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Regional Boards => Mid-Atlantic => Topic started by: cpzilliacus on July 29, 2016, 05:20:58 PM

Title: National Park Service Parkways, park motor roads and bridges (D.C., Md. and Va.)
Post by: cpzilliacus on July 29, 2016, 05:20:58 PM
WTOP Radio: DC drivers should prepare for upcoming Beach Drive closure (http://wtop.com/dc/2016/07/dc-drivers-prepare-upcoming-beach-drive-closure/slide/1/)

QuoteThe National Park Service says a busy artery in Northwest D.C. will be severed when construction begins later this summer and is urging drivers to plan ahead.

QuoteAfter Labor Day, a stretch of Beach Drive will be closed around-the-clock between Rock Creek Parkway and Tilden Street for rehabilitation. The closure will coincide with a general worsening of traffic across the region as daylight wanes, summer vacations draw to a close and students return to school.
Title: Re: National Park Service Parkways, park motor roads and bridges (D.C., Md. and Va.)
Post by: cpzilliacus on August 05, 2016, 09:06:46 AM
Washington Post: Beach Drive rehabilitation begins next month, will close busy commuter route (https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/beach-drive-rehabilitation-begins-next-month-will-close-busy-commuter-route/2016/08/03/c99633be-54da-11e6-88eb-7dda4e2f2aec_story.html)

QuoteBeach Drive, a busy commuter route in Northwest Washington, is crumbling. Gaps are spreading. Cracks are widening. And the seven bridges along the 6.5-mile long road are eroding.

QuoteA segment of the road and its adjacent trail, which runs through Rock Creek Park, will shut down to traffic starting next month, kicking off a three-year rehabilitation. The project promises a brand-new roadway – but also nightmarish commutes.

Quote"When it is done, it is going to be a beautiful facility,"  said Matthew Wolniak, a consultant for the National Park Service working on the project. "But in the short term there is going to be pain."  
Title: Re: National Park Service Parkways, park motor roads and bridges (D.C., Md. and Va.)
Post by: cpzilliacus on August 11, 2016, 10:19:25 PM
WTOP Radio: Fines to start for heavy vehicles crossing Arlington Memorial Bridge (http://wtop.com/sprawl-crawl/2016/08/fines-start-heavy-vehicles-crossing-arlington-memorial-bridge/)

QuoteThe grace period ends for heavy vehicles crossing the Arlington Memorial Bridge. As the bridge becomes weaker with each truck and bus ignoring the weight limit, the U.S. Park Police will start ticketing drivers next week.

QuoteIn May 2015, Federal Highway Administration engineers told drivers hauling more than 10 tons that they had to find a route that did not include the Arlington Memorial Bridge.

Quote"They're further impacting and breaking up the deck. And the deck is what is in the most critical need of repair on the bridge. That's the surface you drive across,"  said Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles with the National Park Service.
Title: Re: National Park Service Parkways, park motor roads and bridges (D.C., Md. and Va.)
Post by: cpzilliacus on September 18, 2016, 01:08:05 PM
Washington Post: Beach Drive rehab will give us a taste of a painful full roadway shutdown (https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/beach-drive-rehab-will-give-us-a-taste-of-a-painful-full-roadway-shutdown/2016/09/17/4b617416-792b-11e6-beac-57a4a412e93a_story.html)
Title: Re: National Park Service Parkways, park motor roads and bridges (D.C., Md. and Va.)
Post by: ixnay on September 20, 2016, 07:52:56 AM
Per Google Satellite, Beach Drive doesn't seem to have any beaches along it (or Rock Creek).  Where'd that road get its name?

ixnay
Title: Re: National Park Service Parkways, park motor roads and bridges (D.C., Md. and Va.)
Post by: cpzilliacus on September 20, 2016, 08:17:39 AM
Quote from: ixnay on September 20, 2016, 07:52:56 AM
Per Google Satellite, Beach Drive doesn't seem to have any beaches along it (or Rock Creek).  Where'd that road get its name?

I believe Beach was a former (and early) superintendent of Rock Creek Park.
Title: Re: National Park Service Parkways, park motor roads and bridges (D.C., Md. and Va.)
Post by: AlexandriaVA on July 19, 2022, 10:02:10 AM
QuoteGround broken to rehabilitate GW Parkway; work will impact commuteshttps://wtop.com/local/2022/07/ground-broken-to-rehabilitate-gw-parkway-work-will-impact-commutes/ (https://wtop.com/local/2022/07/ground-broken-to-rehabilitate-gw-parkway-work-will-impact-commutes/)

QuoteFor the first time since the George Washington Parkway was completed 60 years ago, the scenic past-its-prime commuter route – combined-with-a-national park and trail system – is getting a major rehabilitation.

QuoteThe project includes replacing the asphalt pavement and roadway drainage system, redesigning portions of the Virginia Route 123 interchange, repairing storm-water management systems and lengthening entrance and exit lanes at some interchanges.
Title: Re: National Park Service Parkways, park motor roads and bridges (D.C., Md. and Va.)
Post by: davewiecking on November 30, 2022, 10:37:42 AM
NPS considering reducing lanes on southern stretch of the GWMP.

https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/11/29/gw-parkway-road-diet-and-mount-vernon-trail-widening-proposed-in-southern-fairfax-county/
Title: Re: National Park Service Parkways, park motor roads and bridges (D.C., Md. and Va.)
Post by: 1995hoo on November 30, 2022, 10:46:56 AM
I wonder what they have in mind (the documents are unclear). They've already narrowed it southbound for most of the distance between Belle Haven and a short distance north of Mount Vernon. There were some people complaining about that and wondering why northbound should have two lanes, to which the very reasonable answer was that northbound drivers may be turning left, but southbound drivers will seldom do so because the river means there aren't very many left turns southbound. I wonder whether they now plan to narrow the northbound side to one lane. (The more general complaint has been from people who don't like not being allowed to pass when driving southbound–a lot of people want to go a lot faster than the posted speed limit on that road. I'm mildly surprised we haven't heard reports of accidents due to people passing over the double yellow line, which I'm certain happens because I've seen it happen on various other area roads when someone is displeased that the driver ahead is obeying the speed limit.)