NPS announced on Wednesday that work on the three-year rebuild of Beach Drive and parts of the Rock Creek Park Trail will begin after Labor Day. So this headline is still true, if you just ignore the year.
The project will be completed in four segments. Each segment of Beach Drive will be closed in both directions 24/7 during work. Prior to work beginning on each segment, the National Park Service will post upcoming road work and road closure information on this webpage, so drivers, cyclists and pedestrians can plan their trip through, and around Rock Creek Park. The project includes full depth pavement reconstruction, which requires excavating the entire area and placing a new gravel base before new asphalt paving; improvements to pedestrian and bicycle trails in collaboration with the DDOT; DC Water storm drain rehabilitation and improvement projects; installation and upgrades of raised pavement markers, centerline rumble strips, guardrails and road signs to provide safer road conditions for drivers; parking area reconstruction and rehabilitation; traffic signal and streetlight replacement; and the rehabilitation of six bridges.
The four segments of the project are:
Segment 1 - Connecticut Ave NW to Tilden St NW
Segment 2 - Tilden St NW to Broad Branch Rd
Segment 3 - Broad Branch Rd to Joyce Rd
Segment 4 - Joyce Rd to DC/MD Border
For a review of what this means for trail users you can see this post from last April. I will point out that the new bridge over Rock Creek just south of the tunnel will not be included in this project and will instead be done in later work to be performed by DDOT. I'm not sure if that was always the plan and I misunderstood, or if that is a change. Reportedly, DDOT was trying to get the designs finished in time or to rearrange the segment schedule, but the DC Water work won't wait.
The final designs for the complementary DDOT project are on track to be completed in the fall with construction starting in 2017.
While portions of Beach Drive are closed I hope DDOT and NPS take the opportunity to gauge the effect on traffic on surrounding roads.
I've always felt it a shame that Rock Creek Park has served as a commuter expressway much to the detriment of its intended park mission.
Posted by: Jeffb | July 08, 2016 at 08:56 AM
As bad as NPS is to cyclists in general, I think the issue here is that no one wants to push closing Beach Drive in the face of what would likely be massive political opposition.
Posted by: Crickey7 | July 08, 2016 at 09:11 AM
JeffB, at a recent BAC meeting a DDOT rep said that DDOT and FHWA were working on just such a study.
Posted by: washcycle | July 08, 2016 at 10:07 AM
It would be great if NPS and DDOT can work together in advance to ensure that alternatives are in place. e.g.
1. NPS could do the road at a different time from doing the side path, so that cyclists can still use the park.
2. Ensure that alternative routes are available and reasonably bike friendly.
e.g.
-Road repairs etc
-Ensure that the sidewalk on 16th St is cleared of debris and overhanging branches.
3. Provide signage well in advance. Its one thing for a car to suddenly have to detour in Rock Creek Park, but its a lot harder for a cyclist who faces a serious climb out of the park to take an alternative route. If you knew that there was a blockage ahead of you, you might be able to keep higher up.
4. Work with WABA.
Posted by: SJE | July 08, 2016 at 11:09 AM
Perhaps this should also be a consideration in talks with WMATA. e.g.
- Get red line repairs done before labor day.
- Perhaps relax or modify the bikes on trains rule.
Posted by: SJE | July 08, 2016 at 11:11 AM
Will these closures overlap with Red Line Safetrack work? Ugh.
Posted by: GR | July 08, 2016 at 02:50 PM