The Long Bridge Project, a project which will replace or expand the existing rail bridge across the Potomac River and potentially add a new bike/ped crossing, recently took a step forward when it released the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). There was a meeting on it on October 22nd and a comment period that, unfortunately, closed on the 28th, but since the bike/ped bridge is only attached to it, the real push will be with local legislators who will need to pay for it. WABA is organizing people to contact them.
FRA and DDOT assessed the feasibility of the bike-pedestrian crossing and considered whether a path could be designed consistent with railroad operator plans and railroad safety practices. The National Park Service (NPS), which administers the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) and East Potomac Park, agreed that the bike-pedestrian crossing could potentially serve as mitigation for impacts to the parks. The crossing could provide an important connection between the parks and the regional trail system and therefore has a regional recreational benefit.
After sorting through several options, planners have selected to build a new two-track bridge north of the existing bridge and to rehabilitated the existing bridge. This has little to do with the bike/ped bridge as that is just as viable as any other. But it will lightly impact the MVT since the tracks will go over it and will stage construction next to the trail as well as result in a 2 year reroute of the trail.
To facilitate construction of the new structure over the MVT, the Project would temporarily relocate the trail from its current path south along the GWMP. Temporary barriers and the existing bridge abutments would protect the trail to ensure a safe travel way for trail users
As for the bike/ped bridge, they have eliminated all the options but one
The Preferred Option would provide a bike-pedestrian connection between Long Bridge Park in Arlington, Virginia, and East Potomac Park in the District, crossing the Potomac River on an independent bridge on the upstream side of the new upstream railroad bridge (Figure 22-5). The southern end of the Preferred Option would connect to a path at the northern end of the Long Bridge Aquatic and Fitness Center and Park Expansion in Long Bridge Park, which is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in 2021 The bike-pedestrian path would cross over the GWMP, MVT, and the Potomac River on a 2,300-foot-long bridge consisting of prefabricated truss spans. The northern end of the Preferred Option would connect to Ohio Drive SW in East Potomac Park. The area between Ohio Drive SW and the Southwest neighborhood following the trajectory of the Long Bridge Corridor is constrained and directly extending the connection would be infeasible. Bicycle and pedestrian connections from Ohio Drive SW into the District would be considered as part of separate projects.
The bike/ped bridge is really like two bridges, one from Long Bridge Park across the GW Parkway to the MVT and one from the MVT across the Potomac to East Potomac Park. It could be a real game changer.
The good news is that the EIS found only negligible environmental impacts from the bike/ped bridge. That doesn't mean it's getting built, but things still seem to be moving in that direction.
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