Columbia Pike Commute

[Tim Kelley]

@Indelium 49977 wrote:

Newbie to commuting from Columbia Pike. My apartment is on S. Cleveland St, near the Giant. Trying to get safely to Memorial Bridge. BikeArlington pdf map shows route through Ft Myer and Arlington Cemetery. But Ft Myer public information officer tells me on phone that public is not allowed to bike through fort. I don’t want to bike down Columbia Pike toward Air Force Memorial (I’ve watched bikers take that route and it looks bad). What is the most sanctioned, marked route from Columbia Pike through neighborhoods to get to river? Thanks for help! Don’t want to be discuraged right off the bat in bike friendly Arlington!

I don’t think it’s an issue of Arlington be bike friendly or not, it’s more a matter of the feelings and current mood of whoever is in charge of Fort Myer at the time. If you call back another day, you might get a different public information officer that will tell you something different.

Here’s what we have on going through Fort Myer and the Cemetery: http://www.bikearlington.com/pages/biking-in-arlington/arlington-cemetery-fort-myer/

Here’s the official Fort Myer directions/access page: http://www.jbmhh.army.mil/WEB/JBMHH/JBMHH%20Maps%20&%20Directions/JBMHHMapsDirections.html

Where are you trying to go once you get to Memorial Bridge?

[TwoWheelsDC]

What about riding south down Walter Reed to the W&OD, then over to the MVT and up? It’s a bit longer, but it’s a nice, easy ride and you get a few extra miles in.

[dasgeh]

@Indelium 49977 wrote:

Newbie to commuting from Columbia Pike. My apartment is on S. Cleveland St, near the Giant. Trying to get safely to Memorial Bridge. BikeArlington pdf map shows route through Ft Myer and Arlington Cemetery. But Ft Myer public information officer tells me on phone that public is not allowed to bike through fort. I don’t want to bike down Columbia Pike toward Air Force Memorial (I’ve watched bikers take that route and it looks bad). What is the most sanctioned, marked route from Columbia Pike through neighborhoods to get to river? Thanks for help! Don’t want to be discuraged right off the bat in bike friendly Arlington!

Unfortunately, the people over the phone and the website of Fort Myer are not always accurate. You’re best bet is definitely to go through the base (Fort Myer) and the cemetery. To do that: head up to 2nd St S (I prefer the neighborhood streets to Courthouse Road, but Courthouse Road isn’t that bad). Head East on 2nd St S. That will put you right at the “Hatfield Gate” that gets you on to the gate. Stay to the right, and stop just inside the gates. A guard will come over and ask for ID. If you’re a federal employee, just show your badge and they’ll waive you through. If you’re not, tell the guard you’re going to the ANC Gate and show a DL, which they’ll take and write some information down (either on a clipboard, if they brought it out with them, or back in the booth – don’t worry, they’ll give you the DL back).

Once on the base, head straight to the stop sign. Turn L. You’ll start to see the cemetery on your right on the other side of a big parking lot. You can ride through the parking lot if you don’t feel like dealing with drivers (obvious be extra alert if there are cars parking – there usually aren’t). From the road, take a R at the next stop sign. That will put you at the gate to ANC. It opens at 8am. You can just ride through it, though if you encounter funerals, be respectful (I would usually just go around the cemetery).

NOTES: 1) Fort Myer is an active military base and they can deny you access at any time. I haven’t taken this way in a while — maybe a regular can chime in as to whether they have clamped down after Boston/the ricin attacks.
2) You can only go down hill through the cemetery. To come back up, take the path that goes beside 110, which puts you out headed west on Marshall Dr near the Iwo Jima. Going straight on Marshall Dr will bring you to the Wright Gate, which I’ve heard now closes at 6pm (grrr). Same deal with the IDs (this time say you’re going to the Hatfield Gate). Once on base, take the first left onto a real road (it’s right after the road really pitches up), and go straight through one stop sign. At the 2nd stop sign, turn R and that will take you to the Hatfield Gate and 2nd St S.
3) Going downhill, to go around the cemetery, just continue on through that stop sign. Turn R at the T intersection and you’ll head straight to the Wright Gate. From there take the trail around 110 and you’ll be on Memorial Dr.

It’s kind of annoying to get to, but I think riding through ANC in the morning is the best commute in the area.

You do have two other options, both taking you around the cemetery to the south/east: the Washington Blvd trail and some fancy cut through the Pentagon parking lot that gets you to some tunnel under the Humpback Bridge. I don’t really know though routes, but hopefully others who do will chime in.

[bobco85]

If you don’t/can’t use the route through Fort Myer and don’t want to deal with getting to the Washington Blvd trail, you could go north into Courthouse to get to Memorial Bridge. I use this route from time to time on rides since I don’t like to cut through Fort Myer. Here’s the route: http://goo.gl/maps/GlZ4P

The good: most of the trip will use bike lanes, side paths, and side streets, and there are only a few hills
The bad: there are iffy parts at two of the three Route 50 ramp crossings, the GW Pkwy crossing needs no introduction, and there are only a few hills (this depends on if you like/hate hills)

[Indelium]

@Tim Kelley 49980 wrote:

I don’t think it’s an issue of Arlington be bike friendly or not, it’s more a matter of the feelings and current mood of whoever is in charge of Fort Myer at the time. If you call back another day, you might get a different public information officer that will tell you something different.

