Saturday Morning Ride - Trains....

I'm gone on vacation. Blogging will be light.

• MTA briefed the CCCT board on the Purple Line trail design plans at the board’s Sept. 13 meeting. SSTs has a summary of what they learned about the new Capital Crescent Trail bridge across Rock Creek. It will be lower than the current bridge so as to pass under Jones Mill road and then cross under the light rail at a slight diagnol. "MTA stated that a major reason for the change in plan was to eliminate the trail crossover bridge approx. 800′ west of Jones Mill Road. They did not elaborate. I believe it most likely the elevation changes required to bring the trail high over the Purple Line for that crossover, then bring the trail low enough to pass under Jones Mill Road, would be very difficult to achieve with an acceptible trail grade within that distance. The new plan reduces the change in trail elevation required in this area....MTA also indicated they are considering a second major change for this area, i.e. removing the switchback ramp connector between the future CCT and the Rock Creek Trail." Additionally, MTA is considering eliminating the direct connection between the RCPT and the CCT, via a switchback, to limit tree removal. The two trails would be connected by at on-road connection or another, undefiined connection. "trail supporters will need to speak out to defend the CCT/RCT connector from this threat." And they also indicated that the trail would be 12 feet wide with two-foot wide shoulders (except in a few pinch points).
• An interview with Jeff Miller, chief executive officer of D.C.-based Alliance for Biking and Walking.
• More people bike cross-country.
• Roll on/roll off service for cyclist heading to Pittsburgh is still in the future, but no one knows when. "Existing Amtrak equipment has to be adapted for the safe storage of bicycles, he said. Decisions remain to be made on whether bikes would be carried in baggage cars or on racks in passenger cars. Train schedules likely would have to be amended to reflect the extra time needed to load and unload the bikes, he said."
• New Carrloton Metro area to be redeveloped. "The plan also calls for improved pedestrian and bicycle paths to the Metro."
• A TBD reporter met with the Arlington BAC to look at the interection of Four Mile Run Drive and Shirlington Road where the W&OD trail ends and the FMRT crosses."Blacknell is hopeful that because most of the changes the committee is recommending are solely under the county's jurisdiction, the new signs could be up relatively quickly. "
• Cyclist runs stop sign gets hit, gets concussion.
• GU Law professor encourages students to ride bikes
• Bike lanes on Penn force reroute for buses.
• NoVA bike trails could benefit from pot of "found money" - "Transportation Secretary Sean T. Connaughton said state officials will decide what the money will be spent on within the next 45 days, but the money could be put toward any one of a large number of planned maintenance projects in Northern Virginia. Those include improvements on I-66 and I-95 and bike trails."

Comments

[Michael H.]

I got hopelessly lost the first time I tried to come back along the W&OD Trail back to Four Mile Run Trail and Potomac Yards. I turned down along the bridge into Shirlington and then did many loops in that area. Not exactly bike-friendly in that neighborhood, with faster car traffic and sidewalks that look like they've been in an earthquake.

Improved signage in that transition area from W&OD to FMRT is long overdue.