Commute through Georgetown (From Courthouse to McPherson Square)

[Tania]

I’m at metro center and I take the Roosevelt bridge – it’s not nearly as bad as people make it sound. If you’re worried about oncoming bikers (infrequent), just move over as best you can and put a foot down until they pass. I’ve only had one jerk in the year I’ve been taking it, most bikers and runners are polite.

Roosevelt bridge past the Kennedy Center and then straight through the Virginia Avenue circle. Make a right on H and then when H tee’s at 20th(construction), you can either turn left and then make a right on Pennsylvania or continue straight along the sidewalk there to get on Pennsylvania (you’ll see other bikers doing this, which is how I figured it out). Cross 17th Street to the White House and then up the 15th Street Cycletrack.

It’s a pretty stress-free route. I’m not a fan of the bustle in Georgetown.

[DismalScientist]

I also endorse the TR bridge.
An alternative after the Virginia Avenue circle is to continue on New Hampshire to the L street cycletrack. If the Washington Circle is too daunting, try a left at 24th (from New Hampshire) and right at L street. This might work better if you work on the northern side of McPherson Square.

[baiskeli]

@Tania 126721 wrote:

I’m at metro center and I take the Roosevelt bridge – it’s not nearly as bad as people make it sound. If you’re worried about oncoming bikers (infrequent), just move over as best you can and put a foot down until they pass. I’ve only had one jerk in the year I’ve been taking it, most bikers and runners are polite.

Roosevelt bridge past the Kennedy Center and then straight through the Virginia Avenue circle. Make a right on H and then when H tee’s at 20th(construction), you can either turn left and then make a right on Pennsylvania or continue straight along the sidewalk there to get on Pennsylvania (you’ll see other bikers doing this, which is how I figured it out). Cross 17th Street to the White House and then up the 15th Street Cycletrack.

It’s a pretty stress-free route. I’m not a fan of the bustle in Georgetown.

I endorse this route.

[Subby]

I guess it depends what time you come over Key Bridge in the morning, but M Street is pretty fantastic for bikes. Three lanes and the far right is almost always available. Take it until it splits and stay right on Pennsylvania, stay on Penn around Washington Circle. Bear left on H, left on 14th. Easy!

[Tania]

@Subby 126745 wrote:

I guess it depends what time you come over Key Bridge in the morning, but M Street is pretty fantastic for bikes. Three lanes and the far right is almost always available. Take it until it splits and stay right on Pennsylvania, stay on Penn around Washington Circle. Bear left on H, left on 14th. Easy!

I have to disagree. I take this route on Fridays with the caravan and only with the caravan. They’ve ditched me a few times and I hated every minute of it. Actually, I hate every minute of it even when I’m with the group (mostly because I’m biking way too fast for my comfort level for the level of traffic and potential hazards through there).

I think I’m a fairly confident cyclist but I won’t go this way voluntarily. Too much traffic, too many cabs and buses, too many potholes and just general craziness. I call Wash Circle the Circle of Death. Granted, on Fridays we come through there around 8am so height of rush hour.

Still…nope nope nope nope and…Nope.

But then I’ll also go the long way to avoid turning left if there’s no left turn signal at a light when driving. I’d rather take the low stress route than the direct route.

[brookeewhite]

@Tania 126721 wrote:

I’m at metro center and I take the Roosevelt bridge – it’s not nearly as bad as people make it sound. If you’re worried about oncoming bikers (infrequent), just move over as best you can and put a foot down until they pass. I’ve only had one jerk in the year I’ve been taking it, most bikers and runners are polite.

Roosevelt bridge past the Kennedy Center and then straight through the Virginia Avenue circle. Make a right on H and then when H tee’s at 20th(construction), you can either turn left and then make a right on Pennsylvania or continue straight along the sidewalk there to get on Pennsylvania (you’ll see other bikers doing this, which is how I figured it out). Cross 17th Street to the White House and then up the 15th Street Cycletrack.

It’s a pretty stress-free route. I’m not a fan of the bustle in Georgetown.

