The HSIPR funded Long Bridge Study held a public outreach meeting on June 6 and has posted the presentation and alternative boards on the project website. The Long Bridge is the two track CSX bridge across the Potomac River built in 1904 that is used by CSX, Amtrak, VRE. The current study is just the first round of what will be, forgive me, a long process of analysis and environmental reviews to settle on what exactly on what should be done with the bridge: nothing, an expanded 3 track bridge, 4 track bridge, ped/bike walkway, streetcar lanes, shared sreetcar/automobile lanes, bridge versus tunnel.
The presentation material for the alternatives (5 MB 10 page PDF) is very barebones, with just 1 slide on each alternative configuration. As I see it, the two main alternatives that should advance are #4 with 4 tracks and bike/ped walkway and #5 with 4 tracks + bike/ped walkway and two streetcar lanes. The plans have been for some time to build a 4th track on the Northern VA side from the bridge to Alexandria station to AF interlocking. A four track replacement bridge (or more likely a new 2 track bridge and an extended refurb of the current bridge) would allow 2 passenger tracks to AF interlocking and 2 freight tracks. Two streetcar lanes across the river would allow the planned DC and Alexandria/Arlington streetcar lines to connect.
The alternatives #6, #7, #8 with shared or seperated automobile lanes don't really make sense given that the Long Bridge is just south of the I-395 / Rt. 1 multiple bridge spans. Got plenty of car lanes there already. I figure those alternatives are there in part so if some pol demands why didn't they consider adding more car lanes across the Potomac River with this project, they can say they did and rejected it for the following reasons. Alternatives #9 and #10 with tunnels under the Potomac River would be seriously expensive.
The website has an email address and comment page for anyone who wants to comment on the alternatives.
The presentation material for the alternatives (5 MB 10 page PDF) is very barebones, with just 1 slide on each alternative configuration. As I see it, the two main alternatives that should advance are #4 with 4 tracks and bike/ped walkway and #5 with 4 tracks + bike/ped walkway and two streetcar lanes. The plans have been for some time to build a 4th track on the Northern VA side from the bridge to Alexandria station to AF interlocking. A four track replacement bridge (or more likely a new 2 track bridge and an extended refurb of the current bridge) would allow 2 passenger tracks to AF interlocking and 2 freight tracks. Two streetcar lanes across the river would allow the planned DC and Alexandria/Arlington streetcar lines to connect.
The alternatives #6, #7, #8 with shared or seperated automobile lanes don't really make sense given that the Long Bridge is just south of the I-395 / Rt. 1 multiple bridge spans. Got plenty of car lanes there already. I figure those alternatives are there in part so if some pol demands why didn't they consider adding more car lanes across the Potomac River with this project, they can say they did and rejected it for the following reasons. Alternatives #9 and #10 with tunnels under the Potomac River would be seriously expensive.
The website has an email address and comment page for anyone who wants to comment on the alternatives.