This summer, cyclists along the Mount Vernon Trail encountered a detour on the northern end of the trail at Gravelly Point due to the Long Bridge Project where impacts include a temporary bypass and detour.
Beginning July 1, the bypass opened, shifting riders closer to the GW Parkway, with a well-marked maze of fences and cement barriers. It will be in place for the next few years.
Cyclist Trent Bailey captured it all in a video he posted on social media to lessen the confusion, calling it a "massive detour on the Mount Vernon trail."
"They're making a separate bridge for bikers and walkers," Bailey explained.
The Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling posted a blog about the detour too, noting that it didn't open on the exact date that was initially targeted but soon after. "The good news is the Mount Vernon Trail will remain open throughout construction," the blog stated.
The trail detour, separate bike and pedestrian bridge, and rail work are all part of the $2.3 billion project that includes more rail tracks to accommodate a projected increase in railroad traffic along this corridor. This includes Amtrak, VRE and CSX Transportation railroad services.
Cyclists on the trail will encounter the detour just past Reagan-National Airport where the trail goes through Gravelly Point. The temporary trail takes them back up to the Parkway, past the Metro bridge, and back down to the riverside path.
On July 30, the project officials met with the Arlington and Alexandria Advisory Group to update them on the project. The bike trail detour at Gravelly Point was a topic they covered. “Very exciting for us to get this open, we’ve had a lot of compliments,” said project control manager Brian Grayburn.
The Washington Area Bicyclist Association mapped out a route that skips the area entirely. On the WABA map, a bicyclist bypasses the Gravelly Point lot and follows Long Branch Drive, but this requires crossing some busy streets.