Commuting into Arlington

[LeprosyStudyGroup]

She’ll wind up using that trail on south side of 27 that starts near the pentagon 911 memorial to get to the MVT. It’s not pleasant.

[Judd]

First step is to be like, “Yo gurl, don’t you worry about it. Big Poppa Eric has got you covered, boo.”

I live down the street from there. It’s a bit dependent on how comfortable/confident a cyclist she is. If crossing over the Key Bridge, she can either go west of Arlington Cemetery by taking the bike trail along Arlington Boulevard to South Courthouse Road and then turn left on Columbia Pike. Here’s the route: https://goo.gl/maps/8RcWAuSFjg62

The other option would be to cross over the Key Bridge and take the Mt. Vernon Trail to the 110 Trail past the Pentagon and then up Southgate Dr. Here’s that route: https://goo.gl/maps/9fPvXVDb2dG2

They’re about the same distance. The second way is less stressful in my mind. The Arlington Boulevard route has several crossings with high volume on/off ramps that tend to not stop for cyclists. It also involves going down Columbia Pike for a bit which can be challenging if she’s traveling during rush hour. The Mt. Vernon > 110 Trail has a couple of traffic crossings, but cars tend to be kinder to cyclists. One caveat is that the bridge on 110 over 27 is currently being worked on. A temporary bike path is going up right now. Currently unsure of whether it will be a nightmare or not.

[kwarkentien]

@Judd 155450 wrote:

First step is to be like, “Yo gurl, don’t you worry about it. Big Poppa Eric has got you covered, boo.”

I live down the street from there. It’s a bit dependent on how comfortable/confident a cyclist she is. If crossing over the Key Bridge, she can either go west of Arlington Cemetery by taking the bike trail along Arlington Boulevard to South Courthouse Road and then turn left on Columbia Pike. Here’s the route: https://goo.gl/maps/8RcWAuSFjg62

The other option would be to cross over the Key Bridge and take the Mt. Vernon Trail to the 110 Trail past the Pentagon and then up Southgate Dr. Here’s that route: https://goo.gl/maps/9fPvXVDb2dG2

They’re about the same distance. The second way is less stressful in my mind. The Arlington Boulevard route has several crossings with high volume on/off ramps that tend to not stop for cyclists. It also involves going down Columbia Pike for a bit which can be challenging if she’s traveling during rush hour. The Mt. Vernon > 110 Trail has a couple of traffic crossings, but cars tend to be kinder to cyclists. One caveat is that the bridge on 110 over 27 is currently being worked on. A temporary bike path is going up right now. Currently unsure of whether it will be a nightmare or not.

I think you mean the Washington Blvd trail (VA27) over VA110 (aka Jeff Davis Highway).

900 S Orme Street is the Sheraton National hotel. Other options include taking MVT to the Columbia Island exit (just north of Humpback Bridge behind the Navy-Marine Memorial). Works well with Key, Roosevelt, Memorial, or 14th Street Bridges but closest to 14th. Go north through the marina parking lot and cross the bridge to the Pentagon. You can ride north to connect with Washington Blvd trail but this only involves crossing one ramp (exit from 27 to Pentagon North Parking) and then proceeding as Judd described to the Far East end of Columbia Pike by the 9/11 Memorial and then taking the back way up Southgate Road hugging the Cemetery/Ft Myer/Henderson Hall border up to S Orme Street.

There’s also the possibility of riding through Ft Myer but that has gotten more complicated in the last few years due to “security restrictions” imposed on non-DoD personnel.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tania]

@Judd 155450 wrote:

The Arlington Boulevard route has several crossings with high volume on/off ramps that tend to not stop for cyclists.

I have been pleased to find this isn’t 100% true. The on/off ramps are high volume and you do have to stop and wait, but after one or two cars usually someone will [actually SEE YOU and] wave you through and give you a smile back when you thank them.

[ewilliams0305]

Thanks for quick responses y’all. This is super helpful. I’ll use this info and give it a go She want to try it out on the weekend before plunging into rush hour. Definitely not a very confident cyclist but we can fix that:)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bobco85]

I’d go with the CCT -> Key Bridge -> MVT -> Rt 27 Trail -> Columbia Pike sidepath -> Southgate Rd route because:

• only 2 on-road segments (short stretch of Water St at the end of the CCT and Southgate/Orme)
• road crossings of GW Parkway and Route 27 are not much of a hassle
• the route is relatively flat with only one hill climb

The Arlington Blvd Trail route, on the other hand:

• requires one to go through downtown Rosslyn (not fun) to get to the Arlington Blvd Trail
• on-/off-ramp crossings as one navigates the Arlington Blvd/Washington Blvd interchange are not pleasant; one really needs to be assertive to try and get drivers to stop for them
• involves four hill climbs
• navigates the Columbia Pike/Washington Blvd interchange which, while not as bad as before the bridge replacement, is still not terribly bike-friendly

[Judd]

@Tania 155493 wrote:

I have been pleased to find this isn’t 100% true. The on/off ramps are high volume and you do have to stop and wait, but after one or two cars usually someone will [actually SEE YOU and] wave you through and give you a smile back when you thank them.

