TheWashCycle

Suitland Parkway Interchange work will create a new DC-295 crossing

The new Douglass Bridge, currently under construction, promises to significantly upgrade one of the Anacostia's few bicycle crossings. But what has been less celebrated is that it will result in a new place where cyclists and pedestrians can cross the DC-295/I-295 barrier.  Though not as much of a bottleneck as the river, there are only a little more than a dozen places where one can cross 295 by bike in DC over a 5.5 mile stretch. And fewer when the railroad tracks are taken into account.

The crossing is part of the new I-295/Suitland parkway. The old interchange, built in the early 1960's had no sidewalks and there were none added in the 2011 South Capital Street FEIS.

But by 2013, the design included three alternatives, one with a 10' sidewalk, one with a 12' one and one with a 10' shared-use path separated by a small barrier, all on the west side.

The preferred alternative was a sidewalk. Later a shared-use path was added to the other side with an at-grade crossing of the ramp.

But in 2014, there was a Revised Preferred Alternative that changed the ramp and put the path through an underpass below "Ramp B". The path doesn't show up in this 2014 drawing.

By 2018, the plans clearly showed where the sidewalks and paths would be. A network of sidewalks and paths will connect the bridge and the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail to new sidewalks along Suitland Parkway and Firth Sterling; and existing sidewalks along Howard and S. Capitol Street will be replaced and improved. 

Work on Ramp B and the tunnel is underway. Here's what it looked like in 2019.

And in 2020.

Unfortunately, this won't create a direct connection to the Suitland Parkway Trail. After passing through the tunnel and under 295, trail users will need to go east on Firth Sterling along the sidewalk and then south on Howard and Sheridan for about a half mile to get to the trail head. DDOT is working on a redesign of the trail (which is in shameful shape anyway) and maybe that will include a better connection. 

 

Let's make the Fort Circle Trail better

The Fort Circle Trail located east of the river is one of DC's oldest bike trails. Though underused, and a fraction of what it was once promised to be, it's beloved. The trail provides a mountain biking opportunity within the district as well as a natural hiking path through wards 7 and 8, but there steps - some simple and some not - that we could take to make it better. 

 

The FCT is a 7-mile long, mostly unpaved, trail through the east side of DC from Fort Stanton to Fort Mahon - though many maps and sites (such as this one) show it covering a shorter distance. It was supposed to be more.

 

1974 Fort Circle Plan

From 1930 to 1965 NPS planned a Fort Circle Drive for people tour the forts by car, and they spent decades trying to acquire the necessary land, starting with the War Department handing over the forts themselves in 1933.  But in 1968 they produced a new management plan which replaced the drive with a continuous hiker-biker trail because the drive was deemed impractical and impossible to build due to residential expansion into the area.  Detailed plans for the full trail were created and the first sections of the trail, a section in Rock Creek Park along Military Road and the one in east DC, opened in 1971.  The plan was still to build a 23 mile long arcing trail from Fort Greble in far SW to Fort Marcy in Fairfax County as part of preparation for the bicentennial. But only one other section of the trail, a portion of the C&O Canal towpath that predated the plan, was ever completed. Funds earmarked for the Fort Circle trail were used to cover bicentennial cost overruns elsewhere, and no further money was ever allocated. 

 

In 1987, NPS developed a plan to improve the trail. It included extending the trail to Kenilworth Park, the Frederick Douglass home and the Suitland Parkway as well as repairs and smaller improvements. A year later, WABA submitted a report that advised against paving the trail at this time, as it was a unique and useful facility as it was, and NPS dropped it from consideration. Not that it mattered, as little from the '87 plan was ever done.

 

In 2004, NPS again updated the management plan and this time they dropped the idea of a continuous hiker/biker trail for environmental and aesthetic reasons. They deduced that it would have required bridges, switchbacks, tree removal, retaining walls and trail widening that would have lost the "sense of wildness" in the existing parks. Instead they would encourage development of a foot trail consisting of the sections from 1971 and existing sidewalks, as well as connection sidewalks and signs. It was to be designed in coordination with DDOT, but no such planning has occurred. 

 

It's unfortunate that NPS closed the door on a multi-use path, especially since there is space for one.  (They have mapped out an on-road bike route for part of the way). It would be similar, though not identical to what was mapped above. The bridge across the Anacostia would be in a different place, for example, and perhaps that would push the route west to the MBT trail instead of north to Eastern Avenue, but fundamentally the same and forming a sort of inner bicycle beltway.

 

But, let's assume the door on that is closed for a generation, there is still room for improvement with what we have. As it is, the FCT is the only mountain bike trail in DC. It is officially a hiker/biker trail, but ped volumes are low and generally the pedestrians using the trail are walking dogs or hiking. This makes it ideal for mountain biking, but still usable for transportation.

