Oxon Run Trails are complete

This isn't really news, since they had the ribbon cutting and a 5K last month, but the improved and expanded Oxon Run Trails are now complete and open. 

The new trail is wider with a smoother and repaired surface. It is straighter and south of Atlantic, where it used to only be on one side of the stream, it is on both. It also connects along South Capitol Street to the Maryland boundary where someday it will connect via a new trail to the Oxon Creek Trail. The street crossings have been improved and with new trail crossing and wider curb ramps (before and after)

The new trail now has a nice wide, smooth surface with wider areas at the turns, signage and new landscaping. In contrast to it's old appearance (I can't compare this below section to the old trail, because this is a new section that runs from Atlantic to South Capitol along the west bank). 

The trail ends at 13th Street with a sidewalk connection to Southern Avenue. Someday I hope it continues along at least one bank of Oxon Run through the NPS land to the Naylor Run Metro Station.

This is the new crossing at Atlantic Street, trail users in the past had to cross at Livingston Road and then go back across Oxon Run on the narrow bridge sidewalk to connect to the trail again. 

On the west bank, the north end of the trail deadends at 13th Street. Some kind of better transition is needed here, whether it be to the street and a bike lane, or to a continued sidepath along Mississippi to 15th Where the sidewalk picks up.

On the south end, the trail crosses South Capitol and then becomes a wide sidewalk/sidepath until it gets to Maryland at the Winkle Doodle Bridge over Barnaby Branch.

The 2010 Concept Plan (image below, north is to the right) had trails continuing south along the east bank of Oxon Run and then crossing into Maryland and over Barnaby Run onto trails that connected to the existing Oxon Creek Trail, but that was not included in this project, not was the trail from Joliet to Success Avenue.  I don't know if those are on hold or totally dead.

The two images below give some idea how the trails were expanded and moved. The old map is on top.

They're much nicer now. They will be even better if they're expanded to the south and the north, but that needs coordination with NPS and PG County.

 

Comments

[Uptowner]

While certainly much better, DDOT doesn't seem to be very good at paying attention to the details:

https://goo.gl/maps/Aas5hkvxu3q

[washcycle]

I have a copy of the 65% design plans, and that pole, and two others are noted. The note reads "Existing poles to be relocated (by others)". I suspect that, in this case, that is PEPCO. But I don't know if they've had any discussions with PEPCO, or, if so, what the status of that work is.

[jmr]

theyre much nicer for what? what do these trails do? answer: nothing. the road alongside is plenty wide, and safe, even with the ridiculous driving over there in ward 7 and 8.
the trail is not needed. this is a waste of time and money when other needs are obvious.