What a DC bridge to Roosevelt Island could look like

Via Washingtonian

Comments

[DE]

This could end up being a nice, different, slow way to get from VA to DC and verse vica, though perhaps not by bike. I used to run a lot on Roosevelt Island, and it's not really a biking island unless you have a mountain bike (and want to break the rules, which I seem to remember discourage bike riding).

[dynaryder]

Meh. Lots of dosh for something that would just ruin the place. The fact that you have to go around on the Key Bridge keeps most of the tourists away so it's not a zoo.

Plus with all the NIMBYism over the Whitehurst,I can't imagine the locals will be happy with this ruining their sightlines.

[Brett Young]

Problems with this bridge
1) Lack of unified support from all sides of the debate. NPS doesn't want it either
2) When I walked on the island and parked there....there was actually many people there...and I wonder if a bridge would really bring in too many people to the island.

[washcycle]

I get uncomfortable when "hard to get to" becomes a feature and not a bug. If the goal is to limit use, there are likely better ways to do that.

[Mike]

I'd rather see a pedestrian bridge in the great falls area, TBH. There's no way for a person without a car to cross from the chain bridge to white's ferry (and the latter lands you in a pretty hostile part of loudoun county). It would be neat if you could check out both canals without having to hop on 495.

[DE]

We cross all the time at Great Falls, but then we have kayaks. :>) But yes, a pedestrian bridge there would be helpful. That gorge does occasionally fill up though in floods, as it did twice in 1996, so it would have to be fairly high, and I'm guessing the park service might not want to mar the view of Mather Gorge.

Roosevelt Island does still ban cycles, I saw yesterday, so they would have to change the rules as well as pave the trails.

I understand what Washcycle is saying about being hard to get to not being a benefit, but it is nice that you can find solitude there sometimes, so close to the city.

[bobco85]

Roosevelt Island is odd in that it is technically DC land yet one must venture into VA in order to access it. DC residents should have an easy way to access a park on their land.

I think a pedestrian bridge from Georgetown Waterfront Park would be great. Even better would be the addition of a connector to the Roosevelt bridge which would work well with the construction expected for the Kennedy Center (would make a nice walking loop).

[darren]

build the DC bridge, re-forest 1/2 of the VA parking lot. pastoral peace maintained.

[Purple Eagle]

I think Washcycle suggested a connection from the Roosevelt bridge in a post several years ago - that seems like a much better plan. If NPS wants to continue banning bikes on the island the access point could lead to a bike parking area. The point would be to provide access from DC, not an alternate transportation route across the river.

I am not sure bobco85's argument makes sense though. Suppose DC still included Arlington, and thus visitors would not need to leave the district in order to access the island by the current route. Would that make any difference? I don't think it matters that one needs to "leave the district" in order to get to the island. The problem is that access is not as direct from Georgetown as some would like. The location of the DC/VA border is irrelevant.

Another potential challenge with this bridge design/location is that it (appears to) land on the island in a wetland area. The trail along the eastern side of the island is a boardwalk elevated over the water.

[washcycle]

If such a bridge were built, I think a path along the south side of the island could be designated as the only place where biking is allowed, so as to maintain the ban.

And the connection from TR Bridge is a no-brainer. Even if it's ped only.

[DE]

There is a point along the Roosevelt bridge that is directly above part of the trail system that is not part of the wetland area. I suppose this could be used, but the bridge walkway is ridiculously narrow there, with a couple of brief bumpouts in the area. Seems it would need retrofit/reconstruction to allow for increased traffic, not to mention a bike parking area.

[washcycle]

A TR Bridge rehab is being designed now, with construction to start in 2021. Not sure if there is a connection to the island in the cards, but it's never too soon to start agitating for it.

"THEODORE ROOSEVELT BRIDGE.
Rehabilitation of the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Bridge Main Spans and Ramps, including
pedestrian/bicyclist safety improvements; sidewalk widening; connection for downstream sidewalk to
Virginia; modifications to zipper lane; and bridge lighting."

http://ddot.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ddot/release_content/attachments/MASTER%20Revised%20FY%2015-21%20Obligation%20Plan_v5_FINAL_WEBSITE.pdf

[washcycle]

BTW, that's zipper LANE, not zipper LINE (though that would be cool).

[Mike]

a zipper line sounds more painful than cool

[DE]

Connecting the downstream side would be cool. Saw someone on a CaBi going that way the other day and chuckled, having been there before.

[SJE]

If they don't do this bridge, a cheaper alternative would be to improve access from the island to Key Bridge for anything other than cars.