Glebe/Columbia Pike to Thomas Cirlce

[dasgeh]

@delasoul98 50778 wrote:

All,

I am moving from the city to Arlington near Glebe/Columbia Pike. I am hoping someone can give me a nice bike route so I can continue to bike into work. Any recommendations are appreciated.

Thanks

You have lots of options. What are you looking for? Fastest/most direct v. scenic v. workout? Hills v. flat? Roads v. bike lanes v. paths? Do you mind going on a military base (have to show id) every day?

And welcome! That’s a great ‘hood and Arlington is awesome.

[jrenaut]

They’re building a cycletrack for you on M St later this year.

[jnva]

Yep, and the L street cycle track gets you one block south of Thomas circle.

[delasoul98]

@dasgeh 50780 wrote:

You have lots of options. What are you looking for? Fastest/most direct v. scenic v. workout? Hills v. flat? Roads v. bike lanes v. paths? Do you mind going on a military base (have to show id) every day?

And welcome! That’s a great ‘hood and Arlington is awesome.

I am looking for the fastest/most direct route. I am okay with hills.

[consularrider]

@delasoul98 50800 wrote:

I am looking for the fastest/most direct route …

Then you’re asking the wrong people! We pride ourselves on avoiding the most direct route. :p

[dbb]

@consularrider 50804 wrote:

Then you’re asking the wrong people! We pride ourselves on avoiding the most direct route. :p

While there is some tongue in cheek there, it is generally accepted that Consularrider does not know the direct route to anywhere. How else could someone that works and lives in Arlington ride over 1000 miles each month? It could be dedication or just a really crappy sense of direction!

[dasgeh]

@consularrider 50804 wrote:

Then you’re asking the wrong people! We pride ourselves on avoiding the most direct route. :p

Not all of us!

I’m not as familiar with the south-of-50 parts of this, but I would suggest either:
A. THROUGH THE CEMETERY!! http://goo.gl/maps/OCLC9 On the way home, you have to go around the cemetery instead of through it: http://goo.gl/maps/yyxwM

B. The “Washington Blvd Trail” http://goo.gl/maps/cfa5N –> I can’t comment on riding on Columbia Pike or its sidewalk. You could definitely take neighborhood streets to the Giant, then take the sidewalk along the Pike to the trail.

In fact, it may make the most sense to take A to work and B home. Over time you will develop opinions as to the best neighborhood streets to take, and whether it’s better to take 17th or 15th and when.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

Ugh. In 20 years of Arlington to DC commuting, my few tries on Columbia Pike have been the worst. Columbia Pike itself is inhospitable in terms of lane widths, traffic behavior and road conditions. Haven’t tried it in a year. If instead of Columbia you find a parallel back street you still have to figure out a creative and indirect way to get to either 14th Street or Memorial Bridge. I’ve never found a good way to do this. Maybe the Washington Blvd improvements and Long Bridge Park will change that.

But for now, I’d be resigned to Walter Reed, becomes Filmore to Clarendon Blvd, to Rosslyn, Key Bridge, L Street (a.m.)/M Street (p.m). One alternative is Filmore to Pershing to Barton to Clarendon. This puts most of your north/south commute in Arlington and puts you across on the best bridge.

[DismalScientist]

@Brendan von Buckingham 51117 wrote:

But for now, I’d be resigned to Walter Reed, becomes Filmore to Clarendon Blvd, to Rosslyn, Key Bridge, L Street (a.m.)/M Street (p.m). One alternative is Filmore to Pershing to Barton to Clarendon. This puts most of your north/south commute in Arlington and puts you across on the best bridge.

Sorry, best bridge is Roosevelt and you can avoid all of Georgetown.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

You’re either are going to have to find a sarcasm icon or explain how he is supposed to get on Roosevelt Bridge. After the pleasure of Columbia Pike and the spaghetti of highway lanes around the Pentagon, he’ll need to cross GW Parkway three times and do a half-mile double back to get to the bridge ramp. And then you’re only in Foggy Bottom for your troubles.

M Street and Georgetown isn’t for everyone, but I love it. The a.m. downhill on M Street lets you go as fast as the cars and the p.m. gridlock let’s you triumphantly pass them all by.

[dasgeh]

Brendan, have you tried going through the base and cemetery? I really loved commuting that way.

Once you’re in Rosslyn at the base of the Key Bridge, it’s easy to get to the Roosevelt Bridge — take the MVT, then stay right after the TR island parking lot. It puts you further south, but also further west than Key –> Gtown but you get to skip the M St mess. It’s a choice.

[americancyclo]

@Brendan von Buckingham 51579 wrote:

M Street and Georgetown isn’t for everyone, but I love it. The a.m. downhill on M Street lets you go as fast as the cars and the p.m. gridlock let’s you triumphantly pass them all by.

I agree on M St. in the AM, but in the PM I avoid it.

too slow and congested for me. Going around the cemetery and up Wilson Blvd, I can be in Ballston in the same amount of time it takes me to get over the Key Bridge.

[DismalScientist]

dasgeh;51588 wrote:

once you’re in rosslyn at the base of the key bridge, it’s easy to get to the roosevelt bridge — take the mvt, then stay right after the tr island parking lot. It puts you further south, but also further east than key –> gtown but you get to skip the m st mess. It’s a choice.

ftfy

[sjclaeys]

I will need to roughly take this route next Friday so I can bike into work on BTWD and then get to Thomas Jefferson Middle School to coach a soccer practice. What are the rules for going through Ft. Myers?

[dasgeh]

Last I checked, you can enter the Wright Gate (near the Iwo Jima) until 6pm weekdays. You just need a photo ID, and if it’s a federal employee’s ID, they waive you through; if it’s not, they ask you where you’re going (the Hatfield Gate) and write things down. You can’t go out of the Henry Gate (at Pershing) any more, you have to go to the Hatfield Gate, at 2nd St S. Both that’s good for getting to TJ.

I haven’t been through in a few months, so if anyone has updated info, please chime in.

[Author]

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