New York Avenue bike path

Now before anyone gets two excited, let me just say three letters: C S X. 

Ok, that should calm you down.

But, I heard a rumor that DDOT is looking into the possibility of adding a bike/ped path along the north side of New York Avenue from somewhere near the unnamed circle where Montana Avenue and New York Avenue meet, east to Union Market. Somewhere near 4th Street NE, the trail would drop down from the New York Ave grade to the railroad grade and then pass through the unused railroad underpass under New York Avenue. It would then use the fenced off right of way parallel to 4th Street SE to Morse Street SE. 

But doing much of that hinges on CSX agreeing to it. 

It would be great if the project could include a ramp to the 9th Street NE bridge over the railroad tracks and if it could also use the abandoned railroad bridge over New York Avenue just east of the unnamed circle to connect it to 16th Street and/or West Virginia.

 View of the New York Avenue rail underpass

Comments

[Greenbelt]

Like! It would be great if there were a way to engineer if further to meet up with the ART, but I suppose there's no way to get across the river?

[washcycle]

There'll be a bridge at the Arboretum someday, but not one at New York Avenue anytime soon (though I'd think that suspending a bike bridge below it, as Austin, TX did with one of their bridges, would be simple (and expensive).

[Purple Eagle]

Great idea! I had no idea this tunnel/underpass existed.

[TransitSnob]

Oh man, this would come so close to the MET Branch trail. Connect those and you've got a pretty decent network of paths.

Can we also get some more active uses (cafes, bars, and shops) FACING the trails. This would do wonders to improve safety in these somewhat isolated areas.

[Purple Eagle]

@TransitSnob, the proposed trail is on the opposite side of the Amtrak/CSX corridor from the Met Branch. How would you propose connecting them?