The choices for the new Long Bridge for VA Rail/Amtrak have narrowed t

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Ziv

Conductor
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
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Location
Flathead Valley, Montana
Not sure how many different agencies and organizations were at the meeting Thursday night, but they appear to have narrowed the choices from 5 to 2. Both call for increasing the 2 rail tracks between L'Enfant (LE) and Rosslyn (RO) interlocking to 4 tracks. The only difference is one plan calls for repairing and retaining the current 2 on Long Bridge and adding another 2 track bridge, while the other calls for replacing the current 2 track bridge with 2 new bridges with 2 tracks each. Both plans seem to call for bike lanes and pedestrian lanes to be on a separate bridge closer to the Metro bridge. I believe that south of the current bridge there are between 3 and 4 tracks for a considerable distance, so this may help eliminate a bottle neck and smooth out the scheduling of trains through there. Not sure exactly how many freight trains use this route but it is a lot, seemingly more than Amtrak and VA Rail combined. But that is just a guess derived from the amount of each I see as I drive by.

This sounds like it will allow for more VA Rail trains, not sure how much of an impact it will have on Amtrak, but it won't hurt.

If it gets funded and if it eventually gets completed...

https://www.arlnow.com/2018/06/08/planners-nearing-final-designs-for-complex-long-bridge-overhaul/#more-203193
 
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Usually they start with everything on the table and then eliminate alternatives based on documented screening criteria. I bet some significant cost benefit discussions will appear relative to A;ternative B in the next round of evaluation/elimination.
 
I am not certain of this, but I believe that the bridge was built in 1903 and is in pretty bad condition. But I have read another source that said it was built in 1863. I think 1903 is the right year, though. It isn't in as bad a condition as Memorial Bridge, but it is worn out and it may cost about the same to replace it as it would to rebuild it.

I'm curious why ripping out the existing Long Bridge is on the table, is it in bad condition?
 
I am not certain of this, but I believe that the bridge was built in 1903 and is in pretty bad condition. But I have read another source that said it was built in 1863. I think 1903 is the right year, though. It isn't in as bad a condition as Memorial Bridge, but it is worn out and it may cost about the same to replace it as it would to rebuild it.

I'm curious why ripping out the existing Long Bridge is on the table, is it in bad condition?
It was rehabbed in 1943, but the maintenance costs are pretty high on old structures like this. Sometimes the decrease in maintenance costs can basically make up for the higher cost of replacement.
 
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