 

One problem is that how to get to the trail is not obvious.  DDOT/NPS could improve that by doing a better job connecting it to nearby trails, as it gets extremely close to several of them.  On the southern/western side of the FCT, it comes within a city block of the Suitland Parkway Trail, and it could be connected via a small extension behind the Anacostia Museum using the existing foot trail and a small connector.

 

In the middle, the trail already connects to the Pennsylvania Ave SE sidepath, but a less stressful connection to the ART is possible by developing a short segment of trail along the existing gravel road in Anacostia Park and then pass underneath DC-295 by going over the derelict Shepherd Railroad Spur. On the east side, trail users could continue along the blue line below, along G Street SE to reach the southern side of Fort Dupont, where a nature trail takes cyclists over some charming footbridges, into the main valley of Fort Dupont, and riders can continue up to reach the main line of the trail system. 

 

Alternatively, once on the east side of 295 a trail could be built along the red line below along the Ft Dupont Tributary through the green space between F and G and then across Minnesota Avenue. Maybe the tributary could be daylighted on the west side too.

NPS could also develop connections within the park to the Ice Arena and the Nationals Youth Baseball academy (light blue lines).

 

If some expansion was in the cards, carrying the trail across the Suitland Parkway at Stanton Road and then building another trail on the south side, up the valley on St. Elizabeths campus to the Entertainment Arena and the Capital Heights Metro station. 

The trail network in this area is developing into a truly world-class network, but DDOT needs to connect the different facilities, while continuing to expand the overall network and improve neighborhood access. A trail along the Shepherd Branch would aid with this too.

 

 

Maryland highway expansion would impact Rock Creek, Sligo Creek and other trails

Maryland is studying alternatives to expand I-495 and I-270 in the state with HOT lanes similar to those in Virginia. To do so they need permission from NCPC which has some oversight due to the Capper-Cramton Act and the fact that the highway expansion would impact as much as 20 acres of Capper-Cramton land. 

The Capper-Cramton Act authorized the purchase of hundreds of acres of land in the DC area for the purpose of creating park space before sub-urbanization gobbled it all. It create many stream parks like those along the Anacostia Tributaries, Oxon Run and Rock Creek.  The old agreement about how those lands would be managed "prohibits in whole or in part, conveyance, sale, lease, exchange or use of the parklands for other than park purposes. Examples of park-related purposes include adding natural resources, trails and recreational amenities, stormwater management, and access to the park." You'll notice that "Commuter highways" is not on that list.

In general, [NCPC] staff finds that among the six alternatives proposed for additional study in the EIS, there are none that appear to meet the purpose and need statement while minimizing/avoiding impacts to Capper Cramton land. Currently, each build alternative includes traffic operation variations with widenings to I-270 and I-495, all of which require use of Capper Cramton land.

Thus NCPC staff, and MNCPPC, would like MDOT to consider another alternative that would route traffic to the ICC and I-270 rather than the Beltway (I-495) between I-95 and I-270. Previously, NCPC has supported projects whereby resulting improvements benefited bicycle, transit, and pedestrian accessibility and stormwater management such as the Purple Line, but this would be much harder to justify, I think. 

Some may recall that federal creation of Capper Cramton lands was the excuse Rep. Doris O. Matsui used for officially weighing in on the road diet along Little Falls Parkway. That a road diet might run afoul of Capper Cramton intent but a highway expansion doesn't would be peak America right there. 

I don't think we should widen the highways, and NCPC seems at least skeptical. They questioned the narrowness of the Purpose and Need (as have others) and they suggested at least one transit-oriented solution be studied as part of the alternatives. But....if they are going to build this, bike advocates should be ready to ask for improvements. Not just to the trails that pass under or over the Beltway and 270 now, but the ones that don't. The Northwest Branch, for example, ends just inside the Beltway and so any expansion there should extend it. Suitland Parkway too. There might also be opportunities to build parallel trails, as is being done on I-66. Perhaps in the Adelphi area or near Greenbelt National Park. 

NCPC is getting an informational presentation on this on Thursday night.

Highlights from the DDOT's January report to the BAC

At every DC Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting, DDOT gives a report to the BAC. Here are some highlights from this month's.