Thanks for the quick reply! I took the TR bridge once by accident and will admit I was pretty scared by how narrow it was. No one passed me but I was worried someone would try. I guess I could try again and just plan to dismount if needed. I’ll definitely look for the streets you mentioned afterwards (Pennsylvania and H) regardless of whether I go through Georgetown or not.

[brookeewhite]

@DismalScientist 126723 wrote:

I also endorse the TR bridge.
An alternative after the Virginia Avenue circle is to continue on New Hampshire to the L street cycletrack. If the Washington Circle is too daunting, try a left at 24th (from New Hampshire) and right at L street. This might work better if you work on the northern side of McPherson Square.

Thanks for the Washington Circle alternative, I will try it! This morning I didn’t know what to do when I hit it and took to the sidewalks and got stuck in pedestrian crowd.

[brookeewhite]

@DismalScientist 126723 wrote:

I also endorse the TR bridge.
An alternative after the Virginia Avenue circle is to continue on New Hampshire to the L street cycletrack. If the Washington Circle is too daunting, try a left at 24th (from New Hampshire) and right at L street. This might work better if you work on the northern side of McPherson Square.

The L street cycletrack looks great! It’s marked for one-way. Is there a similar path nearby for the return commute? Thanks again!

[dasgeh]

@brookeewhite 126750 wrote:

Thanks for the quick reply! I took the TR bridge once by accident and will admit I was pretty scared by how narrow it was. No one passed me but I was worried someone would try. I guess I could try again and just plan to dismount if needed. I’ll definitely look for the streets you mentioned afterwards (Pennsylvania and H) regardless of whether I go through Georgetown or not.

Here’s how I look at the TR-Bridge v. Key-to-Georgetown choice:

TR-Bridge route: beautiful, calm trail -> super narrow bridge path where you have to pay attention and slow way down when passing (for the love of God, don’t get off your bike- that makes you wider!) -> calm city streets

Key-to-Georgetown: super wide bridge path with lots of other people walking and biking and a couple of bad ramp crossings where you have to make sure cars won’t run you down -> busy city streets that are generally ok as long as you keep an eye out for cabs randomly pulling over -> medium busy city streets

Personally, TR Bridge wins that head-to-head .

I find that H street is a better experience than the L Street cycletrack, but YMMV. Westbound, there’s a cycletrack on M (the southern/cycletrack-avoiding route for most cyclists is to take G westbound, though the retiming of the lights is PAINFUL. This is no longer my daily commute, so I don’t know whether it’s better to head up to H at 20th. I suspect so).

[Subby]

@Tania 126746 wrote:

I have to disagree. I take this route on Fridays with the caravan and only with the caravan. They’ve ditched me a few times and I hated every minute of it. Actually, I hate every minute of it even when I’m with the group (mostly because I’m biking way too fast for my comfort level for the level of traffic and potential hazards through there).

I think I’m a fairly confident cyclist but I won’t go this way voluntarily. Too much traffic, too many cabs and buses, too many potholes and just general craziness. I call Wash Circle the Circle of Death. Granted, on Fridays we come through there around 8am so height of rush hour.

Still…nope nope nope nope and…Nope.

But then I’ll also go the long way to avoid turning left if there’s no left turn signal at a light when driving. I’d rather take the low stress route than the direct route.

I get all that. I also like coming down Lee Highway instead of the Custis, so there might be something wrong with me.

[Tania]

@dasgeh 126755 wrote:

Here’s how I look at the TR-Bridge v. Key-to-Georgetown choice:

TR-Bridge route: beautiful, calm trail -> super narrow bridge path where you have to pay attention and slow way down when passing (for the love of God, don’t get off your bike- that makes you wider!) -> calm city streets

Key-to-Georgetown: super wide bridge path with lots of other people walking and biking and a couple of bad ramp crossings where you have to make sure cars won’t run you down -> busy city streets that are generally ok as long as you keep an eye out for cabs randomly pulling over -> medium busy city streets

Personally, TR Bridge wins that head-to-head . [/quote]

Totally agree with the comparison. My bike commute is the best part of my day, I’d rather be able to relax and enjoy it. And def. don’t dismount. Signal with your hand (in case there’s someone behind you, they’ll never hear you over the traffic) that you’re slowing down and then I usually unclip one foot and get down off the saddle and coast along slowly (with that unclipped foot ready!) until the other bike/pedestrian has passed me. It’s rare that I’ll keep riding normally to pass an oncoming cyclist although I have and it’s been fine (but…why risk it? Slowing down means maybe an additional five seconds – NBD). The oncoming person almost always thanks me for slowing down and giving way.

