How are the trails?

[KLizotte]

I saw either a beaver or an otter this morning swimming south in the Potomac between Gravelly Pt and the George Mason bridge. It was amazing how fast he (or she) was moving.

[5555624]

@JeffC 16366 wrote:

Did anybody get caught up in the bomb scare on the 14th St bridge last week in the afternoon? The walkway was cordoned off while police investigated a suspicious duffle bag, had to turn around back to DC and bike over to the Memorial Bridge to avoid it.

While I missed that one, I got caught in the tail end of the one yesterday, at the Sheraton on Columbia Pike. They were just starting to let people back in and the right lane of westbound Columbia Pike was essentially closed. (Orme had just opened up and cars were backed up trying to turn right on Orme.)

[KLizotte]

Oh……my……God, the route from Jefferson Memorial – Rock Creek – Georgetown – Key Bridge – Rosslyn was a mosh pit of peds EVERYWHERE at 6:00 pm. It was like biking thru Times Square; a truly miserable experience. I’m writing off that route at rush hour till the cold weather returns. 😡

I also need to find a relatively ped-free and “slow car” route from the Hirshhorn Museum to the George Mason Bridge since the peds are beginning to invade the basin and the Mall. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[eminva]

@KLizotte 16422 wrote:

Oh……my……God, the route from Jefferson Memorial – Rock Creek – Georgetown – Key Bridge – Rosslyn was a mosh pit of peds EVERYWHERE at 6:00 pm.

Yes, I went through the latter three about that time, too. I detoured onto surface roads until Ballston, but even that limited portion of the Car Free Beltway (Ballston to W&OD/Custis intersection) was a hair raising experience.

But you don’t have to wait for cold weather again — they all disappear in the mid-90’s temp and humidity. Also, rain or any threat thereof.

Note to self: Look up the recent thread with instructions for using surface streets all the way to EFC (I’m not imagining that thread, right?).

Liz

[dbb]

@KLizotte 16422 wrote:

I also need to find a ped-free and low car route from Hirshhorn Museum to the George Mason Bridge since the peds are beginning to invade the basin and Mall.

I am about to switch from my winter route (Madison – 15th – Ohio – East Basin – 14th St Bridge) to the pedestrian light route of L’Enfant Promenade – Banneker Circle – Sidewalk to bike path on Case Bridge – road past Park Service admin building – Right on Buckeye – Right on Ohio along the river – right on East Basin with a quick turn up on 14th St Bridge.

Only problems exist at the

Jump from the roadway to the path to Case Bridge – No curb cut

East Basin from Ohio to 14th St Bridge – Sidewalk or salmon

It is much smoother than the tidal basin as it is generally largely ped-free

[KLizotte]

@dbb 16424 wrote:

I am about to switch from my winter route (Madison – 15th – Ohio – East Basin – 14th St Bridge) to the pedestrian light route of L’Enfant Promenade – Banneker Circle – Sidewalk to bike path on Case Bridge – road past Park Service admin building – Right on Buckeye – Right on Ohio along the river – right on East Basin with a quick turn up on 14th St Bridge.

Only problems exist at the

Jump from the roadway to the path to Case Bridge – No curb cut

East Basin from Ohio to 14th St Bridge – Sidewalk or salmon

It is much smoother than the tidal basin as it is generally largely ped-free

Your winter route is exactly the same route I take when I want to take the shortest path home. I was wondering today about the Banneker circle and the bridge (it’s not at all clear from looking at Google maps that it is bikable) and am glad to hear how to get from A to B. I’ll try it out tomorrow! Shame about the lack of a curb cut (there’s no way I can bunny hop on my bike). Thanks so much for the info.

If you see a chick with a black basket on the rear rack and a bike covered in neon yellow safety stickers say “hi.”

[dbb]

@KLizotte 16432 wrote:

Your winter route is exactly the same route I take when I want to take the shortest path home. I was wondering today about the Banneker circle and the bridge (it’s not at all clear from looking at Google maps that it is bikable) and am glad to hear how to get from A to B. I’ll try it out tomorrow! Shame about the lack of a curb cut (there’s no way I can bunny hop on my bike). Thanks so much for the info.

