Federal Center SW to Rosslyn (a.k.a., "Help me avoid tourists")

[Emm]

@CykelFlicka 160582 wrote:

Hi all-
Any suggestions on how to get me home? Would prefer not to have to use the 14th St bridge if possible, since I’d have to deal with 3 GW Parkway crossings in order to get to the Arlington Cemetery/110 trail. (I live behind Iwo Jima, so this allows me to avoid the Custis/Route 29 crossing/Ft. Myer Drive tunnel of hell route.)
.

I work right by you (I’m at 3rd and C), and I also used to live right where you live in Rosslyn (River Place). Honestly–the 14th St Bridge to the MVT to the Custis crossing is the safest bet, even if it’s not the shortest. I did it for a few years, and I tried all the alternate routes and they all were miserable in the summer. Battling the buses and crowds along the mall is do-able, but significantly worse than biking Ft. Myer drive IMHO.

My recommendation–take the Case Bridge to get to the 14th St. Bridge so you can avoid the crowds and buses on the National Mall. Take the MVT to Rosslyn, cross the intersection of doom, and go left on at Ft. Meyer using the right lane and go up the little hill to the light vs taking the tunnel. It feels WAYYY safer than the tunnel, even if the hill is annoying.

I’m more than happy to show you how to take the Case Bridge to the Mount Vernon trail one evening since it can be a little tricky to figure out the first time since it requires a quick dismount to get over a sidewalk. I generally roll out around 5/5:15, so let me know if there’s a day that works for you.

Here’s a general map.

[Steve O]

I’ve become a big Case Bridge fan, which I now always use going to and from Nationals ballpark.

I guess I’m not as cowed by the GWMP crossings to get to the 110 trail. I generally have to stop for a moment, but if I just do the Heismann like f148vr, I get an opening pretty quickly. I think 14th St Bridge is definitely better in the summer. No matter how you get to Memorial Bridge, you still have to deal with bus and tourist chaos around Abe.

Winter, though, is a whole different story. Lots of mall to yourself.

[scoot]

@Emm 160586 wrote:

Here’s a general map.

How difficult is that turn from Capitol Square Place onto 9th during rush hour?

@CykelFlicka 160582 wrote:

Would prefer not to have to use the 14th St bridge

You might try using Emm’s route to Case Bridge, then Ohio Dr – 23rd – Memorial Bridge, rather than 14th – MVT. You’ll encounter some tourists around the south side of the Lincoln Memorial, but it won’t be nearly as bad as crossing the Mall. Yes the trail along Ohio is extremely bumpy, but the roadway is very comfortable IMO. Especially when headed northwest (extra lane, no parked cars).

[Emm]

@scoot 160600 wrote:

How difficult is that turn from Capitol Square Place onto 9th during rush hour?
.

Not bad at all surprisingly enough. I maybe wait a few minutes here and there for a gap, but most days I can cross really fast and easily. I think there’s a light or something north of this spot, because there tends to be a bunch of cars, then some long gaps where you can safely cross before more cars come down the road. Plus there is actually a crosswalk a few feet away if you really want to use one, but I’ve never needed it.

[dasgeh]

When I did the Senate Buildings – Arlington, I definitely switched to avoid the Mall on the way home in the summer. I would take Pennsylvania to the White House, then G to the TR Bridge. A bit out of your way, but possibly worth it.

[CykelFlicka]

Thanks all! This is really helpful. I was walking on the mall next to Madison this afternoon and thought, “Nuh uh. Too much for me!”

Wish they’d hurry up with a Maine Ave lane or cyclepath, it seems to be a big missing link from connecting safely to SW! Sounds like that sidewalk curb you have to jump could use a late night sneak attach with a sledgehammer…

Emm – will do! I usually leave at the same time as well. Tomorrow I have to leave earlier than usual but will try to touch base next week after the holiday.

[bentbike33]

@CykelFlicka 160613 wrote:

Wish they’d hurry up with a Maine Ave lane or cyclepath, it seems to be a big missing link from connecting safely to SW!

You wouldn’t know it from the mess of the construction, but Maine Avenue was redone several years ago to widen the sidewalk and reduce the eastbound lanes from 2 to 1 between the exit to I-295 and approximately the fish market. But that work seemed to occur before cycletracks and protected bike lanes were a thing in DC, unfortunately.

[AFHokie]

I ride Madison daily and honestly don’t think it’s that bad. Sure there’s lots of tourists and tour buses, but the speed limit is 15mph. With all the cars/buses trying to park traffic is often at a stand still, but there’s plenty room for someone on a bike to get around.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930AZ using Tapatalk

[lordofthemark]

@bentbike33 160614 wrote:

You wouldn’t know it from the mess of the construction, but Maine Avenue was redone several years ago to widen the sidewalk and reduce the eastbound lanes from 2 to 1 between the exit to I-295 and approximately the fish market. But that work seemed to occur before cycletracks and protected bike lanes were a thing in DC, unfortunately.

Back then we had Water Street parallel to Maine, a great choice for people new to taking the lane.

The planned PBL will come in 2020, at the earliest I am afraid. They seem to want to complete the development first.

[chris_s]

@bentbike33 160614 wrote:

You wouldn’t know it from the mess of the construction, but Maine Avenue was redone several years ago to widen the sidewalk and reduce the eastbound lanes from 2 to 1 between the exit to I-295 and approximately the fish market. But that work seemed to occur before cycletracks and protected bike lanes were a thing in DC, unfortunately.

The Wharf construction will build a cycletrack all along Maine Ave. Phase I, Fish Market to 7th should be done this year allegedly. (timeline courtesy a comment on that post from darren, who is credible) Phase II, extending the cycletrack to 6th will follow in the 2021 timeframe.

[VA2DC]

@CykelFlicka 160582 wrote:

biking back via the Mall is playing tourist frogger.

While the oblivious tourists can be frustrating, I choose to embrace the chaos rather than fight it. After all, I’m guessing that many of our visitors see few, if any, bike commuters in their home communities. So just being out there and being a PAL helps to spread the word about bicycles as transportation. I find that the biggest bottlenecks are at the two crosswalks over 17th St. If I take the southern crosswalk heading west, I often skirt toward the WWII Memorial parking lot toward the left and continue on the mostly empty path running by the Korean War Memorial. On the northern crosswalk, I typically cut over to the gravel paths around Constitution Gardens, which again, are mostly devoid of tourists. Since I prefer to take the south side of Memorial Bridge, I try to photobomb as many selfies as possible cutting across the front of the Lincoln Memorial. When I see visitors enjoying the monuments and memorials for the first and perhaps only time in their lives, I find that my own perspective becomes less jaded.

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