Travelling northbound in the District during am rush

This topic has 6 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 6 months ago by plutosdad.

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January 15, 2014 at 5:12 pm #914780

plutosdad
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Hi everyone,
I just moved to the area from Chicago (the city that stole Gabe Klein from you for awhile, thanks!)

I am living in Pentagon City, commuting to near 18th & L, and having a hard time determining a good route, especially once I cross the river at Arlington Memorial bridge, all the streets are jammed with cars not moving. I’m having a hard time figuring out a good route from the Mall to L.

Can anyone give me some pointers on how to get northbound to where I’m going?

This is the route I took today, up 20th. So far I’ve tried 17th, and 18th as well. 20th was the best.

http://goo.gl/maps/Na7GB

In Chicago there was usually parking on the side, so there was plenty of room in the door zone … but on these streets with no parking cars are all the way to the curb. I take the lane when the traffic is moving but it rarely moves.

Last night I took 21st southbound and that was not so bad. I found some maps/advice on bikearlington.com and bikewashington.org but still figuring it all out.

thanks for any help you can provide.

Chris
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January 15, 2014 at 5:16 pm #991297

ShawnoftheDread
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Either take the 14th St bridge and take 15th to Penn and then over to 18th, or add a mile and take the TR bridge. Then take either 25th to L or go around Washington Circle to New Hampshire to L.

January 15, 2014 at 5:25 pm #991299

TwoWheelsDC
Participant

@plutosdad 74833 wrote:

Hi everyone,
I just moved to the area from Chicago (the city that stole Gabe Klein from you for awhile, thanks!)

I am living in Pentagon City, commuting to near 18th & L, and having a hard time determining a good route, especially once I cross the river at Arlington Memorial bridge, all the streets are jammed with cars not moving. I’m having a hard time figuring out a good route from the Mall to L.

Can anyone give me some pointers on how to get northbound to where I’m going?

This is the route I took today, up 20th. So far I’ve tried 17th, and 18th as well. 20th was the best.

http://goo.gl/maps/Na7GB

In Chicago there was usually parking on the side, so there was plenty of room in the door zone … but on these streets with no parking cars are all the way to the curb. I take the lane when the traffic is moving but it rarely moves.

Last night I took 21st southbound and that was not so bad. I found some maps/advice on bikearlington.com and bikewashington.org but still figuring it all out.

thanks for any help you can provide.

Chris

Welcome to DC and the Forum!

The timing of your question is very interesting…one of the other board members, DismalScientist, and I were tackling this exact question on Monday when we ran into each other on the trail and rode in together (one of the many benefits of hanging around here). My response to him on the question basically matches the route you identified in your map. Up 21st from the Mall, across to 20th, and up from there. 18th might be faster overall, but I find 20th to be a bit lighter on the traffic (although my experience is limited to the afternoons) and pretty stress free.

January 15, 2014 at 5:26 pm #991300

dasgeh
Participant

I used to work over there, and 20th was by far my favorite for heading North. I only found it to be backed up on days when traffic was horrible everywhere. FWIW, I wouldn’t recommend 15th over 20th — there are stretches along 15th where cars fly, and others where it’s going to be just as clogged as 20th.

If you want to add a little distance, heading over to the TR (I66) bridge will give you a few more options that are even less clogged (all of which you could get to on Virginia on your current route): 22nd and 24th would be my recommendations. Getting to the TR Bridge could be fun: you could go the long way via the Crystal City Connector, the cool way, via the Pentagon parking lot and the LBJ bridge or the “does this new signal really work” way by crossing the GW Parkway by the Memorial Bridge (be careful at that crossing).

And welcome!

January 15, 2014 at 6:34 pm #991308

vvill
Participant

@plutosdad 74833 wrote:

This is the route I took today, up 20th. So far I’ve tried 17th, and 18th as well. 20th was the best.

http://goo.gl/maps/Na7GB

Yeah, that’s the route I take if I’m coming from the south or returning from Hains Pt (I usually come in from the west). I do sometimes go on the sidewalk about half a block before Penn, and cross Penn as a pedestrian, as it can get dicey (dicier?) there, and it’s only a couple blocks from my final destination anyway. I do still try to avoid having to go this way during peak hour (by commuting earlier).

The TR bridge is an option too, as it’ll get you out onto Virginia Ave, with a few quirks (narrow bridge, and slippery wood/bumpy sections before the bridge). From there you could go H St to 20th, or as Shawn said 25th to L St.

January 15, 2014 at 6:48 pm #991312

DismalScientist
Participant

On the choice between 15th Street and streets farther west coming from the 14th Street bridge, there is the tradeoff of better conditions on Ohio south of the mall and worse conditions on say, 18th, north of the mall, versus relatively bad conditions on 15th all the way from the bridge to the White House. Lately, my choice has been Ohio, around the Lincoln Memorial and up 18th. I figure if cars are stopped on 18th, they can’t really hurt you. The only problem is getting around the wide SUVs, trucks and buses.

If you are using 15th, you can take the sidewalk between the bridge and north of the mall. I don’t do this, for I would lose my “street cred.”

January 15, 2014 at 8:33 pm #991325

plutosdad
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Thanks,
I’ll try M to Rock Creek to Arlington memorial bridge going home tonight
and TR bridge to 25th to L tomorrow morning
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