[greenjug]

@Tim Kelley 139145 wrote:

So the actual sidewalk along the roadway, not one of the bridges along Four Mile Run Trail underneath the roadway.

exactly. In fact you can see the large seam where the truck is (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8562548,-77.1105919,3a,75y,89.08h,73.03t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssIrkMLAjXdPjWbM-4vasdw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656).

I suppose I just have to suck it up and deal with it, but its a daily annoyance and I wish we had a friendlier option. pushing a stroller across the bridge is nerve-racking!

[greenjug]

Also from the County regarding the bridge (and who controls it)

“The County does control the Columbia Pike bridge over Four Mile Run. It was transferred along with control of the roadway. Modifications to the bridge were included in the streetcar program and were therefore specifically excluded from the Columbia Pike Multimodal program. To my knowledge there are no plans for it at this time. I can pass along this concern to our bridge program for review.”

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@Tim Kelley 139142 wrote:

Where exactly?

What does the state say when you talk to them?

The 4 Mile Run Bridge on Columbia Pike. Near the intersection of W&OD and the Pike.

This is the response from the County after I asked if any bike/pedestrian improvements were planned for the bridge as a part of the Columbia Pike Utilities Undergrounding/Streetscape project:

“It is a big undertaking because there are a lot of considerations at that bridge. We are not undergrounding utilities across Four Mile because I was hoping that they could be incorporated into the revised bridge structure and not need to go under the stream. If you were going to do modifications to the bridge, you would want to be sure what loading needs to be accommodated. The extent of work may ultimately trigger Army Corp of Engineers permits for impacts to Four Mile Run, which I understand is its own challenge. Right now we have our hands full trying to implement the roadway improvements, transit stations, and improved bus service on this corridor. I think that the bridge improvements could be included in the Columbia Pike Complete Streets portfolio, but I’m hesitant to start adding scope until we get the street segments further along. I don’t want to try to accomplish everything, and end up accomplishing nothing. For immediate problems of ponding, maybe be we can just put in some new drains.”

So there are no near-term improvements planned. Pedestrians will continue to walk through pooled water and get splashed by passing cars. Cyclists will continue to have to try to jump the seams on the road.

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@Henry 126549 wrote:

Cafe Sazón is next to the Goodwill visible from where the W&OD crosses Columbia Pike.

Yippie another opportunity for me to complain about how few bike racks there are on the west pike! I really don’t understand how that commercial strip in particular has zero racks…it is literally just meters from one the region’s most heavily used trails. How many potential customers have they lost from that?

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@elbows 125700 wrote:

Could CPRO be of any assistance? Have you raised your concerns to the local neighborhood association?

Of course, neither of these groups are as useful as I wish, but they do need to at least hear from people.

unfortunately I am one of the useless officers of my neighborhood association . I raise concerns to myself constantly, and the number of satisfying responses I get is pathetically low. CPRO on the other hand tends to be pretty useful! I know they know my concerns and probably agree with me. Not too much I can do besides tracking down the owners of the properties and trying to convince them that racks are worth the investment.

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@Starduster 125653 wrote:

I’m not quite sure I would lock up at an abandoned restaurant. (This, the one-time Roy Rogers, one-time Bob & Edith’s, and 3 other restaurants afterwards, slated to be demolished and replaced.)

This area, this intersection, is a crossroads of two different cycling cultures. Us, crossing on the W&OD, and the local Latino community who are riding *on* Columbia Pike, dangers notwithstanding. As bobco85 has documented, it is *underserved* with proper bike racks.

there are definitely fewer reasons to ride on the pike on this stretch with the nice new side walks, and the bike boulevard to the north. That said I do sometimes ride on the pike here because there are so few 4MR crossings.

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@PotomacCyclist 125659 wrote:

I also wanted to point out that the RackSpotter map is a work in progress. Sounds like there really aren’t many bike racks in that area. But I wouldn’t rely solely on the RackSpotter map yet for determining where there are a lot of racks. It’s a volunteer project. We’re getting there, but there’s still a lot of mapping left to do.

Earlier this year, I swept through every single street, road, block and lane in Pentagon City, Crystal City, Long Bridge Park, Arlington Ridge Rd. and Potomac Yard-Arlington to map the bike racks. (I did the same thing for nearly all of central DC, from Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle to the Mall, convention center, Nationals Park, Capitol Hill and NoMa. It took a while.) Some of us have looked at the eastern end of Columbia Pike. I found new racks when I rode around there a couple months ago. Even though there are a lot of racks mapped in Clarendon and Court House, I’m still finding that not all of the racks there have been mapped. There are also new racks being installed, at new developments and by various business improvement districts in ARL and DC.

Maybe after the Army Ten-Miler this weekend, I’ll get back to mapping a lot of bike racks again.

thank you for your efforts…they are herculean. In this case though I think the rackspotter map is accurate. In my experience, there are almost zero racks in my neighborhood. I’d like to see what can be done to get more racks installed, especially at the commercial areas. If there is a coordinated way to approaching a landlord/owner let me know.

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@chris_s 125626 wrote:

Agree with greenjug here – I coffeeneur’d at Cafe Sazon over the weekend and completely circled the plaza – nothing to be found. I don’t know of a bike rack closer to the Goodwill than Arlington Mill Community Center.

There were some by the trail, but they were removed for the construction and haven’t gone back in yet. Quite a few should go in with the streetscape project, but they haven’t gone in yet. The online timeline the project manager gave me was “soon”.

The good people at Café Sazon would be the biggest beneficiaries or some racks. Think of all the business whizzing by on two wheels with no place to lock up and get refreshed.

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@chris_s 125614 wrote:

Racks are going in as part of the streetscape project there (between 4MR and Wakefield), but they have been delayed. I can confirm that there are zero racks right now.

What I’m preachin’ is that this should be one of the more bike friendly places on the pike, given the proximity of the trail. I’m glad to hear there will be some as part of the streetscaping; what caused the delay?

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@elbows 125612 wrote:

Hope greenjug takes up the suggestion, but that area is wanting for racks. When I frequent Pan American Bakery, I’ve started bringing my bike in the store. It isn’t worth dealing with the wrestling match at some farflung light-post to lock up my bike. Similarly, there are racks a fair distance from Goodwill but you’re better off fighting for a sign-post, although they are usually taken. I always see bikes in weird places at that plaza. Same light-post story across the street at Atlacatl.

where are the racks a fair distance from Goodwill? I’m sayin’ there are none to be found anywhere!

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@Tim Kelley 125607 wrote:

It’s likely that there are racks there–they just haven’t been added yet by anyone.

Care to volunteer to scope things out??

I will definitely take a second look, but I’m pretty sure there are no racks in the area. Eventually construction will wrap up at the W&OD Learner’s Loop, and more development will occur on this part of the pike in the next year or so. Now that undergrounding of utilities is complete, how do we get some racks installed?! There are also no racks at the “Pike Plaza” commercial area next to the AMCC (with the CVS and Popeyes). Pretty frustrating!

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how’d the meeting go? i’m curious about the Custis Trail part. I love the newly paved parts. My question is related to the lovely but slippery leaves that cover the trail sometimes…does the trail get sweeped ever? Or is it maintained in another way perhaps? thanks!

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