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Also hoping Rebecca gets to see a certain bridge in East Falls Church.

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@DanB 225777 wrote:

The overpass, uh, I mean bridge, at the Lake Accotink dam is open! It looks impressive with its massive supports and unnecessary bollards and sign.[ATTACH]30776[/ATTACH]

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Sign left over from its previous steep configuration?

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@Steve O 225760 wrote:

Well, I’ll bet you lunch that Dominion now thinks they are all done, thank you, and no ramp will be built unless the issue gets elevated again. I suspect our liaison was given bad information.

And that they’re hoping that we will go away.

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@consularrider 225746 wrote:

The Eads St connection to the 4MRT between the power substation and the water treatment plant has been modified with paint. I’m not sure what they are trying to accomplish with the sidewalk markings, no one one rides their bikes in that direction. Maybe that’s to steer someone away from the curb drop-off? The curb cut wasn’t widened, but not now bears a bright yellow coat of pain.

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Sometime soon, I will get by here *at night* to see if it *does* keep someone from wrecking on the curb.

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@CaseyKane50 225740 wrote:

The original project to widen the trail in Falls Church was a NOVA parks project. It was completed in 2021.

There is a separate Falls Church project to improve the crosswalks at Little Falls Street, Great Falls Street, N. Oak Street, and N. Spring Street. The project is federal and locally funded, estimated cost $2 million. Construction is scheduled to start later in 2023 and be completed in 2024.

Click on the link. This is an ambitious bit of roadwork, bigger than simply wider ramps. It will be worth the construction disruption it will cause. https://www.fallschurchva.gov/2160/WOD-Trail-Crossings

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Good morning. Arlington National Cemetery has announced some traffic changes, effective Monday April 17. As follows:

Traffic Pattern Changes Around Arlington National Cemetery
4/12/2023
On or around April 17, 2023, several traffic pattern changes and detours will take place on the roads surrounding the construction supporting Arlington National Cemetery’s Southern Expansion project. The public can expect to see the following changes:

1. The southbound ramp on Washington Boulevard that connects drivers to eastbound Pentagon South Parking will be modified to intersect Columbia Pike with a new temporary traffic signal. This will allow both westbound and eastbound turns on Columbia Pike, as well as towards Pentagon South Parking.

2. The southbound ramp on Washington Boulevard that connects drivers to westbound Columbia Pike will be closed. Westbound Columbia Pike drivers will be detoured to the Pentagon South Parking ramp, where the intersection was modified to allow westbound traffic.

3. These detours are expected to last until at least June 30, 2023.

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On balance, I think this will be safer for us on bikes. Using the path, this is *one less* high speed offramp to cross. If you are taking the lane eastbound, the traffic light should “calm” motor vehicle speed through here. Whoever rides this first, let us know.

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The wonderfully wide separated mode W&OD Trail within Falls Church. The widened trail was built with the intent of equally wide crosswalks. As you see…

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Street crossing remains at its original width and alignment. Repeated three times at N. Spring, N. Oak, and Great Falls St. Are these crossings the responsibility of the City of Falls Church?

Unfinished business in The Little City.

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@consularrider 225712 wrote:

Just a heads up, there’s a big pile of rocks blocking the full width of the W&OD between Columbia Pike and 9th St S. You can get by on the the northside, but be aware of oncoming traffic. There was no warning at Columbia Pike, just a landscaping truck driving down the trail which had probably just dumped the rocks. Looks like an emergency repair of the collapsing Four Mile Run embankment is about to start.

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OK, rocks dumped directly on the trail is not ideal, but I am very glad they are addressing this emergency repair.

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From today’s Washington Post- an article about E-Bike battery safety: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2023/04/08/ebike-battery-fire-explosion-safety/

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We saw the sign in February, but I went to verify that the sign was “official”, from a VDOT sign shop, and not some really good “guerrilla sign work”. And honestly worried it would be taken down. This is genuine-the sticker is a match for the two roadway hazard signs above it.

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I rode to see if Pete’s sign remained. It does. Both sides of the bridge. Printed green on white reflective sheeting.
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Folks, I believe…it is official.

We should go for a bike ride!

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@dbb 225655 wrote:

Just got an email from my contact at Dominion regarding the boardwalk at the Glebe substation work.

She asked “I wanted to check in and see if you have any other feedback on the boardwalk since its been in operation for a few weeks now. Anything good or bad you would like to share or have heard from others?”

I told her I would seek input from the forum and share the responses.

Operators are standing by …

I will second what KaseyKane50 and Steve O have said-this is a good boardwalk and should not be *diabolical* (reference to Trollheim). Reflective elements will make it more night-friendly. Now to *fix* the safety issues with the end of S. Eads. Because of the “road furniture” a cyclist has to dodge, and because the only lighting there is “incidental” (a parking lot and whatever illuminates the substation), I will ask that they extend street lighting to this cul-de-sac.

Good work, sir!

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Today’s update on the ANC/Columbia Pike detour:

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They are really trying to discourage us from riding through the “parking lot”.

For those who wish to take the lane downhill going eastbound, the *right lane* remains safe for a big ring flyer. The left lane is breaking up and developing potholes.

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My ride through the cherry blossoms today was quite easy…
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…but encountered a problem. Potomac & Half St SW. This is not a help.
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@arlcxrider 225634 wrote:

Extremely short-lived, apparently. Back to normal operations (clockwise) last evening.

I did not go down there to experience the insanity over the weekend. NPS seems to making it up as they go along this year.

I hope there is some after-action reckoning, in light of Sunday’s debacle. The environs need to be completely closed to motorized traffic, with perhaps an exemption for disability placards. There needs to be no expectation that one can drive and find parking. Free shuttle buses should be provided to multiple Metro stations–Smithsonian was completely overwhelmed.

I guess we should ask, “Why???”

I support greatly restricted motor vehicle traffic here, but I also want to be respectful of the locals who picnic and fish there.

[Author]

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