Custis Trail Work – July 30 – August 24 – portions of trail closed

[Sunyata]

@Erin Potter 179902 wrote:

At the time Sunyata and I rode by this morning, the signs should have been covered, since the detour was not completely marked. I just got word that the detour signs are now complete sets, with all turns marked. If you take one this evening or tomorrow, please let me know your thoughts. The actual trail demo is scheduled to begin tomorrow. And be nice to any lost trail users you may encounter.

Detour signs were up this morning! (At least the section of detour I took… I dumped out to get on Clarendon Blvd instead of taking Key.)

[dasgeh]

I had to run to Mom’s yesterday. There were some issues with the signs, including a point where following the signs from Veitch and Lee to Vance, then Adams, you would see signs pointing you back to Veitch – i.e. in a circle. Similarly, there were signs pointing people walking and biking along the sidewalk of Lee to turn up Adams…

[NickBull]

This morning, I got on the trail at Quincy and ended up just riding straight down the trail past all the detour signs. There was no evidence that any trail work is being done, other than the signage. No wonder they’re going to take a month!

[huskerdont]

Been in a place with comfortable weather for a while, so this was my first experience with the detours. I am really happy I know the area and could just ignore the signs. If you have a bike you can do it with, carrying up the 42 steps right next to the closure eastbound is the way to go. Then just cut through on the road that looks like an alley (20th St./Vance) and you’re out on Veitch near MOMs. Can work going west as well if you’re willing to go against the short one-way on 20th, but I’ll probably just take Lee Highway. I would love to see streams of hundreds and hundreds of cyclists taking the lane on Lee Highway, puzzling motorists and county planners until this is done, so I’ll do my little part.

[Steve O]

I went through on Saturday. There were two spots that had been torn up, as shown below. I expect the whole thing will be torn up in the next few days.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]18203[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]18201[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]18202[/ATTACH]

[Tania]

Finally hit the detour this am heading east – the signs for the bike detour are confusing, I wasn’t sure if I should have turned right immediately after the bridge or continued straight. I opted for straight and hit the stairs (it wasn’t just confusing for me since I saw several other cyclists continue on and then turn around like I did).

If I hadn’t known I should have used the sidewalk once I hit Lee, that would have been confusing too. I didn’t mind the sidewalk although I’m sure slowing down for pedestrians annoys a lot of pathletes.

Edit – the SO didn’t even see the first (bike-specific) detour and continued on to the steps.

[huskerdont]

I had almost forgotten that strange bike lane to nowhere on Lee that starts at Wayne and ends at Daniel. It connects to nothing, they put it in after it’s needed (would be nice to have up the little rise from Veitch), and it stops before it’s needed prior to the light at Kirkwood to connect to the trail past the shopping center, but it’s a welcome little refuge on part of the westward trip around the closed trail.

[ursus]

Early this morning, when it was still dark, I took the detour for the first time. I was going westward. I had no trouble finding Veitch. Thank you VA for putting up street signs, not like the trouble I had following a route due to the Purple line construction in MD. Then I turned right on 18th, and again right on Cleveland and jogged left onto Calvert. At the bottom of the hill I saw a locked gate with a long explanation. I said to myself, this is odd. Why did they lock the gate. Well it looks like I will have to take the longer detour. Thankfully I turned around to the right and saw the path I was supposed to take.

[huskerdont]

Was happy to show a nonlocal the shortest detour route yesterday. He was trying to get to Fairfax on a hybrid and, though I don’t think English was his first language, he was pretty clear that he wanted the shortest route possible. He also complemented my *stylish* Nashbar SPD cycling sandals. Nice chap, good day.

[arlrider]

Lots and lots of dangerous stuff going on on N. Adams and the north-side Lee sidewalk each morning, unfortunately. Most people are electing to cyclocross carry the stairs, which is fine, but then about 50% are salmoning down the east side of N. Adams to hang a (blind) left onto the Lee Highway sidewalk. Of the remaining 50%, about half of them are riding down the right side of Adams most of the way, then electing to swing across in the intersection. Only a matter of time before someone gets pancaked by the MD-plated Uber drivers that rip around that corner.

For eastbound riders, the logical “legitimate” solution for those who want to walk the stairs is to take 20th east to where it ends on 21st/Veitch, then take 21st, which turns into Scott, thereby bypassing the secondary detour that is being put into place now. There is not a similar solution for westbound riders because of the one-way signage on 20th.

