Memorial Bridge Area Trail Construction

[Levy.Dave at epamail.epa.gov]

For those riding Mt. V trail at Memorial Bridge---

FORWARDED--
*****************************************
Michael,

I largely agree with you that at least some of the realigned ramp crossings
may become more hazardous as a result of the current construction.  At
the least, the new trail approaches should have been built much wider (12
feet of trail pavement, minimum), not rebuilt as narrow as 6-ft wide.

Your message is being forwarded to several NPS officials responsible for
these trails.

Allen Muchnick
WABA board member

-----Original Message-----
From: Bell, Michael
Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 11:41 AM
To: 'waba at waba.org'
Subject: Memorial Bridge Area Trail Construction

No doubt you are aware that this work is not yet complete. As you rightly
point out (see below) in the construction phase it is hazardous. But it is
the finished product that worries me more.

Now that it is possible to determine what the final shape of the
construction will be, it seems to me that the finished project will be
considerably more dangerous to cyclists and pedestrians than the situation
at present. I refer to the path that goes from the South-end of Memorial
Bridge towards the Mount Vernon Trail (first crossing leaving the bridge).
This used to allow the approach and the crossing to be made in a straight
line. Now, presumably with the intention of making pedestrians and cyclists
slow down, and walk rather than run or cycle over, there are two sharp
turns
build into the path on each side of the road. There is not time to cross
that road at walking speed given the pace cars travel. The more so at
night.
I have been imagining many scenarios in which accidents were now more
likely
to happen. Last night I encountered one (there was no accident, but there
could easily have been). Leaving the bridge, crossing the road--yes I was
mounted--there was ample time to cross. But a cyclist coming from the
opposite direction, "cut the corner" coming on to my side of the path, and
forcing me to slow down in the roadway. No prizes for guessing the outcome,
had a vehicle been slightly nearer or traveling more rapidly. There are
numerous other scenarios that I can imagine of bunching of
pedestrians/cyclists, and confusion

The answer is not to slow down pedestrians and cyclists. It is the motor
vehicles that somehow need to be persuaded to approach the crossing more
slowly.  Could you pass this on, or advise me to whom it should be sent.

=====================================================================
Posted at http://www.waba.org

Memorial Bridge Area Trail Construction

It seems that the National Park Service is finally realigning several
treacherous trail crossings of high-speed roadways on Columbia Island near
the Virginia side of Arlington Memorial Bridge. Old crosswalk approaches
have been torn out without any alternate provisions for crossing the
highways during construction. WABA hopes the work will be finished any day
and that all new trail crossings will be safer. Meanwhile, ride cautiously,
especially after dark.