Washington Gas Project is cause for Anacostia Trail closure, but it should open soon

Image courtesy of Ben Bowman

Back in 2014, the section of the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail that passes under the 11th Street bridge (seen above) was closed in order to clean and remediate the site (aka Operable Unit (OU) 1). It became contaminated due to wastes related to the former Washington Gas East Station manufactured gas plant property which was just north of the site. At the time they said that

The Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, which is currently along Water Street, will remain intact during the OU1 work. As part of the OU1 work, the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail will be re-routed to go beneath the bridges along the River, rather than along Water Street. This new trail will not be available for use until after the OU1 work is complete and the fence has been removed.

In 2015 they reported that

Washington Gas completed the contaminated surface and subsurface soil removal and backfilling requirements of the Operable Unit (OU) 1 Remedial Design and Remedial Action at the government property 

So why is it still closed? 

In October 2015, Washington Gas seeded the topsoil with native species appropriate for planting in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and adjacent coastal regions. Washington Gas will have two years to establish a healthy vegetative cover over the government property. Public access to the government property will be limited by a fence for two years to ensure successful vegetation over the clean soil that will blanket the property. The section of Anacostia Riverwalk trail that crosses through the Site will not be accessible while vegetation becomes established, but a detour is already in place for trail users.

So yes, it has literally been closed to allow the grass to grow, which is why it seems like nothing is going on there. But...if they mean exactly two years and if they really did do this in October 2015 and if my math is right it should reopen (let's see, carry the one)....next month. Though this earlier document said the site would open in 2017-2018. 

Comments

[Adam]

They couldn't open the trail in the interim because cyclists and pedestrians on the trail would disturb the grass?

Outrageous.

Thank goodness nobody died trying to cross that intersection in the past two years.

[Washcycle]

Yeah, I think it would have been real easy to just build a fence between the trail and the growing grass and leave this open, but whatever.

[dcgent]

While annoying, the intersection option has good walk/bike signals that operate on call buttons. Never had a problem crossing myself--though I have seen some try to cross without waiting and cars zooming down the bridge can be dicey.

[Ampersand]

This is just so stupid I don't know what to do. I too am glad nobody (myself included) has been run over during the moronic closure.

[Mike]

While on the subject of the ART, what is the deal with the portion through the Navy Yard being posted as "walk your bike." I ride this everyday, but never paid that much attention until over the past few weeks a security person or navy cop tells me to get off my bike and walk it. How is this consistent with a multi-use trail system? Is this just the Navy going rogue?

[Washcycle]

That's the Navy. They own the promenade and that is their rule. I don't know the justification for it. I've never been stopped by security so I haven't worried about it too much.

[Washcycle]

Here's some other (shorter) bike blogger on it,

https://ggwash.org/view/30224/anacostia-riverwalk-trail-doesnt-need-a-bike-ban

[Ben]

Somehow I didn't see this until now. Perhaps they open soon! Would make my bike commute to work a little easier