Report a Trail Problem

[Tim Kelley]

Here are a few links and phone numbers that may help you report a problem on the trails around Arlington:

Arlington Trails: Department of Parks & Recreation, 703-228-6524

Mount Vernon Trail: National Park Service, 703-419-6400

Washington & Old Dominion Trail: Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, 703-729-0596

[peterw_diy]

The NPS link for MVT is now bad. Try http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

[Steve O]

Big problem at the Ballston Connector.

The entire section from Wakefield to the sound wall is torn up with construction equipment, trucks, etc.
I understand that this needs to be done, but the signs direct the trail users ONTO THE HIGHWAY RAMPS!!

Yes, see below. The signs direct people to cross the high speed ramps to the other side where there is no sidewalk--only a sound wall preventing one from getting off the ramp while keeping one exposed to exiting I-66 traffic.

I am sending an email to the county right now.

This is at Wakefield St. One can cross here with the light, but if you then try to go west and cross back over, you will be run over by high speed ramp traffic


This is looking east at the bottom of the Ballston Connector as you enter Ballston.


This is the same location looking south across the I-66 highway ramps. Traffic here is moving at high speed.

[Steve O]

Ritch Viola responded with this:

I believe that they are directing pedestrians and cyclists to use the area within the orange barricades, which is closed to traffic. So pedestrians and bicyclists should be safe there.

At 3:00 Pm VDOT will want the barricades removed and the lane reopened. The path should again be open at that time.

We can talk to the construction company about improving the signage so the detour route is clearer.

Ritch

So it's supposed to be reopened by now. Will they be back tomorrow? This looks like a multi-day project to me.
I responded to him letting him know that a sign that says "Cross Here" is likely to be interpreted as instructing people to cross. Also, the truck in the first photo is entirely blocking the area he claims is supposed to be available to trail users.

[Brett L.]

Ritch Viola responded with this:



So it's supposed to be reopened by now. Will they be back tomorrow? This looks like a multi-day project to me.
I responded to him letting him know that a sign that says "Cross Here" is likely to be interpreted as instructing people to cross. Also, the truck in the first photo is entirely blocking the area he claims is supposed to be available to trail users.

I'm going to have to agree with your interpretation and not the interpretation that the closed off area is for peds/cyclists. That is an active construction zone, with heavy machinery present (notice the use of hardhats and skid steer on the road). They would be in violation of OSHA rules by directing folks into their site.

[dasgeh]

I'm going to have to agree with your interpretation and not the interpretation that the closed off area is for peds/cyclists. That is an active construction zone, with heavy machinery present (notice the use of hardhats and skid steer on the road). They would be in violation of OSHA rules by directing folks into their site.

Also, are there ramps to get from street level to trail level?

[Sunyata]

Also, are there ramps to get from street level to trail level?

I rode through there around 3:40 or so yesterday afternoon. Coming from Fairfax Drive going towards the Custis trail, the first barricade was still there directing trail users to cross over Fairfax Drive. There was no construction equipment, so I just walked around the barriers, got back on my bike, and rode through.

I did not look hard, but it did look like there was a section near the sound barrier that was level with the I-66 ramp.

[DrP]

I rode through there around 3:40 or so yesterday afternoon. Coming from Fairfax Drive going towards the Custis trail, the first barricade was still there directing trail users to cross over Fairfax Drive. There was no construction equipment, so I just walked around the barriers, got back on my bike, and rode through.

I did not look hard, but it did look like there was a section near the sound barrier that was level with the I-66 ramp.

I went through around 8pm last night - just starting to get dark. The road was open to drivers. The new bike path isn't completed nor completely open on the block before, so I was going at speed to keep the cars from being too annoyed and aggressive towards me. Luckily I had seen these posts, so I was able to be slow enough when I got to the barriers. The trail, at that point wasn't much worse than the mulch pits at Roosevelt Island except the material was different. I didn't notice any at grade connections elsewhere.

The problem is that the people who put the detour in have ABSOLUTLEY NO UNDERSTANDING OF THE USERS OR THE TRAIL. They did not realize that crossing to the trail on the other side of I-66 is NOT the same as crossing a street. You are now very far from where you were going (and crossing back is EXTREMELY dangerous given the speeds of the vehicles). For safety, you continue to George Mason and then up and over to get back on the trail - but only if you know that is how to go. And it is way out of your way and an unpleasant trip. Safer, but completely unpleasant, would have been to send everyone to the right to get on the trail behind the buildings. That would force folks to go by construction traffic (during the day), building traffic, and then ride or walk on a very root-upheaved (if that is a word) trail, which connects back to the trail above their work. But there would be no Fairfax crossing with drivers getting on/off I-66.

The building construction and everything around it has been a mess for peds and bikes the whole time. There is complete disregard for the time and safety of peds and cyclists to be on the detours they construct (wait for light to cross major road here, walk a block, wait for light to cross major road back to where you wanted to be), and frequently sign them improperly (no sign at the intersection where you cross, only after you walked the half block to find that the trail they had for you yesterday is now gone, so you have to walk back to cross safely - or just walk in the road being accident fodder). The county is probably sick of me e-mailing them about it. These folks should be fined repeatedly for these problems - with increasing fines. They could pay for the snow removal with the fees from this site alone.

[vacyclist68]

Who would we contact about getting bike paths/trails cleaned? Fairfax County parkway bike path had debris and glass in many locations from Springfield Metro to Fairfax

[mstone]

Who would we contact about getting bike paths/trails cleaned? Fairfax County parkway bike path had debris and glass in many locations from Springfield Metro to Fairfax

Nobody, VDOT won't clean it per policy. Your best bet is probably to drum up support for a community effort.