Bike from Anacostia to White House District?

[Alyce_C]

Hey all!

I’m going to be staying in DC for a 4 week TEFL course and wanted to know if it’s feasible to bike from Anacostia, where I’ll be staying, to around the White House district. Specifically, I’ll be going to the cross streets of K St NW and 14th St NW.
According to Google maps it should be a 30ish minute ride (not sure how that’s calculated). It says I’ll be taking the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail most of the way, with a few turns leading to a little stretch on Constitution/Pennsylvania Ave, and then a few more streets to my destination. After getting off the Riverwalk, is the rest of the trip bike friendly? I’ve biked a little bit in smaller areas (with no bike lines), but I wouldn’t say I’m an incredibly experienced cyclist. I’m also riding a 12 gear free spirit.
Finally, is this a safe trip to take for a petite female? I’ll be riding at peak hours – the course runs from 9-5.

Thanks to anyone who can provide some helpful advice!

Topic

[Greenbelt]

PA Ave NW has a median two-way bike lane that connects from the U.S. Capitol to the 15th street two way cycletrack (you actually take a short jog right past the White House) to get up to K Street. That’s a heavily used bike corridor. If you post your start and end points or nearby, I’m sure you’ll get lots of ideas on specifics. -jeff

Here’s what the PA Ave track looks like:
[video=vimeo;23320731]https://vimeo.com/23320731[/video]

[jrenaut]

4th St SW is like a bike highway, and leads you right up to the cycletracks on PA Ave, which are wonderful (though watch out for cars u-turning illegally). I would take PA Ave to the end at 15th NW where the cycletracks will take you up to K (added bonus – biking right by the White House). Bike parking when you arrive might be tough so leave some extra time the first day.

I can’t speak to the safety down there near Anacostia except to say that the area has a reputation it doesn’t entirely deserve.

[Greenbelt]

Here’s what the 15th street track looks like:
[video=vimeo;23321135]https://vimeo.com/23321135[/video]

[Justin Antos]

Should be a nice ride! About 30 minutes sounds right, and I agree that 4th St. SW > Penn Ave. Cycletrack > 15th St. Cycletrack is the best. How were you planning to get to 4th St. SW – which bridge to cross the Anacostia?

[TwoWheelsDC]

Assuming you’re staying in Anacostia proper (rather than some other neighborhood east of the river), I’d recommend crossing the river at the 11th St. bridge and not South Capitol Street. So ride across the bridge, up the bike lane on 11th to East Capitol, then to and around the Capitol to Pennsylvania Ave.. The problem with 4th St. is that it’s one way south (unless that changed?), so you have to go up 6th, which means doing some backtracking. Also, I just think East Capitol is one of the prettiest streets in the entire city.

[83b]

@TwoWheelsDC 83526 wrote:

So ride across the bridge, up the bike lane on 11th to East Capitol, then to and around the Capitol to Pennsylvania Ave. […] Also, I just think East Capitol is one of the prettiest streets in the entire city.

I second TwoWheel’s route! I commute on that route and it’s a very pretty ride in very manageable traffic. Do note that to take a left onto East Capitol from 11th you’ll have to ride onto the sidewalk for half a block at the SW corner of Lincoln Park. Traffic only circulates around the park counter-clockwise.

[dasgeh]

Welcome! I know the first half of your route (White House – Capitol) and it’s safe and quite lovely. I would be surprised if you’ll have problems on the rest of your route, but if you post more specifically where you’re going, I’m sure you’ll get more specific advice from people who ride the routes often.

[Justin Antos]

Good route. 4th St. SE is one-way south, but 4th St. SW is two-way.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Justin Antos 83540 wrote:

Good route. 4th St. SE is one-way south, but 4th St. SW is two-way.

Clearly I’ve been out of the city too long. Can’t even keep the quadrants straight anymore.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

@83(b) 83532 wrote:

Do note that to take a left onto East Capitol from 11th you’ll have to ride onto the sidewalk for half a block at the SW corner of Lincoln Park. Traffic only circulates around the park counter-clockwise.

That’s a good route, but alternative #2 could be: left on Penn to right on 7th to left on East Capitol. That puts you past Eastern Market (which augments the DC experience for a temporary resident). Crossing North Carolina looks difficult on map, but street view shows its no problem for bikes/peds.

[DaveK]

@Brendan von Buckingham 83636 wrote:

That’s a good route, but alternative #2 could be: left on Penn to right on 7th to left on East Capitol. That puts you past Eastern Market (which augments the DC experience for a temporary resident). Crossing North Carolina looks difficult on map, but street view shows its no problem for bikes/peds.

Easy to cross NC Ave/Independence on a bike but riding with morning traffic into the city on Penn is not an experience I’d recommend. The 11th St route is much more comfortable. It’s easy to go north from the bike lane on to the Lincoln Park sidewalk and stage half a block north in the crosswalk to get on to East Capitol St.

[Justin Antos]

I agree with Dave – riding on Penn. Ave. SE at rush hour is not fun.

[Kolohe]

One thing to note, though on 11th street, is that with the freeway construction/de-construction just north of the Navy yard, (between L, K & Eye) the bike lanes go away and the merges can be tricky with plenty of aggressive drivers on that block looking for the freeway onramps

[Author]

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