2014 March Trail Conditions

Of course, but this helps a lot. Hopefully traffic thru commonwealth won’t be annoying. i’ll have to do some trail, but it beats walking 80% of the time like i did this morning.

@DismalScientist 78954 wrote:

To minimize the distance on unplowed trails, get over to Boundary Channel Drive, Long Bridge Drive, Eads Street and Commonwealth Avenue as much as possible.

Try this: https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Thomas+Jefferson+Memorial,+Ohio+Drive+Southwest,+Washington,+DC&daddr=38.8789721,-77.0528892+to:38.8579395,-77.0511856+to:38.854756,-77.0532991+to:38.8411833,-77.0547314+to:38.828993,-77.0604498+to:Alexandria,+VA&hl=en&sll=38.847596,-77.051582&sspn=0.117315,0.070295&geocode=FZ9HUQIdx4do-yGckc3l8W8GOCnFXAyCC7e3iTGckc3l8W8GOA%3BFfw-UQIdJ0Ro-ykJUo5qA7e3iTG4qgIlWoCgrA%3BFdPsUAIdz0po-yk38MRzJre3iTF360Mjq_vVCw%3BFWTgUAIdjUJo-ymbgWP3KLe3iTGP5O7lolQ_8A%3BFV-rUAId9Txo-ynxdjp31rC3iTEqVjE50GZp4w%3BFcF7UAIdnyZo-ykzLcCmIbG3iTH_qDcm8wypcQ%3BFWMdUAIdd1to-ynxq6STPk22iTEsAcHbhib11w&oq=ale&t=h&dirflg=b&mra=dpe&mrsp=4&sz=14&via=1,2,3,4,5&z=14&lci=bike

There’s no way to avoid some of the MVT since you are coming over the 14th Street bridge. The least amount of trail riding is going north through the Marina. If you want to chance it, you can cut over to Eads at the Crystal City Connector at the airport. I have no idea about the trail conditions on the south side of Four Mile run between Route 1 and Commonwealth Avenue.

@consularrider 78942 wrote:

You can’t figure from my forum name?

The Senate and People of Rome? I can see how there wouldn’t be a lot of surprises…

I decided to say the hell with it and take a chance, hoping that a lot of melting occurred today. it ended up being a good call. the MVT is pretty much 80% clear from alexandria to 14th st bridge. I did the whole thing with road tires and didn’t put my foot down once. there are a bunch of slushy patches that will probably freeze overnight but i’ll probably still ride it the rest of the week with just regular road tires. hopefully this helps someone.

Custis is plowed, but still has ice.

Before:

After:

@vilago 78950 wrote:

If someone could post the general MVT conditions from alexandria to 14th st bridge i’d be appreciative. i took it to work this morning with regular road tires, which was a BIG mistake. does anyone know a “back” way to the 14th st bridge from north alexandria? I don’t know the roads around here very well.

For future reference, depending on where you are in North Alexandria, you might want to consider this route, which is slightly different than what dismal suggested. http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4159683

Thanks for the update on the MVT as of this afternoon. I’ll keep the studs in storage and rely on my 2″ tires to see me through and just walk in a couple spots if needed.

Northern Prince George’s commuter trails are in decent shape, basically dry with short trouble spots.

College Park trolley trail is clear from Paint Branch parkway to Greenbelt Road except for the two bridges.

NE Branch trail is clear except for short icy spots in the usual places — underpasses, behind the airport, down by the rail bridge construction site. Basically the bad spots can be Flintstoned or ridden slowly. There were some frozen over melt pools and puddles that can be avoided by detouring on the grass for a few feet or ridden really slowly.

The NW branch trail has a big frozen meltwater area down by the ballfield at 38th street, which can be avoided by riding in the grass for about 50 feet. The sidepath along Armentrout road has some icy spots.

Basically the trails are fine with wide tires, and passable with narrow tires if you foot paddle some short spots.

There’s an icy spot at the top of the Met branch trail under the Franklin Street bridge, and more melt frozen spots near the NY Ave overpass. The latter should dry up later today if it gets above freezing.

@Terpfan 78904 wrote:

Anyone have any updates on MVT south of airport toward Belle Haven? And lower section of RCP? I’m guessing nothing has melted on the stupid RCP, but this one I can avoid by taking roads in Georgetown, the MVT part I really can’t, at least until OT heading north.

As of this morning (3/6), there are still long stretches of the Rock Creek Park that are still ice/snow covered and the Zoo gates were closed. I stayed on Beach Drive from the Conn Ave bridge up to Broad Branch, glancing over to the trail every so often to see how much snow remained on it. Fortunately, I timed my ride so I got on the road after the Parkway goes one-way, so I only had two cars pass me on that section.