From the Archives: Though congested for 30 years, the Mount Vernon Trail still hasn't been widened

There are many things about this 1987 article about trail rangers who ride the Mount Vernon Trail that could still be relevant today.

The trail has become so popular since it opened in 1973 that it now draws more than a half million cyclists a year, many of whom the rangers say zoom along the narrow, winding paths at dangerous speeds. In response to the heavy traffic, the bike patrol was increased to five rangers three years ago. Before that, one ranger periodically monitored the trail.

On weekdays, the path, like the roadways, is most congested during morning rush hours. Traffic picks up again around 10 a.m. when pleasure cyclists begin to cruise the trail.

On weekends, when two rangers are on patrol, the trail gets so congested that there have been frequent accidents, some serious.

And yet, despite the congestion, the trail has not yet been widened to 6 lanes like I-66. OK, some.

Though I do believe that half a million understates it. I seem to recall it now being nearer to 750,000 annually.

On July 4, an elderly man walking on the trail suffered a cracked skull after a bike struck him from behind, she said. Dents in trees along the path show the impact of handlebars. Last September, Shirley Metzenbaum, wife of Sen. Howard M. Metzenbaum (D-Ohio), suffered severe head injuries in a fall.

This was mentioned before, but here's the article about the fall which seems to be a single-bike crash. She's still alive and seemed to recover fine. When Mentzenbaum was at Ohio State, btw, he ran a bicycle rental business. 

In an attempt to reduce the number of injuries, rangers have begun painting yellow lines down the middle of dangerous lengths of the path. In the next few months, White said, they may install 15-mile-an-hour speed limit signs that would be enforced at some spots with radar.

Two of the most treacherous areas along the path, White said, are at National Airport, where cyclists must cross busy airport entrances, and along the southernmost part of the route between Dyke Marsh and Mount Vernon, where the trail is hilly, woody and winding.

Plans are under way to create a special tunnel that would bypass the airport entrances and to level a dangerous curve at the southern end of the path, White said. Park officials say they face a constant dilemma because straightening paths and cutting down trees may make paths safer, but many cyclists feel such measures also make the trails less enjoyable.

Update: Here are some photos of the current "widening" project underway, as well as the current way of counting bike traffic. Photos by M.V. Jantzen

Mt Vernon Trail counter 

Trail construction with future straightened trail

Comments

[oboe]

Interesting look back. Ironic that the major change since then has been to clarify that cyclists can't use the roadway.

[Steve Palincsar]

You're forgetting about the dramatic changes the bridges at National Airport made. Back then cyclists had to cross the ramp from National to the GW Parkway, going across traffic that was usually doing between 40 and 50 mph and had no respect at all for painted crosswalks. It took a lot of nerve to step out, basically daring drivers to run you over. We soar over all that now, our only complaint being that the bridges retain snow and ice for weeks after a snowfall.

[im baaaack]

cant use the roadway? i ride through the airport all the time...right past the cabs...under the old terminal...fuck them if they think they can stop me. this is like idiot idaho discussions: we already have the idaho stop!!! dc is too mucnh a socil disater, like the rest of the usa, to care about bikes, be that care good or bad. bikes are in the margins...and will remain so when you cant find an apartment fior under 2 grand and uneomplyment for blacks is 50 percent...

[Steve O]

"because straightening paths and cutting down trees may make paths safer, but many cyclists feel such measures also make the trails less enjoyable."

Really? Many cyclists? Who says? Do they have have statistics on that? Agree with the cutting down trees part, I guess, but presumably one could plant more to make up the difference once the path is straightened. Just plant them where the curvy path used to be.

[Person]

Uh, no one said people can't ride on the roads at the airport. I believe that reference was to the GWMP. Cyclists aren't supposed to ride on that road.

And yes, I see that the offensive, out-of-control poster is back. Not sure what those other stats have to do with the Mt. Vernon Trail at all.