DDOT

• Anticipates starting Environmental Assessment for new Metropolitan Branch trail route through NPS property north of Fort Totten this summer.
• Has been installing New MBT Wayfinding singage between Union Station and Brookland and will be done by the end of the month. 
• Has awarded the contract to replace all MBT overhead lights between Florida Ave and Franklin St, and work is expected to begin in the spring.
• Is planning a public meeting for as early as this month on the new design of the Anacostia River Trail's Arboretum Bridge. It takes into account input from the rowing community.
• Expects to advertise the Rock Creek trail construction contract (widening, resurfacing, and new segment along Piney Branch) between P Street and Tilden this spring, with the bids due in the fall.
• Kicked off the feasibility study for the Palisades Trolley Trail in November 2018. They tentatively plan to have Public meetings in February or March.
• Expect to begin designing improvements to the Suitland Parkway Trail this spring.
• Is expanding CaBi by 40 stations across all 8 wards
• Started a CaBi Pedal Assist pilot in September with 100 bikes and is exploring how to expand it.
• Has nearly completed construction of the Virginia Avenue Trail in SE
• Is working on the 2019 bike lane list
• Is planning the final meeting on the Western downtown cycletrack (20th, 21st and 22nd Streets NW) project for this winter or spring
• Is about halfway done with the 14th Street Reconstruction project. The project will move the existing bike lanes behind bus stop islands.
• Has chosen a consultant to create the 100% plans for the Florida Ave NE Streetscape Project (2 nd to H Streets). This project includes a 2-way protected bike lane on the south side of the road.
• Will break ground on the Maryland Ave NE Streetscape (2 nd to 14 th Streets) this spring. This project reduces travel lanes from 4 to 3, and includes bike lanes.
• Has begun the 30% design for the Pennsylvania Ave NW Streetscape Project (17 th to 22 nd Streets). This will have a protected bike
  lane on both sides of the road. The preliminary designs are expected by fall.

So, lots of irons in the fire. 

Met Branch Trail Brookland to Fort Totten section to break ground next month

At the last BAC meeting, DDOT stated that they would break ground on the next section of the Met Branch Trail in June. That's the Brookland to Fort Totten section and it will be finished by this time next year. 

In addition, construction of NoMa Green Park - which will replace the Z-curve at R Street with a straighter trail (which will require temporary trail re-routing during construction) and replacement of all overhead lights between Florida Ave and Franklin St, is expected to begin this summer.

Furthermore, they anticipate awarding a contract to build design the section north of Fort Totten - a section that will go all the way to the Maryland boundary, by the end of the summer. 

But that's not all!

Widening and resurfacing of the Rock Creek Park Trail between P Street and Tilden, including construction of a new segment along Piney Branch and a new bridge south of the Zoo tunnel, is going out to bid soon, with construction expected to begin in Fall 2018. Detour information can be found here. 

DDOT is also finalizing the design of the bike trails around the new Frederick Douglass Bridge and expects to start designing the improvement of the existing Suitland Parkway trail in Fall 2018.

DDOT calls the Shepherd Branch rail line "soon to be acquired"

In early January, DDOT sent a request to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments that the FY 2015-2020 Transportation Improvement Plan be updated. It turns out that there is a lot of information in there about new bicycle projects, especially trails, that DDOT is planning once the projects they've been slowly pushing through (MBT, South Capital Street Trail, ART, etc...) but one of the more interesting tidbits is that they included a feasibility study for a Shepherd Branch Trail on what they called "the soon to be acquired CSXT RR ROW." The feasibility study would determine alignment, probability of needing an Environmental Assessment (EA), likely permits needed, and potential construction costs for a trail on the RR ROW. If it is really "soon to be acquired" that may mean that movement is possible on the streetcar through there too.

Other interesting tidbits:

• They added $800,000 to resurface the DC portion of the Capital Crescent Trail in 2016
• They've budgeted $200,000 for a rehabilitation design of the Suitland Parkway Trail
• Construction of the South Capital Street Trail has been pushed back to 2019
• Start of work on the conversion of the former I-695 freeway into Southeast Boulevard, which would "improve pedestrian and bicycle access to the Sousa Bridge and along proposed Southeast Boulevard to the 11th Street Bridges" as well as improve pedestrian and bicycle safety at a reconfigured Pennsylvania Ave/Potomac Avenue intersection, slipped to 2017.

Update: According to the appendices to the FEIS, CSXT agreed to grant DDOT an option to acquire the Shepherd Branch ROW as part of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel project. So that project may have a bigger bike element than previously reported. 

DDOT also used the VAT process to get the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail bridge over CSX tracks and the Rhode Island Avenue bike/ped bridge built. As part of the 2010 negotiations CSX agreed to

Negotiate with DDOT for permanent easements associated with two different CSXT properties so that DDOT could ultimately build pedestrian and bicycle trails that spanned over CSXT rail lines. [These included the following major projects: (1) The Anacostia Pedestrian Walkway/Trail (Id. Art. VI (C)). This easement was key to complete a 1,185 foot pedestrian and bicycle bridge that was a part of the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. See DDOT press release, Exhibit 6; And (2) The Rhode Island Avenue Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge (Exhibit 3, Art. VI (D)). The easement was key to the pedestrian access project, slated to take 18 months to build, which will link the Metropolitan Branch Trail and its connecting neighborhoods to the Rhode Island Avenue Metro Station and adjacent communities.]

