Maginot Line

Fancy Bollards - North by Rootchopper

With these bollards across the trail, there is absolutely no way for neer-do-wells to get a vehicle through. Absolutely none.

Comments

[Rootchopper]

Actually, I found a gap in the WWB perimeter this morning. All those bollards for naught.

[washcycle]

I was actually being sarcastic. If you look to the right, the gate on the roadway is open (and how secure is it when closed?) and even to the left all that's keeping you out is a chain link fence. If the A-Team has taught me anything, it's that chain link fences are easy to drive through.

[Dave]

There's a big new parking lot under the bridge. Seriously.

[Rootchopper]

The gate will eventually be installed and is activated by a card reader for, I think, Alexandria city employees. (That's who used to park under the bridge.) I agree with the chain link fence observation. My earlier comment related to an odd gap in the perimeter elsewhere. There are mega rocks and wood fences and bollards all around the perimeter.

[Rootchopper]

I forgot to mention that there appear to be new stones marking DC and Virginia on the south side of the bridge right along the trail. I'll try to remember to take pix tonight.

[Eric_W.]

The unsecured parking lot is only a few feet off the bridge. It is so easy and obvious to perform a terrorist act even without driving down the multi-use trail. But why not inconvenience 750,000+ people a year and show them that the DHS is hard at work at making everyone's life miserable, err, safe.

BTW, I am disappointed that they have not installed the sign with directions to avoid being stranded by the construction on the top of the hill...

[Rootchopper]

Apparently the work at the top of the hill is the installation of a new concrete curb cut. Apparently the old curb cuts, installed only a few years ago, were inadequate.

[AlexandriaJeff]

I've seen the street barrier up - it's very substantial. Of all of the bollard complaints around, this isn't one of mine.

[Edge]

Can someone explain to me why we need all these bollards? What, one in 1000 drivers would be stupid enough to drive down a trail. Is it really worth creating an obstacle to cyclists for the 0.1%?

[washcycle]

Edge, the purpose is to thwart terrorists.

[Stephen]

They should put bollards in the river. I'm thinking that a terrorist can get under the bridge with a boat.

[Rootchopper]

I have a better idea. They should put bollards across the GW Parkway where it goes under all the bridges into DC.

They've actually made this worse. Check the Washcycle Flickr group for new pix.

[TurbineBlade]

Hey, I tried reasoning with VDOT about this over dozens of emails...then I slowly crumbled and just couldn't deal with their idiocy any longer. I likened them to a "legion of unprogrammed robots" and gave up trying to communicate with them.

It's completely pointless and a total waste of your time to bother with it. They don't know what is happening under the bridge most of the time, and regardless of what crap the contracted workers erect under there they just fold it under the wing of "It's TSA security....uh, something or other. It's for your own protection. Thank you for contacting us - your input is valuable to our programs".

I saw that several people (including Shane) met with VDOT - but it still sucks under there and nothing makes any sense (like the parking lot for precision bombing).

[TurbineBlade]

BTW - if you know of ANYONE who becomes injured as a result of all of this crap under the bridge - let me know. I have a huge trail of emails explaining to VDOT the problem and if you think it might help in any way, I'll gladly send it to you.

[email protected]

[P]

From what I see, the new paint lines show that the bollards create a pinch point. What looks like what should have been done is the LANE width should be maintained as it passes by the bollards, which means the asphalt at the bollards should swell slightly. That way, the middle bollard can remain, the lane isn't pinched, and no way a car can fit through for security purposes. But what do I know, I'm just a architect.