is in the District after all.

Just say’n.

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Perhaps we should include in the Forum Glossary the term “Lumberjack”, meaning to remove trail obstructions as they are encountered. One might say, “John went full lumberjack on all those traffic cones.”

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A shot from yesterday morning. Note the editorial amendments to the sign.

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Apparently the NPS took offense, as shown in this shot from yesterday afternoon.

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It seems that yesterday’s accomplishment was installing these little turn-downs that connect the runnel to the landings. While the quality of the work seems good, it appears to be a good execution of a clueless design. Not sure why the runnel just didn’t follow the concrete stringer on the side of the stairs continuously on the slope and landing.

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Some photos from this morning

Looking up the stairs
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A rider using the runnels
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Notice how the runnels are discontinuous on the flat. That forces cyclists to have to aim their wheels at each runnel.
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I reached out to the NPS and the work appears to be based on the design of the runnels in Georgetown (possibly the stairs leading down to the trail). It isn’t clear in the photo I saw (from Georgetown) if the runnels are continuous or only on the inclines (which seem to be less effective).

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The sidewalk in front of the Giant as part of the FMR detour is particularly screwy as the amount of sidewalk stuff (trash cans, paper boxes, etc) makes taking the sidewalk almost impossible. Somebody from the County should have walked the route to ensure it was suitable.

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Conditions this morning on the trail across the bridge on Ohio Drive (just before Maine) were a bit fishy.

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@rcannon100 181922 wrote:

In Arlington, as a part of Vision Zero, all roads that are found to have car traffic >= 30 mph must have a sidewalk on at least one side of the road.

Should it please the chair, I would like to offer a friendly amendment.

In Arlington, as a part of Vision Zero, all roads that are found to have car traffic >= 30 mph must have a sidewalk on at least one side of the road, and safe routes to get to the sidewalk from the other side of the road.

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I got a note from the NPS re: the bridge closing.

“If you haven’t noticed, the connection at the stop of the stairs is open for use – just took a day.”

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Just got word from NPS: “closing trail from Tuesday-Friday in order to improve the top path”

This leaves Memorial, Roosevelt and Key Bridges

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@rcannon100 181723 wrote:

No no no. Some of use have been complaining about an entirely different set of stairs

Complaining? Hmmm. Are you okay?

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@pmf 181719 wrote:

So they’re closing the whole 14-th street bridge crossing next week!!!!!??

Well, everybody had been complaining about the stairs. Problem solved!

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Just got an email from NPS.

“…will touch base with contractor tomorrow to see if it is still a go and will get the word out.

ps – working on getting your bushes trimmed and runnel installed.”

The offending bush is the one on the inside corner of East Basin Drive and Ohio.

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