Then in 2012 a letter

established when CSXT would grant the District easements over the Parkside Pedestrian Bridge and Anacostia Pedestrian Bridge. [The Parkside Pedestrian Bridge, which was not addressed in the August 23, 2010 MOA, was $22 million pedestrian bridge that spanned CSXT tracks north of the DC 295 and Benning Road interchanges and connect to the Minnesota Avenue Metrorail and Bus transfer stations]

According to the letter, CSXT would only be required to work with the District to seek authority to abandon Shepherds Branch and enter into a Trails Use Agreement after the Virginia Avenue Tunnel construction project was completed.

The Shepherds Branch ROW encompassed two segments of the now inactive stretch of rail, including over 55 acres of land and extending 5.38 miles. See Exhibit 16, Permit attached to October 29, 2013 agreement. Shepherds Branch is key to the District’s plans to construct a 2400- foot, multi-use trail connecting the South Capitol Street Trail with the Anacostia Metrorail Station. Shepherds Branch is also one of the preferred routes for the District’s streetcar program

A Supplemental EIS prepared for South Capitol Street states “the Shepherds Branch right-of-way … is being acquired in Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 by DDOT from CSXT."

NPS Trails Study - National Capital Parks East

The National Park Service's National Capitol Region (NCR) recently released a draft version of its "Paved Trails Study", which serves as a plan for how NCR sees the paved trail network, both within and outside of the parks, developing in the future and as an update to the 1990 plan. In addition to identifying several high priority capital projects, the NPS Paved Trails Study also identifies some lower priority capital projects which it groups by park.

Comments are open until May 19th.

Here are all the paved trail projects identified for the National Capital Parks East. The NPS study is about paved trails, which it defines as asphalt or concrete trails that serve pedestrians and cyclists of all abilities. While the C&O Canal Towpath and the Fort Circle Hiker Biker Trail are not paved, NPS has included them in this study due to their regional significance. 

1. (E1.1) Develop an on-street connection between Shepherd Parkway along Blue Plains Drive SW and DC Village Lane to Oxon Hill Farm Trail - this is a high priority project and was covered in this earlier post. 
2. (E1.2) Improve connection from Audrey Lane and Forest Heights Elementary School to Oxon Run Park and Oxon Hill Farm Trail 
3. (E1.3) The South Capitol Street Trail 
4. (E1.4) Construct an off-road connector from the Suitland Parkway Trail to the Fort Circle Hiker-Biker Trail
5. (E1.5) Develop an off-road trail along Fort Davis Drive SE and Fort Dupont Drive SE with a connection to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail under I-295
6. (E1.6) Connection from the Fort Circle Hiker-Biker Trail to the Minnesota Avenue Metro Station
7. (E1.7) Connection from the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail to the Minnesota Avenue Metro Station
8. (E1.8) Develop an on-street facility from Oxon Hill Farm Trail across 495 to Oxon Hill Road and Harborview Avenue (in Prince George's Co.); improve signage and crossings; connect to the POHE - this is a high priority project and was covered in this earlier post. 
9. (E1.9) Develop an on-street trail (along 13th SE and Dogwood Street) to connect the improved Oxon Run Trail to the Suitland Parkway Trail through Saint Elizabeth's  with a link to Metro.
10. (E3.1) Develop a regional trailhead facility with bikeshare at Oxon Hill Farm
11. (E3.2) Develop a regional trailhead facility with bikeshare at Poplar Point Park
12. (E3.3) Develop a local/NPS trailhead facility at Fort Dupont Park
13. (E5.1) Conduct a feasibility study to establish an offroad trail facility along Oxon Run extending through D.C. and MD linking to Pennsylvania Avenue, SE and the Congress Heights Metro Station
14. (E5.2) Conduct a feasibility study for extending the Suitland Parkway Trail from the D.C./MD line to the Henson Creek Trail, and to also address upgrades to the D.C. portion of the trail - this is a high priority project and was covered in this earlier post. Interestingly, the Henson Creek Trail doesn't extend to the Suitland Parkway, so this shoud really be an added part of this project.
15. (E5.3) Work with Prince George's County to explore the feasibility of a trail along the Baltimore Washington Parkway (or other nearby corridor) to connect Washington to Baltimore

