FABB Blog

 

NPS Releases Paved Trail Plan/Study

National Park Service recently released the final Paved Trail Study that outlines a vision for a future paved trail network in the Metro DC area. "The main outcomes of this study are a vision for the trail network, a set of achievable goals, 121 capital and programmatic recommendations, and a framework for prioritizing regional funding of trail–related projects in the future."

One of the most dangerous crossing of GW Parkway was mentioned in the section on At-Grade Crossings: "In addition, popular trail access points from nearby neighborhoods that require crossing the Parkway should also be studied. For example, Fairfax County has approved a study to evaluate pedestrian and bicycle crossing of the Parkway at Belle View Boulevard. Roadway and trail safety enhancements could include improved sightlines, speed limit reductions in key areas, creating shorter trail crossing distances by narrowing or reducing lanes, introducing pavement markings, and improved crossing signage."

The primary recommendation in Fairfax County was development of the Fort Hunt Trail, in three parts:

1. From GWMP along Vernon View Drive to Fort Hunt Road: Develop on-road trail facility from Mount Vernon Trail crossing GWMP, routed along Vernon View Drive to Fort Hunt Road.

2. From Fort Hunt Road/Fort Hunt Park to Belle Haven Golf Course: Develop on-road trail facility from Fort Hunt Road/Fort Hunt Park along Fort Hunt Road to Belle Haven Road.

3. Belle Haven Road between Fort Hunt Road and GWMP: Develop on-road connector along Belle Haven Road to Belle Haven Park and Mount Vernon Trail

From the National Park Service:

Map of Corridors of Regional Significance. See the report for a better image.

Labels: fort hunt road, national park service, paved trails plan

posted by Bruce Wright at 9:30 AM permalink

 

Dangerous bike conditions on Route 1 sidepath - Guest blogger Mark Murphy

You probably have a stretch of your usual ride or commuter route that worries you more than the rest, like a blind curve or a busy crossing. Mine is just a mile from home, near where Richmond Highway (U.S. Route 1) crosses the Beltway at the gateway to southern Fairfax County. The bicycle-pedestrian side trail that runs alongside Richmond Highway crosses an entrance to the Hampton Inn parking lot and continues through the intersection with Fort Hunt Road.

The side trail is only a few years old, built as part of the Wilson Bridge Project. Soon after it opened, I found that cars making the right on red at Fort Hunt Road and cars exiting the parking lot at the Hampton Inn routinely drove across the side path, looking to their left to turn into northbound Richmond Highway traffic but never looking to their right for bicycles or pedestrians coming southbound on the trail. So as you come to these crossings, even with the right of way or the green light, you never know if a driver will pull out and hit you.

In 2011 I asked Fairfax Police to do some enforcement at the Fort Hunt Road intersection. The officer who went to the location observed a constant flow of cars running the red to turn onto Richmond Highway. I thought that some new signs and notices might make drivers more aware of the hazard, so I spent most of that year working (not very effectively) to get Fairfax County and Virginia DOT to take a look at the intersection. When I met with a staff member of Supervisor Gerry Hyland’s office and a VDOT employee at the site, I brought this photo of a sign from the City of Alexandria.

Photo by Mark Murphy

I also suggested that this sign, plus a yellow line down the middle of the crosswalk at Fort Hunt Road and a painted crosswalk at the parking lot entrance would make the point that those crossings carry two-way traffic.

VDOT, which controls Fairfax County’s roads, will not post any sign not on its approved list and the one I suggested isn’t on it. The VDOT technician also said he could not paint a yellow stripe on a crosswalk. Instead, VDOT and Supervisor Hyland’s office offered to make three other changes: move the "Yield to Pedestrians / $200 Fine" sign on Fort Hunt closer to the intersection, where it was more likely to be seen by drivers thinking about turning right on red; paint the crosswalk with stripes; and install another "Yield to Pedestrians / Fine" sign at the Hampton Inn entrance nearby. But after a few months, when none of those things happened, I checked back to find that Fairfax County had decided that they couldn’t do any of the things they had agreed to. Exasperated, I asked Supervisor Hyland’s office what they could do, and the staff person said she would talk with Fairfax Police about stepping up enforcement.

That was May of 2012. Every day that I commute home from work, I’m extra watchful of right-on-red drivers and cars crossing the side trail. But last month, on January 4, I was hit by a car entering the Hampton Inn parking lot. The driver didn’t see me riding along the trail, although I had on a reflective vest and two headlights. I didn’t see his turn signal, if it was on. When his car turned towards me, I slammed on my brakes but couldn’t get out of his way in time and when he hit me, I flipped up onto his car’s hood.

Thankfully, I am okay. The driver did the right thing and seemed genuinely sorry about the collision. My bumps and bruises healed and I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike when the repairs are done. The bike needs a lot of work but the driver’s insurance company is taking care of that. But Fairfax County, VDOT and Fairfax Police all failed me and, in a sense, they also failed the driver.

When VDOT and Fairfax County have been made aware of a serious safety hazard to cyclists and pedestrians, why have they done nothing about it? Instead of ignoring, then rejecting a number of ideas for improving safety at these crossings, I would like for authorities to make it their problem and come up with some solutions. VDOT and Fairfax County authorities should have to answer why nothing has been done to alert drivers that they are crossing over a bicycle and pedestrian trail.

When a bicyclist is on a bicycle-pedestrian side trail and gets hit by a car, why does the police officer say the bicyclist shouldn’t ride on the “sidewalk?” The officer came up with several excuses, like a broken streetlight and the questionable effectiveness of reflective vests, for refusing to cite the driver for the collision. The driver that crossed a bicycle path and struck a cyclist was not cited. How can that be right?

Labels: fairfax county police, fort hunt road, richmond highway, route 1, supervisor hyland, vdot

posted by Bruce Wright at 11:27 PM permalink