It starts on Monday. Dr. Gridlock has a nice breakdown. For bikes:
Bikers and walkers don't have it any better: The popular Mount Vernon Trail is narrow and unprotected as it crosses the bridge. Bikers are supposed to dismount before crossing, but they often disobey the signs, endangering themselves and others.
-- Add a barrier to separate the trail users from the traffic.
-- Lower the grade of the parkway across the bridge to improve sight distance. [WC: this should make for an easier ride too]
-- Eliminate a pedestrian crosswalk on the parkway and add a tunnel under the bridge for safer passage between the Columbia Island Marina, the Mount Vernon Trail and the Potomac shore.-- The Mount Vernon Trail will remain open.
Please let me know if this (the trail staying open) is not the case.
FWIW, they appear to have blocked pedestrian access (across GW Parkway) between Lady Bird Johnson Park and the Mt. Vernon trail. I rolled past on Mt. Vernon today, and couldn't see a way to get across. Doesn't impede me, but could be a serious hassle for those who drive down to use the Mt. Vernon trail.
Posted by: MB | January 12, 2008 at 01:56 PM
It does impede me, and I'm a little miffed about it. I don't see why they needed to cut of all pedestrian/bike access between the park and the Mt Vernon Trail. It was a pretty unpleasant surprise when I went for my run, to find out I couldn't get to the 14th street bridge in any reasonable manner. And this is not going to be done until 2010?
Posted by: Haveyouseenlucky | March 26, 2008 at 03:35 PM