[joshkaplowitz]

I was envisioning that Friends of the Custis would supplement (rather than supplant) whatever County money has already been allocated to trail maintenance– and also do advocacy work alongside existing orgs. I profess total ignorance as to the costs of paving, plowing, etc., so I have no idea how well-funded such an organization would need to be in order to make a difference. I’m curious as to what Friends of W&OD does with its money. I know that the trail is under the auspices of a regional authority, so maybe that is what primarily accounts for the lack of tree-root bumps.

That Lynn St intersection proposal is interesting, if a little dense. How does one lobby to move a project like this up the priority list? Also, if cost is an issue, my gut tells me a tunnel would be more expensive than a bridge.

[joshkaplowitz]

I’ve certainly biked on much worse trails, and I agree that there are plenty of stretches that are in good shape. (It also doesn’t help that my bike has no suspension.) But an awful lot of the trail could stand to be repaved– or at least leveled where tree roots have cracked the pavement. I’m thinking in particular about the stretch between Lincoln and Lee Hwy that you cite, the stretch under the parking garage along 66, and the stretch just after the recently paved segment as you are biking toward DC. Also, the newly-paved segment still doesn’t have a center stripe, which has caused me some heartburn when it is dark or the sun is in my eyes. I was just throwing out the idea that private funding may help get some of these improvements done sooner. I bet it would be easy to get business sponsorship and small contributions from the thousands of us who ride the trail daily.

I think your Rosslyn Death Zone ideas would definitely help, and I agree that the fault is shared by bikes and cars. However, it seems like the most dangerous time in the is when bikes have the walk signal amd cars have the green, since half the cars are trying to get from 66 to the Key Bridge. I’m not sure a “no turn on red” sign is going to do the trick there. A bridge through the gateway park strikes me as the best long-term solution, and would immensely benefit pedestrians going between Rosslyn and Georgetown as well… though again, the money.

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