Oxon Hill Trail Bollard a Hazard

Jonathan writes

The new bollards installed on the Oxon Hill Trail have been left in the down position the majority of the time that I've seen them this week.  In the down position they are much less visible to cyclists and are a hazard.  The old bollard at the south end of the trail was always down because it was broken. I have no idea why the new bollards are always down.

Who is in charge of the National Park Service's Transportation Bicycling Program anyway?  And don't tell me that, with their high-usage multi-user trails, the the NPS has no one paying attention to transportation bicycling.  The NPS can't be _that_ out of touch with what is going on in their parks, right?  Right?!?

I think the answer to the first question is that their is no National Park Service's Transportation Bicycling Program, but there should be. In general, I agree with Steve Offutt that there are too many bollards on trails anyway.

A study of how best to integrate bikes and transit determined that allowing bikes on transit is the most cost-effective (more than "two-bikes", bike to transit or shared bikes)

Comments

[Dan]

the one on the north end was up this morning. south end was still down.

[Jonathan Krall]

Thanks for posting this. Given that many cyclists share the NPS's mission to preserve open space, I think the NPS is missing a big opportunity to capitalize on the growing number if cyclists in their parks. I'd particularly like to see the NPS Parkways Program make cyclist inclusion a part of their mission.

[satan]

file this under: NPS are morons when it comes to bikes and alternative transportation, or managing urban parks...

the NPS DOES NOT enforce traffic laws...either speed in cars down beach drive, or me, having ridden at least 40 times in the last year down the clara barton parkway..and stopping to yell at the cops in their cars parked in the waysides doing paperwork, as the traffic speeds by at ridiculous speeds!!!

the NPS are truly clueless...

uh, and when will the trails be repaved?...once every THIRTY (30) years!

it is embarrassing to be an american in the 21st century...

[Purple Eagle]

FWIW - traffic laws on NPS parkways are enforced by the US Park Police, which is a separate agency. So NPS can't really get the blame for that one.

[Paul G]

I thought that the new bollard would, although be annoying, at least would be visible in the up position! So they install a new bollard and leave it down. The NPS trucks and sometimes police drive along this trail. I guess it's too much trouble to raise and lower the bollard every day. The one at the north end is up today as Dan pointed out.

On another note- After I complained about the trail reinstatement at the North end by the new Evidence Control Facility the contractor finally fixed up the transitions. But within 2 weeks there is already a big knot of grass growing through the brand new blacktop! It can only be 1/2inch thick! I've taken pictures and sent them to WABA who championed the trail issue before. This contractor is getting away with it. - sorry had to vent.