Getting up to Banneker Circle from the mall would be easy, just shoot under Department of Energy. I come up from D Street and get the tight turn on the up ramp from underneath. The paving stones on the promenade are a bit bumpy and the sidewalks have been rendered impassible by narrowness, street light poles and parking meters, forcing you into the street. Traffic is generally light and slow however.

I logged a request for a curb cut about a year ago with the DDOT. They were helpful but said that the curb cut program wasn’t installing new cuts at this time. Probably time to take it out of the pending file and revisit the issue with DDOT.

[5555624]

@KLizotte 16432 wrote:

Your winter route is exactly the same route I take when I want to take the shortest path home. I was wondering today about the Banneker circle and the bridge (it’s not at all clear from looking at Google maps that it is bikable) and am glad to hear how to get from A to B. I’ll try it out tomorrow! Shame about the lack of a curb cut (there’s no way I can bunny hop on my bike). Thanks so much for the info.

One thing I’ve noticed — chiming in — with the Case Bridge is that the pedestrians you do enctounter don’t expect to see bikes. Unlike the pther bridges, they jump when they hear a bell or “on your left,” rather than simply moving over. On the other hand, I don’t usually take that route ithe summer, so maybe it’s different then.

The lack of curb cuts at Banneker Circle is probably the worst aspect of this route. I get there from Maine Avenue SW, so I’d often take the blacktop “trail” from the corner to the circle, rather than the road. That can be tricky –curb cut, a couple of feet, and then around a hedge — if there are pedestrians.

[5555624]

@dbb 16434 wrote:

I logged a request for a curb cut about a year ago with the DDOT. They were helpful but said that the curb cut program wasn’t installing new cuts at this time. Probably time to take it out of the pending file and revisit the issue with DDOT.

If you do, post the info and I’ll make a request, too.

[Rootchopper]

I rode the Case Bridge daily for over ten years. The jumpy pedestrians are often tourists (expecially this time of year) who are walking from L’Enfant Plaza – there’s a metro and two hotels – over to the Tidal Basin. Also, working folk park their cars over in East Potomac Park and walk (or cycle) to work over the bridge. Parking is plentiful and free. (Somedays it’s underwater but your can’t have everything.)

A couple other comments. I worked at L’Enfant and commute over the 14th STreet bridge. The loop from the bridge past the George Mason memorial, down Ohio Drive to Buckeye and over the Case is by far saner than riding 15th and Constitution. No cars. No lights. Even a nice spritz from the NPS sprinklers on hot summer days.

The Case Bridge sidepath has been part of the 50 States Ride for a long time. It always seems to stump riders when the see there is no curb cut at Banneker Circle.

[jrenaut]

@5555624 16437 wrote:

If you do, post the info and I’ll make a request, too.

Seconded. That’s on my scenic route to work.

[consularrider]

@eminva 16423 wrote:

Yes, I went through the latter three about that time, too. I detoured onto surface roads until Ballston, but even that limited portion of the Car Free Beltway (Ballston to W&OD/Custis intersection) was a hair raising experience.

But you don’t have to wait for cold weather again — they all disappear in the mid-90’s temp and humidity. Also, rain or any threat thereof.

Note to self: Look up the recent thread with instructions for using surface streets all the way to EFC (I’m not imagining that thread, right?).

Liz

Here’s the thread.

[KLizotte]

@jrenaut 16463 wrote:

Seconded. That’s on my scenic route to work.

Thirded (yes, I’m making up a word here).

I think they didn’t install a curb cut originally because they were only thinking about peds and there isn’t a crosswalk there because the ding dongs that designed the circle put up a wall blocking entry to the fountain area from the bridge (at least that’s how it looks from Google streetview). They probably figured that it would be a bad idea to compel peds to walk into the road.

[Terpfan]

@PotomacCyclist 16358 wrote:

Sounds familiar:

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?1830-A-request-Don-t-do-speedwork-on-the-Mt.-Vernon-Trail-at-rush-hour

Yep, forgot about your thread.

I have taken to saying something to people or throwing up a hand in a ‘what’ sort of gesture. Where it got to me was when it happened the other day right by narrow stretch along the airport and GWP just south of Gravely Point as if there were room for error there.

[americancyclo]

going to try this route home tonight. I was going to take the MVT and W&OD anyway, so i might as well take the Case Bridge too. It’ll sure beat the lumpy pavement and tour buses riding my wheel from 15th to East Basin.

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