Wilson Bridge Security Barrier

Photo by VDOT

This is what it all looks like in its final state. 

Comments

[TurbineBlade]

There hasn't been a single terrorist attack since the kid-bashers were put in place -- so they must be doing the trick!

[Mike]

Obviously, the bike route is the higher-risk threat, which is why the bollards need to be bigger and closer together than the ones on the adjacent road.

[ontarioroader]

Could use those at the Water St entrance to the Capital Crescent trail. Some idiot decided to drive their car all the way from Georgetown to at least the MD line on Sunday.

[Rootchopper]

The paint and reflectors on the bollards and the trail were added only after the Alex. Bike Ped people and WABA got involved. I agree that the narrow bollards would be better. Better still would be placing a single bollard on the top the ramp. Turns from beneath the bridge are hairy

[Rootchopper]

Also, the electronic security barrier for motor vehicles at the end of S. Royal St. on the other side of the bridge does not work. They have placed concrete jersey barriers in front of it.

[Brandon]

Needs more bollards and a gate on the trail in case the bollards fail.

[dbb]

Placing the chokepoint at the bottom of the hill is ill-considered. If they had elevated the trail 3-4 feet higher than the roadway to the left, they could have put the bollards at the top of the hill where cyclists were going slowly, making for a safer installation. Instead we get a knee jerk reaction to the lack of planning up front.

[Another Josh]

What about the space between the wall and the closest bollard? I hope there isn't room to get between there because it looks like it leads directly into a rock pit.

[SJE]

Whoever does the bollard placement: we need more bollards outside their office to stop them getting out.

[SJE]

They need bollards on the windows in the building behind, to stop people riding through the windows.

[Crikey7]

Oddly, I feel no safer.

[washcycle]

It reminds me a bit of the old vaudville joke where one guy is spraying some gas out of one of those old spray cans and the other asks him what it is. "Elephant repellant" he says. "But there are no elephants around here" the other replies. "See?" the first says, "it works."

I can think of several bridges that have fallen on their own, and none that have been blown up by a truck bomb. If someone builds a truck bomb powerful enough to take down the bridge and is able to drive it around DC we've already lost because it's not like they won't have any other targets (or even better) targets.

Still, by all means, lets fight the remotest of risks in expensive ways that only push the risk elsewhere.

[SJE]

Good point Washcycle. While we spend billions on homeland security, bridges collapse because important structural work had been delayed for lack of funds.

[Shalom]

On the other hand, they did a much better job than I expected on the rest of the park. I rode there on Sunday, it was lovely, substantive, and even had people there. I especially liked the boundary stones and the little paw prints in the paths.

[Eric_W.]

"What about the space between the wall and the closest bollard? I hope there isn't room to get between there because it looks like it leads directly into a rock pit."

Good observation, Another Josh! There is enough room and a non-trivial possibility for a bad accident

During that Summer meeting that Rootchopper referenced, the Wilson Bridge contractor agreed to close that gap with appropriate means (e.g., flexible bollards) but not surprisingly did not follow through. The sharp rocks after the very high and angular curb (apparently used instead of rounded curbs to maximize injury) is called "rock mulch" if you can believe it.

The whole design is a joke and the result is substandard. However, without the constructive involvement of the ABPAC and WABA the situation would present even worse.

[Dave]

This has to win a special design prize for a unique combination of maximizing both security theater AND safety risk. To name just one problem, I've seen many cyclists coming from under the bridge (from the right in the pic) and avoid the blind, 90+ right hand turn and opt for the blind, softer right, faster right--which takes them head on to bikes coming down the hill.