For the next few months, the Metropolitan Branch Trail will have a detour in effect in Eckington as a new park is being built in the neighborhood.
The alternative route will be in place through early November, according to the District Department of Transportation. It will run along “Randolph Pl NE to 3rd St NE to Harry Thomas Way NE to a new connection to the trail near Q Street NE.”
But if you’re more of a visual person, take a look at the following rendering:
Additionally, there’s a dedicated bike lane and a pedestrian lane on the detour.In the meantime, there won’t be parking “along the east side of Harry Thomas Way NE between Q Street NE and R Street NE, 3rd Street NE between R Street NE and Randolph Place NE, and the south side of Randolph Place NE between 3rd St NE and the Met Branch Trail.”
But in terms of public transit, the detour is actually making it easier for pedestrians to access the NoMa Metro station. “You can now walk straight down Q street, hop on the trail for a few hundred yards, and access the station via the stairs or elevator,” the Eckington Civic Association tweeted on Monday.
When the renovation of this part of the MBT finishes, folks can expect “new lighting, pavement markings, and wayfinding signage,” according to a press release from DDOT. In addition, the renovations are supposed to widen and repave the trail, eliminate the “Z-curve” at R Street NE, and create a new permanent opening to the trail at Q Street NE and Harry Thomas Way NE.
Peter Krupa, who runs the weekly newsletter DC Bike List, says he’s optimistic about the construction project and detour.
“The city rarely makes this kind of major effort to accommodate people on bicycles and pedestrians during major construction projects, so it’s nice to see it done right for a change,” he tells DCist. And although he’s hopeful about the project, he’s “curious to see what it looks like in a month,” after the first few weeks of operation.
He also tweeted a photo of the addition of jersey barriers to the detour, further protecting cyclists and pedestrians:
https://twitter.com/peterkrupa/status/1160974915635417088
The detour around MBT is necessary for the construction of a larger project—Althea Tanner Park. The 2.5-acre space is the latest endeavor from the NoMa Business Improvement District to create more parks and green space in the neighborhood, following the opening of a Swampoodle Park in November.
In fact, BID president Robin-Eve Jasper called the park the “crown jewel” of the $50 million parks program in NoMa. It’s named after Alethia Browning Tanner, who helped establish the first school for black children in D.C. in 1807.
Residents of Eckington can expect to see a large lawn, a children’s playground, and a dog park after construction finishes either by the end of 2019 or early 2020. And if you’re curious about the work, you can check out this live stream of the development.