Just always assume there is someone behind you on that bridge and communicate with them. I signal that there’s someone coming from the other direction and that I’m slowing down.

Quote:

I find that H street is a better experience than the L Street cycletrack, but YMMV. Westbound, there’s a cycletrack on M (the southern/cycletrack-avoiding route for most cyclists is to take G westbound, though the retiming of the lights is PAINFUL. This is no longer my daily commute, so I don’t know whether it’s better to head up to H at 20th. I suspect so).

The lights are awful but I don’t mind since I’d have to stop ANYWAY even if the lights are green since all the GW students can’t be bothered to look up from their phones to notice they’re crossing against the light. I don’t pick up the pace until I’m through the circle, to avoid any incident.

I’ve gone Penna to 19th to H (reverse of my incoming route) and it might be a little less stop and go but more car traffic.

[ginacico]

@brookeewhite 126753 wrote:

The L street cycletrack looks great! It’s marked for one-way. Is there a similar path nearby for the return commute?

Yes….. M Street is its counterpart, one block north with a cycletrack going the opposite direction.

I commute to NatGeo using the TR bridge to L Street route. I like to take 25th Street to cross Penn and get onto L Street as quickly as possible. There’s a curb cut and beg button to cross K Street, a very calm intersection.

However, I haven’t quite worked out the return route as to where to get off M Street and down to Virginia Avenue circle. 25th and 26th are one way the wrong way, I’d prefer to avoid Washington Circle, and 24th is usually a mess of traffic (generally I opt for this one anyway). Anyone have a favorite way to get back to the TR bridge from M Street?

Sometimes I just brave M Street all the way through Georgetown and onto Key bridge, but it does take some grit.

And I totally concur with Tania’s etiquette on the TR bridge.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

After 25 years of bike commuting to 7 different DC locations, Key Bridge/M Street is still my favorite entry route. I miss it since it’s not my regular crossing anymore. When the weather’s nice and I feel like taking the scenic route home, I go back to Key. I like it better than Memorial and better than George Mason. I agree with Subby that inbound M Street gives you a traffic density, speed and downhill that favors taking the right or center lane without much trouble. P.M. M Street gives me the satisfaction of passing so many cars stuck in traffic.

To each his own, so Key isn’t for everybody, but since to each his own, Key is worth a try at least once to see if it’s your each? Your own? Whatever.

[DismalScientist]

When I was working at 18th and M, I would take the TR bridge to New Hampshire and L St. going east. Coming home, I would take M to the upstream sidewalk on the Key Bridge. I think you should experiment with various routes. I realize that I am more comfortable in traffic than many other cyclists, so you may prefer the TR route both ways.

On the TR bridge, be sure to signal if you are slowing down if someone is behind. Don’t worry about people trying to pass you on the narrow part; it just won’t happen. Just let them follow you to the other side and they will pass when there is more room.

[brookeewhite]

@Tania 126759 wrote:

Signal with your hand (in case there’s someone behind you, they’ll never hear you over the traffic) that you’re slowing down and then I usually unclip one foot and get down off the saddle and coast along slowly (with that unclipped foot ready!) until the other bike/pedestrian has passed me. It’s rare that I’ll keep riding normally to pass an oncoming cyclist although I have and it’s been fine (but…why risk it? Slowing down means maybe an additional five seconds – NBD). The oncoming person almost always thanks me for slowing down and giving way.

Thanks so much for the run through of what to do on this bridge. I really had no idea what to do otherwise but this seems doable.

[Author]

Posts