A few things I'd like this to pull forward from the 1990 plan are

• Extend the Fort Lincoln Trail to the Anacostia and take it across the river either on or underneath the US-50 (New York Avenue) Bridge
• Extend the Kenilworth Park trails east along Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue to the Mavin Gaye Park Trail
• Building a trail from Buzzards Point along the shoreline of Fort McNair (I know, fat chance, but in 1990 they thought it was possible) to the SW waterfront
• Urge appropriate agencies to implement long-standing open space plans by opening up the Potomac shoreline to trail use from Oxon Cove/Wilson Bridge to the Douglas Bridge through Blue Plains, NRC and JB Anacostia-Bolling. [Again, fat chance. But interesting that this seemed to be the policy at the time, and so how it was that a direct connection from DC to the Wison Bridge was missed remains mysterious]

Then, of course, there is the EOTR Fantasy map. Key among them:

• A trail along the abandoned railroad to Blue Plains

 

 

National Park Service updates 1990 plan, identifies new top priorities

The National Park Service's National Capitol Region (NCR) recently released a draft version of its "Paved Trails Study", which serves as a plan for how NCR sees the paved trail network, both within and outside of the parks, developing in the future and as an update to the 1990 plan. It's a long report filled with a lot of interesting, relevant, exciting and debatable plans and facts, so I'm probably going to take several days to report it all, but let's start with what most people have already heard about - the top recommendations.

The study makes 120 recommendations, 93 capital projects and 27 programmatic changes, but of those only 16 of the capitol projects scored a 5 or above on the 7 point scale; and only 7 programmatic changes scored that high. Some of these projects complement each other so I've regrouped them.

Top Priority Capitol Project

Connecting the Roosevelt Bridge's downstream path to the Mount Vernon Trail, Arlington Ridge and DC - The Theodore Roosevelt Bridge has a sidewalk on the upstream side that connects the MVT to the Kennedy Center that you may have used. But the downstream sidewalk connects on the Virginia side to an island surrounded by freeways from which one can only go back to DC. Three of the 16 projects aim to fix that. This is a long-needed improvement. Between the Wilson Bridge and Chain Bridge there are currently 5 connections across the Potomac River for those who wish to stay out of traffic. This would create a 6th. On the map below, I show the effective connection each of these bridges create with each line showing the last and first decision point for a trail user. The new TR Bridge connection is shown in red. While not filling a particularly large gap, you can see that it's a pretty unique connection. 

One project would connect the TR Bridge to the Arlington Ridge Park (where the USMC Memorial and Netherlands Carillon are). DDOT has a project in the FY 2015 - 2021 Plan to rehabilitate the bridge and provide pedestrian and cyclist safety improvements which may improve connections to the downstream Virginia side but it will not remove the existing barriers. 

The NPS, in coordination with VDOT, Arlington County and D.C., should pursue a full alternatives analysis to define a viable connection in this area. Alternatives may need to consider bridges or tunnels to adequately address safety concerns related to the crossings of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, Jefferson Davis Highway, and Arlington Boulevard as well as the presence of nearby Metrorail in order to minimize surface crossings.

A second project would connect this same crossing to the MVT.

The third part of this is to improve the connection on the DC side. 

Safety improvements are needed for all at-grade crossings in this area and should include traffic calming, enhanced directional signage, lane markings, pedestrian refuge islands, bulb outs, and evaluation of grade-separation needs. Clear and uninterrupted access between the Rock Creek Park Multi-use Trail across the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway NW and the 23rd Street NW / Constitution Avenue areas should be provided.

The trail/sidewalk there is in terrible shape - which is fine now since there is almost no reason to use it - and it will need to be rebuilt. 

Conduct a feasibility study for extending the Suitland Parkway Trail from the D.C./Maryland line to Henson Creek Trail - This is long overdue frankly. This trail needs to be rehabilitated and extended - to the Henson Creek Trail and then Andrews AFB. 

A feasibility study is needed to evaluate extension of the Suitland Parkway Trail from the District line through Prince George’s County to the Henson Creek Trail (and potentially further). This study should address the trail comprehensively including upgrades to the existing trail within the District, which is a dangerous, narrow asphalt trail directly adjacent to the roadway.

Rock Creek Park Trail Though there are other projects dealing with the "Rock Creek Park Trail" south of the National Mall, for the part that is within Rock Creek there are a few projects to improve the northern part of the park trail system

First is a study of a Rock Creek Park crossing on Military Drive.

According to NPS data, an off-road trail segment exists along the north side of Military Road between Oregon Avenue and Beach Drive. There is no off-road trail between Beach Drive and 16th Street NW. A feasibility study should be undertaken for the entire trail corridor to evaluate options for an improved on or off-road paved trail between Glover Road/Oregon Avenue and 16th Street NW.

