NPS to improve Memorial Circle, GW Parkway, Mt. Vernon Trail

Congressman Jim Moran, Northern Virginia Democrat, requested safety improvements along the GW Parkway, Memorial Circle and Mt. Vernon Trail following concerns from constituents regarding numerous accidents involving cars, pedestrians and cyclists in recent months. As a result, NPS will begin to make the following improvements next week. They should be completed this fall. 

• replacing many of the directional and regulatory signs in the Circle and on Memorial Bridge;
• installing rumble strips bumps to alert drivers before each of several specific crosswalk areas;
• painting directional arrows, information, and symbols directly onto the pavement to help drivers select proper lanes early; and
• moving one crosswalk area from where there are two lanes to where it is only one lane wide.

This is a positive move by Rep. Moran, who has often shown support to biking and trails in Virginia. 

Comments

[aaa]

it's about flippin time. even a CAUTION PEDESTRIANS sign would have been nice.

[charlie]

Except of course the problem areas are technically in DC. Thanks EHN!

[@rollresistance]

Over/under on the number of bollards used in the solution?

But seriously, this is great news. Hopefully it helps.

[Ken Sch.]

Great news! Any chance we can get the crumbling Memorial Bridge fixed? What the heck are those wooden bridges on the stone bridge FOR amnyway?

[washcycle]

Good question Ken. Anyone know?

[Crickey7]

How about a button at the crosswalks that deploys bollards along the front edge of the crosswalk?

[oboe]

What, so ticketing drivers who obeyed the law wasn't working? Who knew?

[aaa]

The temporary permanent metal and wooden ramps on the degrading concrete are now historic and should be preserved.

[RCANNON100]

First, I agree with ever snark.

That said, I go numb with frustration that local govt does not attack low hanging fruit. These all seem to be low hanging fruit solutions. And for that THANK YOU MORAN. Thank you for getting NPS off its butt and addressing this horrendous situation. More needs to be done. But this is a start, a good start, and I am glad to see NPS motivated to caring about that situation.

[Michael H.]

I hope the improvements actually help to make those trail crossings safer. But I also look forward to a long-term permanent solution that replaces the at-grade intersections with overpasses or reasonable alternate trails (or alternate car lanes).

[MB]

This is perhaps the first ever time that I'm pleased to see rumble strips.

[RCANNON100]

QUOTE What the heck are those wooden bridges on the stone bridge FOR amnyway? ENDQUOTE

Oh yeah. I thought WABA knew. Memorial bridge was of course originally a draw bridge. Memorial bridge is old, and crumbling. Apparently the bridge is weakest at the old draw bridge joints. And apparently the bridge is stronger under the road than under the sidewalk. Apparently, the bridge, at the draw bridge joints, under the sidewalks is, well, crap. So ironically a light bicycle going across those joints is a bigger threat than a one ton car.

[JHR]

I'm not sure how much rumble strips will actually help but at least the NPS is doing something relatively quickly to respond to this issue. I think they really need to put in lights (with warnings to drivers well in advance) and eventually allow cyclists and pedestrians to pass over or under the road, however.

[oboe]

Good to see a little political leadership here. I too would like to think Congressman Moran:

[TurbineBlade]

That caption is hard to crack. On the one hand, the guy holding the sign looks pretty educated -- possibly a stock broker or neurosurgeon, so it may be a pun on "Moran" but there is an off-chance that he didn't know how to spell moron.
TB

[Rootchopper]

The Belle Haven Boulevard crossing of the GWMP is the scene of monthly accidents, usually involving two or more cars. I hate crossing here with my bike. It's truly astounding that the NPS has refused to show common sense leadership on doing something to fix this.

[TurbineBlade]

+1 to Rootchopper. I wouldn't call this a "crossing", it's a bloody deathtrap.

[earl p.]

truly astounding are the words id use to describe pundits who are so blind so social reality that they are surprised by the venom spewed at bicycles in general. specifically, thre NPS is NOT a friend of bikes.

duh.

[Kathy]

+1 to rootchopper. Would be an ideal place for a traffic circle as exists all over Europe. Slows traffic down but keeps it moving at the same time plus NPS can plant flowers/trees in the middle to keep it looking nice.

[Michael H.]

A June 7 post on the GWMP Facebook page:

Changes are coming to the parkway and crosswalks at Memorial Circle. Given the number of pedestrian/cyclist/car collisions, the parkway requested a road safety audit of the area from the Federal Highway Administration. The final results were released yesterday, but the parkway worked from an early draft to sort proposals into short- and long-term projects and come up with an implementation plan. Watch for a timetable of specific safety improvements after a press conference on Thursday, 6/14.

http://www.facebook.com/NPSGWMP

[Kolohe]

Alas, TurbineBlade does not seem familiar with all internet traditions (but maybe my snarkmeter itseld=f is broken)

"at least the NPS is doing something relatively quickly to respond to this issue"

Relatively is a relative term to be sure, but still, 'quickly'? This problem has been in existence, and as been getting worse, for at least twenty year. (it's actually kind of interesting to see the ghost sidewalks around the Pentagon/Boundary Channel Drive right by the MVT connection, they just simply gave up there)

[5555624]

More than a year ago, on 4 March 2011, in e-mail,, Dottie P. Marshall,
Park Superintendent, said the wooden walkways were temporary and the "walkways will remain in place until we begin a much larger rehabilitation of Memorial Bridge that is in the early planning stages and will not commence for 2 or 3
years. When plans are in place for this project, we will have information
available on the web as well as extensive public involvement regarding how
the project will be conducted."