Long Bridge Project proposes trail bridge too

The expansion of the Long Bridge is likely to include a new multi-use trail bridge from Long Bridge Park to East Potomac Park that could be available by 2025.

Last night project members presented the preferred alternatives for the bridge. The plan is to expand the number of rail lines crossing the Potomac from two to four, and the options were to build two new bridges or build one new and rehabilitate the other. They chose the latter. In addition they're proposing to include a separate multi-use trail bridge connecting Long Bridge Park, the Mt. Vernon Trail and East Potomac Park as a potential Section 4(f) Mitigation. While DDOT wouldn't say how likely it was that the MUT would be built, they noted that there was support from everyone relevant and no opposition. All they need is the money (and a project sponsor which will likely be DDOT). I'll add that DDOT has shown sustained interest in the MUT bridge so I'm more optimistic than pessimistic that it will happen.

For cyclists the railroad bridge options are identical. The main impacts are that the 2nd bridge will cross over the Mount Vernon Trail, a wider railroad bridge will go over the Anacostia Riverwalk and the current pedestrian bridge over Maine will be removed and replaced creating a better connection between the Riverwalk and Maryland Avenue. 

I'd proposed that the trail be extended to Maine Ave or even L'Enfant Plaza but that isn't going to happen and it would be incredibly expensive to do so. I didn't realize that the trackage would be expanded on the east end and the additional 4th track is in the space where I'd thought a trail could go. The real tight spot is at Maine Ave where the tracks abut the ramp from "14th Street" to Maine on the "north" side and the Mandarin hotel on the south side. Fitting a trail in that area would be difficult. And extending the trail would require four more bridges. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it would neither easy nor cheap. 

The trail bridge would be a separate bridge north of the railroad bridge, between it and the Metro Bridge. Separating it from the railroad bridge will reduce the costs by about 20%, reduce security needs, simplify inspection and maintenance, reduce the footprint and is what the railroads prefer. It will be on the upstream side to allow for an easy connection to the Long Bridge Park. It will have three connections, one at Long Bridge Park, one at the Mt. Vernon Trail and one at Ohio Drive, SW in East Potomac Park. In that way it's really doing the work of two separate bridges. 

The trail bridge will be 14' wide and 25' from the railroad. It's considered 4(f) mitigation in exchange for using NPS land.

Interestingly, the project will require the demolition of the current pedestrian bridge across Maine from the Mandarin to the Anacostia Riverwalk, which I think was named the Rosa Parks Bridge during a contest after it opened, but the article announcing the name is no longer online as near as I can tell. The current bridge, which opened in 2004, has stairs on the Washington Channel side and isn't particularly useful. As the Post noted

But it's a niggling thing, hard to find and, for wheelchair users, impossible to navigate.

The replacement will have a ramp which should make it more useful for cyclists who want to get to/from Maryland Avenue. Not sure if they'll move and re-use the historic railroad bridge or build something new.

Who knows, maybe the two new bike bridges will serve as the down payment on a direct connection. The Rosa Parks could be extended to Ohio Drive SW, where it would be on the opposite side of the railroad tracks, which is not much of a detour for a cyclist. Maybe someday...

Comments

[darren]

I didn't know they put the standalone ped/bike bridge upstream, last i had seen they had contemplated a downstream version.

The missing link still appears to be from the Ohio Dr landing, through East Potomac Park, to the existing Case Bridge landing. The grander plan needs to be to carry people 100% off-street from Crystal City (and points south) straight to The Wharf (and points south and east) without having to traverse the various shortcomings of the Tidal Basin

[washcycle]

Yeah, here's what I'm toying with:

Step 1. Build a trail from Ohio SW along the south side of the railroad to 395 and then along the south side of that to the sidewalk along the Case Bridge. It would require two at grade crossings along the ramps from I395 NB to Buckeye, but I think this can be done safely (or grade separated, but that gets pricey).

Step 2: A bridge over 395 and a trail next to the RR from the trail in Step 1 to Ohio Drive (or even over it) on the north side of the island.

That basically makes a straight shot to the Maine Ave sidepath and to the Case Bridge.

Step 3: A bridge over the Washington Channel from Ohio Drive north side to the Rosa Parks Bridge. This would be expensive for little gain

1&2 seem not too hard. 3 is harder to justify.

[darren]

in step 1, "...along the south side of the railroad to 395 and then along the south side of that to the sidewalk along the Case Bridge." This skirts along some sort of classified facility that complicates things greatly

If it's a no-go, getting something that goes along Ohio, then up through the mess of existing parking lots (which i heard were planned for changes), then across those 395 ramps, to a widened sidewalk to the Case Bridge

[Ranpuba]

So after the meeting I spoke with DDOT staff. Building the trail to the south of the railroad is problematic because, allegedly, NSA has a facility between the river and the I395 ramp. They are fine with a railroad but draw the line at a 10 foot path.


I think your step 1 is the way they will go as there's a cut through parking lot between NSA and NPS facilities to the trail to the Case.

That said, it the point of the bridge is to connect the District to Virginia, this does a sucky job of it. My fear is that they build this thing and it will be seen a a boondoggle as few will use it because they don't know how to get to it or they have to go so far out of the way to use it that it becomes impractical.

[washcycle]

Yeah the NSA facility is a problem. Who's idea was it to put such a thing in the middle of a park anyway? Grrr....

Any other option sucks, but maybe not as much as the status quo.

[Shalom]

Maybe I'm missing something here...

For anyone coming from Rock Creek or points west, heading from Lincoln Memorial-ish along Ohio Dr to the landing of the new bridge works beautifully.

For anyone coming from downtown, who used to take the Case Bridge sidewalk, it's not hard to go past the Jefferson Memorial, and swing by George Mason to the landing of the new bridge. Short, low-traffic, reasonably scenic. Or if you're just heading to the MVT, stick to the Case Bridge anyway.

The only gap I see is folks coming from / going to the east, including the Wharf. And instead of trying to re-use that weird sidewalk on 395, why not put a protected bikeway along Buckeye Dr., and then spend the money on a cool connection across the harbor channel? It's what, 300 ft from that stretch of Ohio Dr to the District Pier?

It would have to be tall enough for boats to get under, but maybe we'd finally get our version of Copenhagen's Bicycle Snake!
https://www.wired.com/2014/08/copenhagens-new-bike-skyway-makes-commuting-look-fun/

(Last month, I had my first chance to ride the Bicycle Snake at night, it's even better than during the day.)

[washcycle]

"it's not hard to go past the Jefferson Memorial, and swing by George Mason to the landing of the new bridge"

No it's not. But it's about half a mile longer.

As for the connection to the Wharf/ART, a channel bridge improves things a little, but not having to detour to Buckeye helps things a lot. So that's why I put the channel bridge 3rd on the list, but the connections across the island 1st an 2nd.