Since it appears they've abandoned the idea of extending the trail north along Beach from Broad Branch (and they consider the section of Beach north of Broad Branch to be part of the trail network already) the option for connecting the DC and MD portions of the trail appears to be along Oregon Avenue. They write:

A feasibility study should be pursued for Oregon Avenue to evaluate options and impacts of an off-road connection from Military Road to the D.C./Maryland line (and connecting to Rock Creek Trail in Montgomery County). An off-road trail along this corridor could help alleviate trail-traffic on Beach Drive. However, for the benefits to be realized and for the trail to be utilized as a high-volume corridor as proposed, the off-road trail would need to connect via an on-street route to Beach Drive (potentially Daniel Lane).

I don't see how Daniel Lane can be used to create a connection to Beach Drive, since it looks to me like it only connects 31st to Oregon. Perhaps they mean Wise? (I've noticed other errors - it being a draft and all. For example the report misspells Virginia and it references the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail north of South Capitol Street, but it's all north of S. Cap, etc...)

Better connecting DC to the Wilson Bridge - A couple of projects are aimed at improving the connection between DC and the Wilson Bridge that was so badly screwed up in the 1990's. The first connects Oxon Hill Farm to the planned South Capitol Street Trail.

The proposed route extends through Oxon Run Farm to the Blue Planes industrial area and D.C. Village Lane SW where it connects to Blue Plains Drive SW, Shepherd Parkway, and connects to the proposed South Capitol Street trail. The NPS is currently evaluating access improvements to Oxon Hill Farm including potentially constructing a Hiker-Biker trail system and improved riverfront access.

A second project connects Oxon Hill Farm to National Harbor, but it's unclear what is being suggested beyond wider sidewalks, signage and improved road crossings. 

Improve the connections between the 14th Street Bridge, the Rock Creek Park Trail and the 15th Street PBL - I would have never thought of the Rock Creek Park Trail as going this far south (and based on the Rock Creek Park Trail EA, neither does NPS), but NPS has identified a series of changes that could improve these connection.

These include the extension of the 15th Street protected bike lane down 15th, Maine and East Basin Drive to the 14th Street Bridge, the addition of  bike lanes along East Basin Drive SW from the Inlet Bridge to the extended PBL and the removal of the stairs on SE corner of the Inlet Bridge that connect sections of what is, it seems, the Rock Creek Park Trail on West and East Potomac Parks.  

Mount Vernon Trail improvements - There are several projects, in addition to the Roosevelt Bridge connection, that aim to improve connections to the MVT. 

One would create a better connection between Crystal City and the MVT via the Airport Access Road (or the Route 233 Bridge as identified in this post that called for such a connection "It's odd to me that they aren't constructing connections between the Route 233 bridge's sidewalks and the MVT." I guess it's odd to them too.)

Opportunities to expand sidewalks on the bridge should be explored, as well as options to provide a formal bicycle friendly connection from the bridge to the Mount Vernon Trail from the airport.

Another project would extend the dead-ending trail spur from the Humpback Bridge project to Boundary Channel Drive and then create an on-street connection between that point and Long Bridge Drive under I-395. 

And there is a project to improve the intersection of Doom. 

The County and the NPS should work together so that safety improvements and signage for the Mount Vernon Trail at this intersection are considered as part of any open space design (or boathouse concept) being considered by the County. Early dialogue and coordinated planning can ensure trail access improvements span both local and federal land in this area and result in improved regional connectivity. A future boathouse in this location should not impede trail access but instead should be used to improve and expand trail access.

A fourth project would change the intersection of the MVT and the Four Mile Run Trail - at the south end of the airport - into a roundabout.

A number of accidents have been documented at the location, with contributing factors such as blind spots, sharp curves, and unclear signage. In addition, this area is sometimes utilized by airport personnel as an emergency vehicle egress route.

Lincoln Memorial Circle - This is just one project, calling for an alternatives study, with many different pieces. These include

• A signed route that connects the Lincoln Memorial Circle NW to the Rock Creek Park Trail. Both on and off-road options should be considered, including a dedicated bicycle lane from the Arlington Memorial Bridge to 23rd Street SW across Ohio Drive SW to the trail. This would encourage trail traffic to utilize the western sidewalk of Ohio Drive under the Arlington Memorial Bridge which is wider than the sidewalk on the eastern side.

• Reduction in travel lanes or lane width to allow for dedicated bicycle lanes

• Provision of bulb-outs and refuge islands to narrow pedestrian crossing lengths

• Addition of a bike lane on the Arlington Memorial Bridge

• Enhancement of safety and informational signage in the area that includes trail information and access points

• Improved routing, trail conditions, signage, and at-grade crossings through the sand volleyball area northwest of the circle

Closing the "gap" in the Capitol Crescent Trail between 30th and 31st Street - For cyclists this isn't much of an addition. The connection being discussed is between the trail along the edge of Georgetown Waterfront Park and the spur to the Rock Creek Park Trail, but since cycling is technically prohibited on the Waterfront trail, and of low utility anyway, most cyclists stay on K street and will probably continue to do so.

