The Theodore Roosevelt Bridge carries I-66 and Route 50 over the Potomac River and Theodore Roosevelt Island. It's made the wish list before, two years ago, for it's unfinished downstream lane. The bridge provides a good connection from the Mt.Vernon Trail to Foggy Bottom and the Kennedy Center, but it could do so much more. The unconnected downstream lane, like the lane on the Young, represents money left on the table. [I couldn't find one picture of the bike lanes on Flickr. I think there's a correlation between how bike friendly a bridge is and how many photos there are of it on Flickr. This photo is from Bike Washington] (map)
1. The west side of the downstream lane ends in the middle of nowhere, stranded inside a maze of highways. Continuing this lane, by carrying it over 50 and 110 and to the Marine Corps Memorial would create, in effect, a new Potomac River crossing - and a spectacular one at that. One that could be used by tourists as well as commuters. This is in the D.C. Bike Plan and it's a priority of the Arlington BAC. I don't know why it hasn't seen any movement.
2. From the same drop off point on the west side, a bridge going back across the GW Parkway (but lower) to the Mt. Vernon would connect the Trail, the Memorial and the Mall.
3. Like the Young, the Roosevelt crosses an island without giving access. Bikes are not allowed on Roosevelt Island, but again stairs - on one side or both with bike parking and troughs could open up the park to more visitors. The Park Service once ranked the park among the 10 most underused. Maybe because it doesn't give enough access. [The TR Memorial, BTW, is my favorite DC memorial. It captures the spirit of the honoree better than any of the others IMO].
4. Though the west side of the downstream lane is bad, the east side is no treasure. It leaves bikes and pedestrians to cross the Potomac River Freeway and gives cyclists no method for crossing busy Ohio Avenue. This could use some improvement (such as an underpass - like this one from Montreal - under Ohio Ave and/or an overpass over the Freeway).
5. The east side of the upstream lane leads to the Kennedy Center Trail, which was rebuilt a few years ago and is nice, but it's frustrating to go over the Rock Creek and Potomac River Trail but not be able to get to it (not without riding around the Kennedy Center and then turning left on Virginia Avenue for several blocks.
A connection from end of the bridge to the Potomac River (again either a bridge or underpass) is needed.
6. Both lanes are narrow and need to be widened.
7. The barrier between the road and lanes is inadequate and frankly unsafe (being only a foot high). Something more like what's on the Mason or the new Wilson is needed.
8. Lights and signs too.
Yeah, that bridge is indeed a nightmare on both sides. A huge loss to cyclists who don't want to hassle with the dangerous traffic issues it presents. It'd be great if some of the changes you suggest became reality. Alas, I'm not too hopeful.
Posted by: icon o'classt | January 02, 2008 at 12:33 PM