Six Mile Red Trail Closure, Please Read

stb222

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
Starting today, April 30, 2024, the D&R Canal State Park, who manages Six Mile Run, has closed the red trail between the trail from the Jacques Lane parking lot to Canal Road. This is the 0.8 mile long section of trail along Six Mile Run itself:
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Eastern side of red trail / intersection of trail to Jacques
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Western side / Canal Road side of red trail
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This is an unfortunate closure, and we understand you are outraged, however we need to respect this closure. Any individual ignoring the closure or undoing the barricades or signage is working against the trail users trying to address this issue with the park. Understanding the park's position regarding this trail and providing potential solutions will be part of this process, they are not the bad guy.
I have personally seen and been involved with the evolution of this park over a 20 year period and the transformation has been nothing but astonishing. Six Mile provides over 15 miles of multi-use trail, which is ALL singletrack and within 20 miles of one of the most densely populated parts of the state and country. It is also one of the most utilized parks in the state and also has one of the most active volunteer bases. The draw to this park is vast, attrracting people of all ages from NJ, PA, DE, NY and CT. Due to the unique nature of these trails, it can be enjoyed by beginners and experts alike and is the home trails for the Princeton Progressions NICA team and visited by NICA teams from NJ and PA. Not only does this closure remove the neck of the dragon but it puts trail users on two roadways that lack any bicycle and pedestrian safety features and are barely wide enough for two cars to pass each other.
Road Section Stats
Note that modern design standards call for 10'-12' lanes.
0.65 miles Jacques Lane, 16' wide dual direction travel lane with no centerline and 1' to no shoulder.
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0.35 miles on Canal Road, 16' wide dual direction travel lane with no centerline and 1' to no shoulder.
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We need to it make clear to park officials the impacts of closing this trail. Consider contacting them and making the following points:
  • Introducing trail users to a dangerous road section that is not suitable for bicycle and pedestrian use and that all ages will now use these roads
  • Make note of the amount of drainage work that has been done since the fall on the blue trail and that the trail is DRY
  • Potential increase in trail user conflicts due to additional two way traffic
    • Blue Trail
    • White Trail
    • Open Section of Red Trail between closure and White Trail
  • Offer potential solutions or support of other proposed solutions
  • BE NICE
Please consider contacting the D&R Canal State Park with your concerns.
 
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JonF said:
Ok, but why?

Closing for needed construction work, for spite, other?
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Curious about that too. However the signs say closed to ALL public use so it doesn’t appear to be targeted to a specific user group 🤷‍♂️
 
JonF said:
Ok, but why?

Closing for needed construction work, for spite, other?
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I was there yesterday and surprised to see this at the end of my ride. It appears to be construction work in progress.
 
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Please hold the speculation. The answer will come directly from the park.
@stb222 described the situation and some of the consequences of the decision.

As noted, we must now understand the reason for their position.
JORBA has a relationship with the park. Let it play out.

Respect the closure - .
Plan your ride accordingly if you don't want to ride the road.
 
Is this also related to the posts about all the logs and branches blocking the trail posted elsewhere yesterday ?

If it’s under construction then it makes sense but if it’s permanent then it’s pretty bad way the park did this so abruptly. Why not talk to the JORBA and NICA leadership first.

I don’t get to ride down that way too much but there’s been so much time put into updating the trails this is very disappointing.

The main point is clear tho if everyone starts sending hate mail without understanding the reason even if they dropped the ball communicating it, it helps no one.
 
I assume it's also closed for hikers as well? It's a popular spot for families by the river during the warmer months. Guess the dragon is losing its jaw but hope it can be resolved like the Hartshorne croc. Sending a note to the super.
 
There must be a "why", very curious, will be sending a nicely worded concern to the park. Hope we can work this out, that place is fun to ride and it should be a safe loop for all.
 
it’s better if someone knows why to just be transparent IMHO

Parks ain’t going to issue any statement

The PR has already been botched
 
I got a phone call from a friend a few years ago. He was on Canal Road, and there had been an accident. He was calling me to see if I had the phone number of a person in the bike community. This person is/was someone who helps run the Highland Park cross races. While I know him well enough, I did/do not know his phone number. I directed him to Jim Vreeland at the time but I believe he found what he needed before he made that call.

In any event, the reason he was calling me was because this guy's brother had just been killed on Canal Road, while on a bike. He wasn't riding Six Mile, to the best of my knowledge. I believe he was on a road bike. Anyone who has ridden that road knows it can be dangerous, to say the least. Anyway, Canal Road is a truly horrible road for anyone to walk, bike, or even drive. It's terrible.

Many NICA teams, ours included, use Six Mile as a place to practice & ride. At this point, we would be expected to take the kids out on the road to complete the loop. This would be the same roads where someone we know has lost a family member while on a bike.

I find this inexcusably irresponsible behavior by the park.