The gap between 30th Street and 31st Street forces users to travel on K Street NW or the adjacent service road to continue eastbound, creating conflicts with vehicles or pedestrians on Water Street. The gap prevents a seamless connection with the Rock Creek Park Multi-use Trail and the core of Washington D.C. to the east. Alternatives should reduce the potential for conflicts in this area, calm traffic, improve visibility of trail users, improve directional signage to trail resources, and enhance safety overall. This project is currently underway in coordination with NPS, the Georgetown Business Improvement District, and the D.C. Department of Transportation.

South Capitol Street Bridge no longer to be a draw bridge, improved connections for cyclists

Back in 2011, DDOT and the FHWA released a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed replacement of the South Capitol Street Bridge. This project covers the area that is the intersection of the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail on both sides, and the South Capitol Street and Suitland Parkway Trails and it would completely rebuild South Capitol Street and Douglass Bridge. [Update: JDLand covers the same territory here]

But since 2011, they have decided to make several changes to the design, most notably to build a fixed bridge instead of a draw bridge and to change the alignment on the east side of the river to avoid having to acquire land from the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB). This decision resulted in changing the alignment of the proposed new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge to a location immediately south of and parallel to the existing bridge (instead of offset at an angle). They also changed the east side traffic circle into a traffic oval aligned in the same direction as the west side one and changed the proposed ramps or ramp modifications between South Capitol Street and I-695, Suitland Parkway and I-295, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE and Suitland Parkway. This resulted in a new alternative called the Revised Preferred Alternative and the issuing of a new Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). You can see the new alignment in the image below and images from 2013 here.

The Preferred alternative offered a lot for cyclists. The new bridge will have much improved multi-use paths. The project will construct new and improved pedestrian/bike connections throughout the project areas including a new pedestrian/bike path along Suitland Parkway connecting Firth Sterling Avenue and the east oval. They would implement signed bicycle routes along New Jersey Avenue and throughout the Project Area to provide connections and improved access to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, the riverfront, and Historic Anacostia. On the west side, the project will change South Capitol between the river and I-395 into a boulevard with at-grade crossing, slower speeds and better sidewalks, which should make it better for biking on and easier to bike across. It will also reconstruct the pedestrian bridge over Suitland Parkway between Sheridan Road and Barry Farms and widen the Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue overpass at Suitland Parkway to accommodate a new multi-use trail. The existing Suitland Parkway Trail within the project area will be upgraded as well. 

The revised preferred alternative will still feature all of these items, although the combined width of the bike/ped facilities was decreased from 20 feet to 18 feet. It now includes an 8-foot pedestrian lane and a 10-foot bidirectional bicycle path - curb-separated - on both spans as seen below.

The Revised Preferred Alternative has several other changes for cyclists and pedestrians.

• Both (as opposed to only one in the PA) existing ramp configurations between I-695 and South Capitol Street will be replaced with an urban interchange, creating a safer interchange configuration for cyclists and pedestrians.

• On the southern side of Suitland Parkway, a sidewalk and bicycle path will now be included. A grade separated pedestrian/bicycle path would be provided at the ramp from southbound I-295 to westbound Suitland Parkway.

• The proposed traffic circle would be replaced by a traffic oval, providing a sidewalk around the
  oval, and a connection with a section of the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. The pedestrian travel distance around the oval would still be greater than traveling through the traditional at-grade intersection.

• In the PA, the proposed interchange at Suitland Parkway would require pedestrians and cyclists to cross the ramps between the two roadways. These crossings would be controlled by a traffic signal. But in the RPA, the elimination of the center ramp interchange will provide two urban diamond interchanges that will be controlled by traffic signal. In addition, a sidewalk/bicycle path would be provided or upgraded along the north side of the reconstructed Suitland Parkway.

• The RPA includes a new multi-use Firth Sterling Trail. It will primarily use the existing CSX right-of-way and connect the South Capitol Street Trail (at Firth Sterling and South Capitol Street intersection) with the Anacostia Metrorail Station.

The Firth Sterling Trail is really a separate project that is new to the FEIS, but not really new. Sort of like the Soccer Stadium is new and in the project area, but not really new. If CSX is finally willing to get rid of this ROW, maybe this can later be extended all the way to D Street SE? The SEIS has this to say about it elsewhere.