For all riders, the “pragmatic” solution which of course cannot be “officially” recommended, due to the involvement of private property, is to simply use the Potomac Towers parking lot access drive (which is effectively a two-lane road and handles an impressive amount of traffic daily) to cut from Adams to 21st/Veitch.

This is a tricky section to detour but I do hope that we get through the work without a major incident or injury. The County’s “official” detour is well-intended, but my suspicions that adoption would be low have been confirmed by the masses seen carrying and riding on N. Adams each day (which is great, provided everyone keeps it safe).

[dasgeh]

@arlrider 180200 wrote:

Lots and lots of dangerous stuff going on on N. Adams and the north-side Lee sidewalk each morning, unfortunately. Most people are electing to cyclocross carry the stairs, which is fine, but then about 50% are salmoning down the east side of N. Adams to hang a (blind) left onto the Lee Highway sidewalk. Of the remaining 50%, about half of them are riding down the right side of Adams most of the way, then electing to swing across in the intersection. Only a matter of time before someone gets pancaked by the MD-plated Uber drivers that rip around that corner.

For eastbound riders, the logical “legitimate” solution for those who want to walk the stairs is to take 20th east to where it ends on 21st/Veitch, then take 21st, which turns into Scott, thereby bypassing the secondary detour that is being put into place now. There is not a similar solution for westbound riders because of the one-way signage on 20th.

For all riders, the “pragmatic” solution which of course cannot be “officially” recommended, due to the involvement of private property, is to simply use the Potomac Towers parking lot access drive (which is effectively a two-lane road and handles an impressive amount of traffic daily) to cut from Adams to 21st/Veitch.

This is a tricky section to detour but I do hope that we get through the work without a major incident or injury. The County’s “official” detour is well-intended, but my suspicions that adoption would be low have been confirmed by the masses seen carrying and riding on N. Adams each day (which is great, provided everyone keeps it safe).

Interesting. Adams is part of the official detour for westbound cyclists…. Anyway, it’s a bad situation, any way you slice it. That detour sign that blocks half the sidewalk on the NE corner of Veitch and Lee is my personal least favorite.

[Tania]

The unnamed side street that parallels 29 between Cleveland and Calvert is full of glass.

East bound, I take Calvert to 29 and then the sidewalk down to just past MOM’s where the trail hits. Westbound, sidewalk until I have a bike lane and then the bike lane to Calvert.

It’s really NOT that big of a deal or even much of an inconvenience (once I figured out where to go).

[streetsmarts]

Help?
SO Wed. night I rode out the Custis West to the W&OD from Rosslyn. I followed one sign that said “detour”, ended up taking my bike down the stairs, and it was no problem after that.

Tonight, I’m riding East again that way to see Accordioneur and his band play at Westover Beer Garden.

Has the detour route changed from Rosslyn to the 11th St. Exit from the Custis? I think that’s how I’ll get to Westover.
[I’m not familiar enough with the Custis to know all the intersections you all describe in this thread.]

Any help you can offer is great!

Also, returning home (heading East ) on Wed night, I was confused by the signage- maybe it was at Lincoln Street. There was a sign that said “Detour” but I followed it and there was nothing. So I went back and just took the trail and I think it was fine.
Maybe that’s changed too….

Here’s Dasgeh’s map – should I use this?

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=18165&d=1532611371&thumb=1

[streetsmarts]

** EDITED*
SO Wed. night I rode out the Custis West to the W&OD from Rosslyn. I followed one sign that said “detour”, ended up taking my bike down the stairs, and it was no problem after that.

Tonight, I’m riding East again that way to see Accordioneur and his band play at Westover Beer Garden.

Has the detour route changed from Rosslyn to the 11th St. Exit from the Custis? I think that’s how I’ll get to Westover.
[I’m not familiar enough with the Custis to know all the intersections you all describe in this thread.]

Any help you can offer is great!

Also, returning home (heading East ) on Wed night, I was confused by the signage- maybe it was at Lincoln Street. There was a sign that said “Detour” but I followed it and there was nothing. So I went back and just took the trail and I think it was fine.
Maybe that’s changed too….

Here’s Dasgeh’s map – should I use this?

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=18165&d=1532611371&thumb=1

I looked at Dasgeh’s map – and will try it tonight!

[dasgeh]

My map will give you a lower stress route. If you don’t mind it, just take the lane then bike lane westbound on Lee Hwy westbound (that’s what I do).

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