As it pertains to the original post, the community has not been given a Problem Statement. Thus, it is impossible to offer solutions. From my perspective, the only 2 actions to remediate this is to a) reopen the trail, or b) build a new trail. Given that the trail was closed, we can assume there is some issue with option A. It would be helpful for the park to be more forthcoming in what the problem is so we as a community can offer and help with any solution.

But Canal Road? That is not a solution.
 
Norm said:
I find this inexcusably irresponsible behavior by the park.

As it pertains to the original post, the community has not been given a Problem Statement. Thus, it is impossible to offer solutions. From my perspective, the only 2 actions to remediate this is to a) reopen the trail, or b) build a new trail. Given that the trail was closed, we can assume there is some issue with option A. It would be helpful for the park to be more forthcoming in what the problem is so we as a community can offer and help with any solution.

But Canal Road? That is not a solution.
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Agree 100%.
 
Norm said:
I got a phone call from a friend a few years ago. He was on Canal Road, and there had been an accident. He was calling me to see if I had the phone number of a person in the bike community. This person is/was someone who helps run the Highland Park cross races. While I know him well enough, I did/do not know his phone number. I directed him to Jim Vreeland at the time but I believe he found what he needed before he made that call.

In any event, the reason he was calling me was because this guy's brother had just been killed on Canal Road, while on a bike. He wasn't riding Six Mile, to the best of my knowledge. I believe he was on a road bike. Anyone who has ridden that road knows it can be dangerous, to say the least. Anyway, Canal Road is a truly horrible road for anyone to walk, bike, or even drive. It's terrible.

Many NICA teams, ours included, use Six Mile as a place to practice & ride. At this point, we would be expected to take the kids out on the road to complete the loop. This would be the same roads where someone we know has lost a family member while on a bike.

I find this inexcusably irresponsible behavior by the park.

As it pertains to the original post, the community has not been given a Problem Statement. Thus, it is impossible to offer solutions. From my perspective, the only 2 actions to remediate this is to a) reopen the trail, or b) build a new trail. Given that the trail was closed, we can assume there is some issue with option A. It would be helpful for the park to be more forthcoming in what the problem is so we as a community can offer and help with any solution.

But Canal Road? That is not a solution.
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well said Norm!
 
JORBA leadership has engaged the park since the moment this was brought to our attention. We are not the driving force behind the closure nor are we completely informed on the details, but as it has been mentioned already in this thread, the trail was not sanctioned, and never was.

For those riding here with NICA teams, I am asking you NOT to ride on Jacques Lane or Canal Road, ever. After reading Norm's post, coupled with a common sense assessment of those two roads, riding them would be assuming too much risk when charged with the care of children. We will communicate this to our NICA coaching community.

I would caution all folks who ride bikes in 6MR to put together rides which do not include riding on these roads. Yes, a full loop option is lost if you stay away from them, but it is still a wonderful park to ride and you can link up new routes. No one is forcing you to ride on those roads, so please do not put that added pressure on the park. They are aware of the landscape.

As for the long term, we are proposing solutions. @Norm your two solutions are accurate, but as I am sure you are aware, super simplified. The problem statement is Canal Road. To a) reopen the trail, or b) build a new trail, we need a non-road solution to get to/from the Canal Road parking lot, which means a bridge over the run. Ideally that bridge gets placed closer to Canal Road at the terminus of a new trail extending the sanctioned red, but there are other options to explore.

Bridges of that magnitude require a wetlands permit, considerable funding for design, materials and labor and considerable investment of time. We are prepared to assist, but we are not the land managers and can only make suggestions.

Please continue to be patient, and know that @jdog and the chapter's crew, along with JORBA's leadership team, are monitoring progress and making ourselves available to assist our partners in trails.
 
The bottom line is what is the issue with the current trail? I understand that it was not "sanctioned" but what are the issues with it? Why can't it be sanctioned?
 
GSTim said:
The bottom line is what is the issue with the current trail? I understand that it was not "sanctioned" but what are the issues with it? Why can't it be sanctioned?
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The problem statement is Canal Road. To a) reopen the trail, or b) build a new trail, we need a non-road solution to get to/from the Canal Road parking lot, which means a bridge over the run. Ideally that bridge gets placed closer to Canal Road at the terminus of a new trail extending the sanctioned red, but there are other options to explore.

Bridges of that magnitude require a wetlands permit, considerable funding for design, materials and labor and considerable investment of time. We are prepared to assist, but we are not the land managers and can only make suggestions.
 
rjr44 said:
The problem statement is Canal Road. To a) reopen the trail, or b) build a new trail, we need a non-road solution to get to/from the Canal Road parking lot, which means a bridge over the run. Ideally that bridge gets placed closer to Canal Road at the terminus of a new trail extending the sanctioned red, but there are other options to explore.

Bridges of that magnitude require a wetlands permit, considerable funding for design, materials and labor and considerable investment of time. We are prepared to assist, but we are not the land managers and can only make suggestions.
Click to expand...
Sorry, missed the fact that the current trail terminates at Canal Road is the only issue.
 
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