Thursday Morning Commute - Do Not Enter

Photo by M.V. Jantzen

Good morning

• A portion of the Met Branch Trail Mount Vernon Trail near the power plant is closed "GenOn's Potomac River Generating Station is doing maintenance to its underground pipe system and discharge points along the Potomac River. To do the work safely, we must close the portion of the Mount Vernon Trail that runs along the river adjacent to the station. The trail is being used to transport equipment and materials as we build a temporary dam to allow access to the pipes. The work will continue through the remainder of this week, but will conclude no later than March 1. All users of the trail are directed to use the alternative path that runs on the western side of the path along the George Washington Parkway." The alternative path, Ed K. tells me, is an inadequate sidewalk or a one way street.
• The "don't follow too closely" bill failed in committee. Local Delegates Cox and Comstock voted to kill it.
• Tim Johnson's Ride on Washington, March 20th.
• Toole Design, the engineering firm that does so much bike planning in DC, is having an open house at their new offices on Thursday, March 8th from 4pm-7pm. At 8484 Georgia Avenue, Suite 800, Silver Spring, MD.
• In December, the Maryland BPAC voted to send a letter to "MDOT Secretary Beverley Swaim-Staley requesting that MDOT conduct a comparative analysis of two different alignments favored by Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties respectively for extending the W&BA Trail across the Patuxent River, as well as possible compromise options."
  
  • They also discussed PEPCO resistance to trails along power line right-of-ways.
  • And it was announced that SHA finalized their guidelines for use of the R4-11/Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs and has begun compiling a list of roadways for consideration for sign installation. Their initial list consists of arterials leading out of the District of Columbia and Taneytown in Carroll County. SHA is open to receiving other recommendations and anticipates installing the first signs next spring.
• Tech companies are in a race to outdo each other for bicycle friendliness to attract good employees. "I don't know, I'm actually sizing this up now and seeing I guess we're going to need a couple more racks. I don't know, I guess we can probably put some more around the corner if we needed to."
• FABB is working on getting the Fairfax County Parkway rebuilt.
• Virtual push-button activated crosswalk lights may make busy trail crossings safer. See this story on one in Blacksburg.
• Speed limit or "Ultimate speed barrier" may be restored. It's not just a good idea, it's the law.

Comments

[CyclingFool]

Washcycle, that should be Mount Vernon Trail, not Met Branch. Editorial comments aside, I ran into this closure yesterday afternoon as I made my way from work in downtown DC to class in Old Town Alexandria. Ed K. is so right about the alternative route being a woefully inadequate sidewalk, maybe 5 feet wide, and that's being generous. When riding it yesterday, there was a predestrian walking the other way. I slowed way down and moved over as far as I could, and the pedestrian leaned into a space between two bushes a little. Otherwise, I would have had to dismount and step out into the roadway to get by.

I trust this closure is signed adequately for those heading north on the trail so they have time to jump over to the woefully inadequate alternate? Otherwise, it'd be a long way around... Anyone approached from that direction?

I hadn't ridden on the alternate "trail" for quite a while. It got my wheels turning since the class I was heading to was a transportation planning course where we've been discussing bike infrastructure a lot so far. I'm putting together some thoughts now on how the alternate trail could be reworked and dramatically improved, likely by way of a two-way cycletrack.

[NeilB]

Ultimate speed barrier = war on neutrinos.

[Jonathan Krall]

That section of the Mt Vernon Trail (the "alternate route") is supposed to be redone within the next year or two by the city of Alexandria. I don't think I've seen the design yet, though.

I think the new accommodation will be a wider sidepath in place of the narrow sidewalk that is there now. The city of Alexandria doesn't "get" cycletracks, at least not yet.

[CyclingFool]

Thanks, Jonathan. I didn't realize they already had something in the works there. It'd be interesting to find out what exactly they have in mind.

I haven't seen traffic volumes for Abingdon Dr, but from my own experiences, I'm guessing that removing a travel lane there would have liitle to no impact on traffic flow, even at rush hours. That'd make room for a two-way cycletrack.

But as always, I'm sure the issue would be a political one of selling it to the decision makers. I know at least some city staff are quite open to the idea of cycletracks, but they don't make the ultimate decision...

[TurbineBlade]

The "alternate path" as mentioned by others here really sucks.

A good rule of bike routes is if you would not want your wife and/or child to ride with you along the route, then it's a poor route. This one definitely meets this standard.

You need a downhill mountain bike to survive "lumpy lane" there.
TB

[Rootchopper]

Abingdon Dr could be bumped to the west a few feet. That would be enough for a cycle track. I agree about the alternate trail. You have to check your fillings after riding it. I'm curious, was this the original right of way for the trail?