Earlier this month I wrote a post about how the redevelopment of Rhode Island Center would enhance the Metropolitan Branch Trail, including a east-west path connecting to 4th Street NE. I also identified three connections that I thought were missing. More recently, Edward Russell wrote a GGW post on the same project, which included more background on the bike facilities. It also included a comment from Cheryl Cort about how the project would include stairway connections to the Edgewood Commons apartments on the north side, and she pointed me to the zoning documents. It turns out I'd downloaded them last summer and hadn't gotten around to writing about them. It's better late than never.
The documents do show a connection to Edgewood Commons, but I only see one, not the two Cort described. Still, it's one of the 3 connections I recommended.
Still missing are the stairs from the north side of Rhode Island Avenue to the trail, and the connection from the NE corner of the project to Edgewood Drive.
Another drawing shows the plan for the adjoining section of the trail. In addition to realigning the trail under the Grand Stair, creating a pedestrian plaza and connecting to the new E-W bike facility it calls for relocated art and "flexible open space".
The E-W bike facility is rendered as an 8 foot wide raised, buffered sidepath. I worry that that's a bit narrow for bi-directional travel.
It's really unfortunate that Bryant Street doesn't go through Glenwood Cemetery, it could make a nice E-W route between the trail and Rock Creek Park.
It'd be so easy to reduce the two drive lanes to 10' each, in order to create a 10' 2-way bike path.
Posted by: Uptowner | March 28, 2016 at 01:29 PM