This project would be a multi-use trail connecting the South Capitol Street Trail (at Firth Sterling and South Capitol Street intersection) with the Anacostia Metrorail Station (just northeast of the Suitland Parkway and Firth Sterling intersection). The length of the trail, including intersection crossings, will be approximately 2,400 linear feet.

The majority of the trail will be located within the CSXT Railroad Shepherds Branch right-of-way that is being acquired in Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 by DDOT from CSXT. Due diligence on the right-of-way is presently underway by DDOT/AWI staff. The trail location is within the APE for the Revised Preferred Alternative.

The other option for the Firth Sterling Trail project would be to add it to the present South Capitol Street Trail. This project is nearing completion of the preliminary (30 percent) plans within a few weeks. Currently, it has no final design or construction funds obligated to the project. Based on the NEPA process required for acquisition of six easements from the JBAB, the South Capitol Street Trail design will not be finalized until next year at the earliest. Construction would probably not begin before fiscal year 2017.

The West Traffic Oval would include a MUP, but I'm not sure who would use it. I guess to run laps?

On the intersection of Howard and Suitland Parkway Trail, the SEIS includes this

The proposed Suitland Parkway Trail along the north side of the roadway will pass through the intersection of Howard Road at Suitland Parkway, which is proposed by the Revised Preferred Alternative as an un-signalized, right-in/right-out intersection. The projected traffic volumes turning right at this location are not high enough to warrant a traffic signal. However, potential pedestrian/vehicle conflicts could become problematic at this location if right turning movements were to increase substantially. Adequate gaps in vehicular traffic to facilitate as safe pedestrian crossing of Howard Road could become infrequent and cause delays for Suitland Parkway Trail users. The proposed intersection could include installation of a traffic signal to control the flow of vehicles and provide alternating rights-of-way for pedestrians/cyclists and right-turning traffic.

As shown in Figure 4-15, movements shown in similar colors could proceed together and then alternately stop to reduce conflicts and ensure sufficient crossing times for Suitland Parkway Trail users. This configuration would provide a two-phase crossing of Howard Road, so the triangular pedestrian refuge island between the inbound and outbound lanes of the roadway would need to be of sufficient size to accommodate the expected numbers pedestrians and cyclists waiting for changes in signals. Although not part of the proposed Revised Preferred Alternative, this revised intersection will be studied further during final design.

Here's the east oval which includes the Anacostia Drive connector and connections to the Anacostia Riverwalk as well as sidewalks to the south. 

 

And the cross-section of Anacostia Drive with the side-paths.

And just for good measure, the interchange of I-295 with Suitland Parkway.The southside sidewalk is visible, but I don't see the northside path and Ramp B underpass.

Southern Ave SE rebuild project recommends bike lanes, a linear park and roundabouts

I just recently found a copy of DDOT's 2012 concept plan for the Southern Avenue SE/Winkle Doodle Bridge Project (it was on the PG County Planning website of all places). 

This project is to cover the area along Southern Avenue from South Capital Street to Naylor Road, SE. Several designs were considered, all of which included either a 10 foot shared-use sidepath or bicycle lanes, but in some designs it required a combination of the two (bike lanes in some places, sidepath in others). The preferred alternative (PA) includes bicycle lanes for the full length to create a consistent bicycle experience and limit the taking of right-of-way.

There's a linear park between South Capitol and Galveston Street SE (see image below), under which some of the water from Barnaby Run will flow. The rest will flow through a naturalized stream to the east that replaces the trapezoidal concrete channel there now. 

The PA also widens the Winkle Doodle Bridge over Barnaby Run to allow for "a generous pedestrian realm that includes space to preserve and celebrate a historic boundary marker stone."

 

New Winkle Doodle Bridge, Gateway and Linear Park

The intersection of Southern Avenue, Owens Road SE and Bonini Road SE would be replaced by a roundabout as would the intersections of Southern with Chesapeake Avenue and Southern with Mississippi Avenue. Signalization would be removed and bus stops moved. 

Mississippi Avenue Roundabout

That all sounds good, but I was disappointed to see no mention of the Suitland Parkway Trail. The SP Trail ends just west of, albeit ~20 feet below, Southern Avenue and connecting it to these bike lanes would create some kind of connection on the east end. In the Google Streetview below, the Suitland Parkway Trail is on the left and Southern Avenue is the bridge.

Unmentioned in the plan is that the south end of Southern Avenue will (might? eventually?) connect to the rehabilitated and expanded Oxon Run Trail and continue south on that to the trail in Oxon Cove Park. From there users can connect to the Wilson Bridge. And Oxon Run Trail will also connect to Southern at 13th Street SE and again at Mississippi Avenue.

According to a recent Ward 8 DDOT Project Update, final design on Southern Avenue starts late next year, with construction in late 2016.