You are totally fortunate. I usually have to wait for 10 cars before I start giving the “I’m going to jump in front of your car” body language to get someone to stop.

[scoot]

Any chance she can find a sponsor for a Fort Myer AIE pass? Given the endpoint, that commute is just begging for an easy trip from Wright Gate to Henderson Hall Gate.

Info (not sure if it’s up to date): http://www.bikearlington.com/pages/maps-rides/arlington-cemetery-fort-myer/

[chuxtr]

@scoot 155521 wrote:

Any chance she can find a sponsor for a Fort Myer AIE pass? Given the endpoint, that commute is just begging for an easy trip from Wright Gate to Henderson Hall Gate.

Info (not sure if it’s up to date): http://www.bikearlington.com/pages/maps-rides/arlington-cemetery-fort-myer/

If she has a husband/partner who is a DoD employee or contractor, yes. If not, SOL.

[dbb]

How about Key Bridge to the Intersection of Doom, then down the hill to TR Island and the Mount Vernon Trail.

Down the trail to the Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial and then under the GWMP to the Columbia Island Marina.

Across the wooden bridge, south on Boundary Channel Drive and through the Pentagon South parking lot to Columbia Pike (by the 9/11 Memorial)

Up Columbia Pike to Southgate Road to Orme.

I think the folks on that stretch of Columbia Pike are comparatively well mannered (and far fewer distractions).

[Steve O]

@Judd 155516 wrote:

You are totally fortunate. I usually have to wait for 10 cars before I start giving the “I’m going to jump in front of your car” body language to get someone to stop.

Tania’s cuter, duh.

[Judd]

@dbb 155536 wrote:

How about Key Bridge to the Intersection of Doom, then down the hill to TR Island and the Mount Vernon Trail.

Down the trail to the Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial and then under the GWMP to the Columbia Island Marina.

Across the wooden bridge, south on Boundary Channel Drive and through the Pentagon South parking lot to Columbia Pike (by the 9/11 Memorial)

Up Columbia Pike to Southgate Road to Orme.

I think the folks on that stretch of Columbia Pike are comparatively well mannered (and far fewer distractions).

This is mostly my route of choice, but it adds a bit of mileage. Depends on the time of day that she’s commuting. Going around the Pentagon on Boundary Channel Drive and through the Pentagon South Parking lot can involve a lot of traffic. It’s not dangerous type of traffic, it’s just that sitting in traffic sucks on a bike.

Justin

[DismalScientist]

@dbb 155536 wrote:

How about Key Bridge to the Intersection of Doom, then down the hill to TR Island and the Mount Vernon Trail.

Down the trail to the Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial and then under the GWMP to the Columbia Island Marina.

Across the wooden bridge, south on Boundary Channel Drive and through the Pentagon South parking lot to Columbia Pike (by the 9/11 Memorial)

Up Columbia Pike to Southgate Road to Orme.

I think the folks on that stretch of Columbia Pike are comparatively well mannered (and far fewer distractions).

Instead of south on Boundary Channel, go the other way, up the sidewalk along the ramp towards Memorial Bridge. At the top of the ramp, cross the ramp onto the Washington Blvd, 27 bike trail. The views aren’t good, but it’s a lot shorter than going the “wrong” way around the Pentagon.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/38.9046945,-77.068666/38.8682934,-77.0717758/@38.8853276,-77.0800234,14.5z/data=!4m29!4m28!1m25!3m4!1m2!1d-77.0497341!2d38.8763126!3s0x89b7b71b41219f3d:0x47984b70a59f902a!3m4!1m2!1d-77.0533038!2d38.8785494!3s0x89b7b70319948963:0x5640362dbf89731d!3m4!1m2!1d-77.0602256!2d38.8699491!3s0x89b7b6e0e34209a1:0x682380647ed176e4!3m4!1m2!1d-77.062083!2d38.8701459!3s0x89b7b6e72c56c2f9:0xda97c6ed88ebe96f!3m4!1m2!1d-77.0708138!2d38.8690726!3s0x89b7b6e82a2a3d0f:0xf8c66f170b04f05b!1m0!3e1

(I can’t get google to do this right.)

[Judd]

@DismalScientist 155581 wrote:

(I can’t get google to do this right.)

I also recommend doing a lap around the Pentagon. It’s no Hains Point, but it will do in a pinch. I’ll try to take a picture in the next day or two, but construction has begun on the 27 Bridge. A chain link lined temporary path is being put up. It currently looks a bit sketchy and narrow, but won’t know for sure until it’s fully up.

[dasgeh]

I don’t know, honestly, if I’d go the western route (through Rosslyn) or the eastern route (near the Pentagon), but I do know I would avoid the west-side-of-50 trail. So if I were to do the Eastern Route, I’d stay on the east side of 50, then take Pershing to Fillmore to the secret trail (Long Branch Trail). See here. It’s a little long than staying along 50, but doesn’t add any hills, and has the advantage of not having to stop and look back over your shoulder to see if cars are coming.

If I were to take the eastern route, I’d probably take stay in the District and take Memorial Bridge (as shown here) or even 14th Street, depending on where she’s coming from, shown here)

[Author]

Posts