[RP TownTalk] Closing of the UMD parking lot-clarification?

[Chris Currie]

My family used this cut-through at least 25 times per week for work and
school commuting.  I've estimated that the closure will cause an additional
80 hours of commuting time for our family alone -- the equivalent of two
full weeks of work.  I can only imagine what the aggregate amount of time
lost will be for the residents of Riverdale Park and surrounding
communities.

This is not to kvetch -- I know the closure is necessary for an important
transportation project -- but simply to note the enormity of the burden it
puts upon many of us.

In light of this fact, do we have any real assurance that the ERCO parking
lot cut-through will be reopened after the bridge construction is complete?

Sorry, but I can just imagine some bureaucrat in Annapolis or Upper
Marlboro or College Park thinking to himself, "This was a great way to shut
down an irregular and improper mode of vehicular traffic without provoking
a huge outcry."  Just like Queens Chapel Rd. was shut down through
University Park for the construction of a public-works project and then
never reopened, I can easily foresee the same thing happening here.

To be honest, many times I've driven through the Erco lot and wondered how
long it would be until I arrived one morning to find a couple bollards and
a chain had been put across the Lafayette St. entrance to the parking lot.
I'm sure there are insurance implications for the Univ. of Md. to allowing
all that public through-traffic across their private parking lot.  Or maybe
a new office building would be built on the Erco site and then there would
be another reason to restrict entry into the parking lot.

What really should happen is that Riverdale Park and the University of
Maryland should hammer out an agreement to create a public right-of-way
through the parking lot, and then build a real street on that section.
Funding that modest project would have been a nice thing to include in the
original concordat with the Cafritz family, but that's water under the
bridge now, so to speak.

Can anyone in the know comment on the ultimate designs on the Erco
cut-through, if there are any?

Thanks --

Chris



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jessica Barnes <jbarnes at riverdaleparkmd.gov>
Date: Wed, Nov 25, 2015 at 2:13 PM
Subject: [RP Town Announce] Special Announcement Construction Update Notice
November 25, 2015
To: towntalk at riverdale-park.org, townannounce at riverdale-park.org


*SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT*

*CONSTRUCTION UPDATE NOTICE*

*November 25, 2015*



*Closure of Parking Lot of Former ERCO Plant Between the Rivertech Court
Cul-de-sac and Lafayette Avenue in Riverdale Park*



Work will soon begin on the much awaited new CSX crossing at Riverdale Park
Station. The bridge construction work is significant and requires the
closing of the former ERCO plant parking lot between the Rivertech Court
cul-de-sac and Lafayette Avenue. This route has been used for years as a
?short cut? from Lafayette Avenue to M-Square. *The closure will begin on
or about December 14, 2015 and will continue until the new bridge is open ?
estimated to be in April 2017.*



The initial construction activities include the relocation of existing
electrical and gas utilities that run parallel to the CSX tracks. Utility
relocations are necessary for the construction of the new bridge over the
CSX railroad tracks.



Temporary detour signage will be installed at the point of the construction
directing bicyclists to an alternate route around the bridge construction.
In addition, Gateway Park along the Route 1 frontage of the site will soon
be open and provide bike/pedestrian access along Route 1.



While this will create a temporary inconvenience for motorists, when
completed the new bridge will greatly improve mobility in the area. Below
is a rendering of the new bridge.



The closure is scheduled to take effect on or about December 14, 2015 and
will continue until the new bridge is open ? estimated to be in April 2017.
For any questions, please contact Robert Lockhart of Capital Construction
Consultants at 202-669-7157 or email at rlockhart at ccci-dc.com.



Jessica

Jessica E. Barnes

Town Clerk

Riverdale Park

5008 Queensbury Road

Riverdale Park, MD 20737

www.riverdaleparkmd.info

301-927-6381
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