CCT Trouble and Scenic Byway

Just south of where Newark Street NW would intersect with the Capital Crescent Trail if it went through, there's an area where the road bed under the trail is slowly washing away.(Map) A few years ago a small support was added to protect the trail, but if you ride by you'll see that the erosion is starting to occur around the support. We may only be one big storm (think Isabelle) away from the trail washing out. A complete collapse of the hillside is not out of the question and if that happened it might be years for the trail to be restored.

There's some question as to who is responsible for protecting the trail - with the Park Service and the District both trying to determine what to do and who should do it. One possible source of funding would be the designation of Canal Street (below the CCT) as a Scenic Byway. The Scenic Byway plan is filled with bicycle goodies (It's also a little hard to read since the text on some images is too small), Including:

• Between Foxhall Road and the Georgetown Reservoir, support the conversion of the trolley right-of way to a multi-use trail ed: This is the old Cabin John Trolley right-of-way that runs all the way to - you guessed it - Cabin John.
• Connect the Capital Crescent Trail crossing of Canal Road to the rail trestle (tow path to trestle on the east, Arizona Avenue to trestle on the west). ed: this is confusing since the crossing IS the rail trestle, but I think the part in parenthesis is what they're talking about.
• Connect Battery Kemble Park//Palisades Park Trail to the Capital Crescent Trail. Add directional signage. If feasible, convert the culvert to a secondary bike trail.
• Enhance the connection of Glover Archbold Park to the Capital Crescent Trail using the existing pedestrian underpass (Foundry Branch Tunnel). If feasible, relocate the existing sewer and restore the culvert to its historic configuration.
• Improve vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle access to Fletcher’s Boat House area.
• Install a pedestrian bridge over Canal Road to connect Battery Kemble Park/Palisades Park Trail to the Capital Crescent Trail in the vicinity of the access road to the Fletchers Boat House access road.

Like the Four Mile Run plan - it has good ideas, but we'll see if it gets the money. And we'll see if the CCT gets fixed before it collapses. The review period ended on Feb 17th, but here's one letter.

One last thing. For some time the Park Service has been trying to add lights and a call box to the Arizona Avenue Trestle on the CCT, it seems that that might be occurring "sooner rather than later." Wish I had specifics.

Comments

[gwadzilla]

here is a notion that is worth mention on your WASHCYCLE...
the area of Beach Drive that is closed on weekends could use a little sign/speed limit changes on weekends

I ride this road with and without cars pretty regularly
on weekends there are sections that are entirely closed to car traffic
then
there are also sections of road where is open to car traffic so that they can access the various park groves

well, these cars come through these sections of road always destroying the speed limit
some are lost
which sends them turning around
only to buzz the cyclists, the roller bladers, the couples holding hands, and the people walking with their children a second time from the alternate direction
others....
zip past too fast and too close
oddly they are going to park and join a family picnic
odd that they would not be able to see that their driving style would impose on someones effort to have a good time not to mention their safetly

I think that the Park could put a more clear sign that forces the car drivers to know it is closed
then
have the Speed Limit signs move from 25 MPH to read 15 MPH
if people are going to double the speed limit
it would be better if they doubled 15MPH
then
patroling the area to make traffic slow down would be nice

okay
off my soap box
time to sit in front of the alternate idiot box