Better intersection – Quincy and Wilson or Quincy and Fairfax?

[TwoWheelsDC]

Fairfax has a bike lane and Wilson is a shit-show, so I’d say Fairfax just for that reason.

[Birru]

@TwoWheelsDC 160923 wrote:

Fairfax has a bike lane and Wilson is a shit-show, so I’d say Fairfax just for that reason.

You speak the truth. You’ve got the bike lane on Fairfax and in general traffic feels a little more predictable on Fairfax than on Wilson.

[Tania]

It’s more making the left from Quincy onto Fairfax. There’s a left turn lane but no left turn signal and the oncoming traffic this am really never let up so we had to hustle to make it during a small break in cars.

There’s no hustling on a tandem.

[Birru]

Hmmm… you do get a signal at Wilson and Quincy and getting onto Wilson from a cross street is definitely easier than the reverse, so that may be the way to go.

@Tania 160927 wrote:

There’s no hustling on a tandem.

5th grader not pulling their weight?

[DrP]

Three or so evenings a week I take Fairfax east to Quincy, turn right on Quincy and then left on Wilson (and reverse it all about an hour later). The left from Quincy to Wilson is frequently not good – typically a quick turn in the remaining few seconds of the light. For a while last year I did this in the mornings and that was worse since usually I had to turn after the red since I was already in the intersection because the traffic did not provide a break (and there was the time I got to the intersection and I was the only one heading south on Quincy, so the light only turned for the other direction).

Box turn on Fairfax looks better.

[Tania]

@DrP 160929 wrote:

Box turn on Fairfax looks better.

Thanks! This is what I suspected. It’s slightly longer time-wise but safer given the cargo. And sets a good example for the stoker-budding-solo-bike-to-schooler-who-already-calls-her-passes-even-though-her-dad-doesn’t. (Dad: “I don’t know where she learned that!” Me: “I do.”)

[bobco85]

Just putting this idea out there as a potential 3rd option: what about turning onto 9th St? It runs parallel to Fairfax & Wilson, and left turns from Quincy onto 9th St might be easier since traffic tends to slow due to folks in the crosswalk. It might be a less stressful street for getting to Oakland.

[Tania]

@bobco85 160933 wrote:

Just putting this idea out there as a potential 3rd option: what about turning onto 9th St? It runs parallel to Fairfax & Wilson, and left turns from Quincy onto 9th St might be easier since traffic tends to slow due to folks in the crosswalk. It might be a less stressful street for getting to Oakland.

Google street view of the crosswalks looks very promising!

[VA2DC]

To move onto quieter streets earlier in the ride, a bit of a modified box would only add little extra distance. From Quincy southbound, left on 10th St N by the library, right on Nelson, cross both Fairfax and Wilson at the light, right on 7th (or 6th or 5th) to left on Oakland. Should be minimal traffic from 10th St onward.

[chris_s]

I stay on Quincy past both and turn left onto 5th Rd just past the park. Then you can noodle through the neighborhood streets over to Oakland. In my experience, less traffic down south of Wilson.

[Tania]

@chris_s 160945 wrote:

I stay on Quincy past both and turn left onto 5th Rd just past the park. Then you can noodle through the neighborhood streets over to Oakland. In my experience, less traffic down south of Wilson.

We had this on our list but I think Tandem Pilot tried it a few weeks ago – there’s a “wormhole” (our term) from Quincy to 5th but he said it requires popping up on a curb? Is there a curb cut to get to the neighborhood path that leads over to 5th?

[chris_s]

@Tania 160946 wrote:

We had this on our list but I think Tandem Pilot tried it a few weeks ago – there’s a “wormhole” (our term) from Quincy to 5th but he said it requires popping up on a curb? Is there a curb cut to get to the neighborhood path that leads over to 5th?

Two things here: 5th ROAD is different than 5th STREET. 5th ROAD actually connects to Quincy (like you could do it in a car). Then you turn right onto Pollard and left onto 5th St
5th STREET does NOT connect to Quincy directly (you can’t do it in a car) but there is a sidewalk connection. There is a curb cut for the sidewalk connection (it goes right past the bikeshare station), sort of, you use the curb cut for the old blocked off driveway.

I find the sight lines to be better and for it to generally be less of a pain to just take 5th ROAD rather than mess with the sidewalk.

[Tania]

I think they’re going to try 5th Whatever N on the way home tonight after soccer with the 5th Grader as the stoker. If not, we’ll possibly caravan in that way tomorrow am depending on am schedules.

[chris_s]

@Tania 160948 wrote:

I think they’re going to try 5th Whatever N on the way home tonight after soccer with the 5th Grader as the stoker. If not, we’ll possibly caravan in that way tomorrow am depending on am schedules.

Had an extra minute, so here’s a map. I like the bright blue route, but orange is also an option (and it’s more like I’ve drawn than what Google Maps shows).

[Steve O]

I vote for 9th St. I think the left turn there is easier than at the 5ths.

[Author]

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