Here’s what we have on going through Fort Myer and the Cemetery: http://www.bikearlington.com/pages/biking-in-arlington/arlington-cemetery-fort-myer/

Here’s the official Fort Myer directions/access page: http://www.jbmhh.army.mil/WEB/JBMHH/JBMHH%20Maps%20&%20Directions/JBMHHMapsDirections.html

Where are you trying to go once you get to Memorial Bridge?

Thanks for feedback, Tim. Very helpful. After Memorial Bridge, I’m headed up Rock Creek just to Pennsylvania Avenue (work in the West End).

[Two Wheels]

@Indelium 49977 wrote:

My apartment is on S. Cleveland St, near the Giant. Trying to get safely to Memorial Bridge.

Dumb question — but why Memorial Bridge? Would Key or 14th St. work better? I would consider going 14th even if it adds a mile or so to your commute. From where you are, you can take back streets, cut through Army Navy CC to Army Navy drive and work your way to the Mt. Vernon trail. Or just shoot down Walter Reed to the 4 Mile Run trail and take it to Mt. Vernon.

The 14th St. Bridge is the easiest/best/safest bridge crossing for cyclists (IMO). And you will have avoided those insane at-grade crossings across the Parkway.

[dasgeh]

@Two Wheels 50020 wrote:

Dumb question — but why Memorial Bridge? Would Key or 14th St. work better? I would consider going 14th even if it adds a mile or so to your commute. From where you are, you can take back streets, cut through Army Navy CC to Army Navy drive and work your way to the Mt. Vernon trail. Or just shoot down Walter Reed to the 4 Mile Run trail and take it to Mt. Vernon.

The 14th St. Bridge is the easiest/best/safest bridge crossing for cyclists (IMO). And you will have avoided those insane at-grade crossings across the Parkway.

Two Wheels – I don’t think you know where Indelium is coming from. I used to live just north of there. Getting to either Key or 14th Street bridges would be a significant detour (which some, but not all, love). The Walter Reed hill to Four Mile Run/MVT is quite significant. If going through the base works, it’s a beautiful, calm ride. It’s the most direct and minimizes climbing (I know, to each his own). Also, coming from the cemetery/Memorial Dr (which you would with bobco’s route) you don’t have any grade crossings of the Parkway. The crossing right before the bridge is not bad. (good sight lines, drivers slowing because of the curve, merge, etc)

[KLizotte]

@Two Wheels 50020 wrote:

From where you are, you can take back streets, cut through Army Navy CC to Army Navy drive and work your way to the Mt. Vernon trail.

Unfortunately biking through the Army Navy country club is not allowed.

[Steve]

@KLizotte 50027 wrote:

Unfortunately biking through the Army Navy country club is not allowed.

I think you are technically not allowed to, but I’ve never had any issues when cutting thru, and I don’t think it is enforced at all (and possible not enforceable).

@dasgeh 50024 wrote:

Also, coming from the cemetery/Memorial Dr (which you would with bobco’s route) you don’t have any grade crossings of the Parkway. The crossing right before the bridge is not bad. (good sight lines, drivers slowing because of the curve, merge, etc)

I always find it funny how some places bother some people and not others, and vice versa. I come up Memorial Drive every day and make all 3 crossings to the MVT. I find, BY FAR the worst crossing to be the first one (the one you must cross to get to Memorial Bridge). The second one is one lane now, which is very easy, and the third is by far the least traveled in the morning (because most people are heading into DC and aren’t staying on the Pkwy), and has really long sight lines.

I do agree that cutting thru base is the best option. It’s really beautiful ride thru ANC, and pretty easy on the way back too, as long as you can get on base. I assume when you rode this that the return trip is thru the Wright Gate?

[chris_s]

@KLizotte 50027 wrote:

Unfortunately biking through the Army Navy country club is not allowed.

Fortunately, I’ve never seen that prohibition enforced.

[PotomacCyclist]

While this may not help now, there are long-term plans to add wide side paths along Columbia Pike, from Joyce St. to Courthouse Rd. and a little further to the west. But those paths may not be built for several years. The existing sidewalk on the north side of Columbia Pike (next to the Navy Annex, which is in the process of being demolished) is in very rough shape until you go east of the Air Force Memorial.

In the past you could cut over and ride down the large parking lots on the south side of Columbia Pike. But that has been fenced off and the asphalt has been torn up in preparation for other uses.

[Raymo853]

@chris_s 50037 wrote:

Fortunately, I’ve never seen that prohibition enforced.

I am glad to read this. I am about to start going that way each morning down to Pentagon City from Columbia Heights and back up at nights.

[Author]

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