Bike/Ped Bridge over Metro Tracks damaged, closed.

A bridge over the Metro and MARC rail tracks that serves as a connection for Berwyn Road in Berwyn Heights (map) was damaged by a Metro contractor with an entire center span knocked down rendering the bridge unusable for the foreseeable future. 

The span was open, but empty, at the time, and nobody was hurt. The actions of the contractor, Skanska, are under review.

A large section of the bridge’s concrete base and walkway — which traversed Green Line and MARC train tracks in Prince George’s County — crashed onto a construction vehicle below, leaving the bridge’s mangled chain-link safety fencing hanging awkwardly in the air.

Dust and sparks flew as parts of the bridge crashed onto the tracks

Skanska workers had been building a test track for new Metro cars, and an operator lifted the excavator’s arm into the pedestrian walkway, Metro officials said. Skanska project executive John Hellman provided no immediate explanation of the incident and said the investigation is ongoing.

The bridge in the Berwyn Heights area is along a common route to Lake Artemesia Natural Area, a popular recreation spot.

Christy Dollymore walks her dog Lou across the bridge several times a week. It is the quickest way to reach the lake, and the walk itself is an attraction for some. She often sees parents bringing their children there to scope out the trains, Dollymore said.

“I’ve never been afraid up there,” Dollymore said, adding that she will not be scared off from using the bridge again once it is repaired. “It’s just a freak construction accident.”

And an inconvenience.

“We’re sad because we have to go the long way to get to the lake now,”

Train service was pretty quickly restored, but it's unclear how long it will be before the bridge is re-opened. The bridge serves as a connection between the Indian Creek Trail and the College Park Trolley Trail. 

Comments

[Shalom]

Probably worse for pedestrians, but not a crucial link for cyclists. You can make the same connection to the Trolley Trail at the south end of Lake Artemesia, as if you were going onto the Paint Branch Trail.

Now if only they would finish the missing section of the Trolley Trail south toward Riverdale (between Albion and Tuckerman), that would make a much bigger difference.

[Purple Eagle]

The missing section of the trolley trail should be done soon. All that remains is the Cafritz property, with a major mixed-use development currently under construction. They plan to build the trail through the development. Don't know how soon it will be finished - maybe this fall? Next spring?

I agree regarding the bridge - it's more important for local pedestrian access than for cyclists. Though I imagine someone wanting to ride from Berwyn Heights to north College Park via the trolley trail would value the connection.

[Greenbelt]

Actually, this link is crucial for cyclists when the MNCPPC trails are effectively closed in snow on ice (Maryland Parks doesn't plow trails in Prince George's). It connects Greenbelt and Berwyn Heights to the College Park trolley trail, which is plowed in the College Park sections. The bridge facilitates the only north south off road out of traffic snow routing. I took it pretty much all February, and I hope it's repaired by next winter.

[Akkon]

Berwyn Height Bulletin (May 2015 issue): "The bridge will be closed until the missing section is rebuilt. WMATA estimates that repairs will take 6 - 8 months."

[MetMilo]

6-8 months from when? It has been 5 months since this gross negligence happened. There is no progress so far and I do not see this happening unless someone puts pressure on WMATA to get this fixed.

[Robert Catlin]

The replacemetn beam has been ordered and should arrive by the end of October. Construction should begin in November and be finished by mid December.

[Robert Catlin]

New information from WMATA. The replacement beam will be delivered in late December, Construction should be finished by the end of January.

[Robert Catlin]

New information from WAMATA. Now the bridge will be closed for more than 12 months. The new date for the span to arrive is in March and it will be installed in late April 2016.