How do I ride across the 14th street bridge?

[Greenbelt]

I can’t help you specifically, but when I use Google bike directions from point to point, sometimes the most direct route that shows up is on streets that are too busy for me. So I sometimes experiment by dragging the route line up or down to see some alternatives that might be longer in miles but less traffic. I’ve read about riders going through Fort Myer to connect with the bike trails, but there may be some restrictions. Good luck!

[OneEighth]

South Glebe Road to South Walter Reed Drive, down the hill and take a left on either the W&OD trail or on South Four Mile Run Drive, pick up the 4-Mile Run trail (by the intersection where South Four Mile Run Drive t’s onto South Shirlington Road) and take it to the Mount Vernon Trail, head north on the MVT to where the trail splits to cross the 14th Street Bridge.

[5555624]

Odd places? I resemble that… This is essentially my commute, although I start a few blocks east of you and stop just short of and don’t go under the 11th Street Bridge. (I’m tempted to make some :wrong side of the tracks” joke.)

If you’re not comfortable riding on Columbia Pike, hop on the sidewalk (on the north side), to go under Washington Boulevard and up past the Sheraton. At that point, if you’re on the sidewalk, get back on the street and go left on Orme Street (pass the Sheraton) and head down Southgate Road. At the bottom of the hill, at the intersection of Southgate Road, Columbia Pike, and South Joyce Street, make a left and get on the trail that runs along the north side of Columbia Pike.

Take the trail towards D.C. Pass under Route 27 and then make a left and go past the restrooms for the Pentagon Memorial. The trail then follows Route 27 and the perimeter of the Pentagon.

If you want to take the 14th Street Bridge, follow the trail/sidewalk along the exit to the North Pentagon Parking Lot. At the bottom of the hill, head straight along the parking lot towards the river. Cross the bridge to Columbia Island and then take the tunnel under the GW Parkway. Follow the trail up and onto the Mount Vernon Trail. Go over the Humpback Bridge and then right to get to the 14th Street Bridge.

Once across the bridge, pass the Jefferson Memorial, go down to Maine Avenue. Take Maine Avenue to M Street SW and then head straight. (Don’t laugh, a few months ago, at 6th and M St SW, I was asked how to get to the Navy Yard and when I said go straight and pointed down M Street, they got lost.)

One thing to note, to get home, you may need to go up to Banneker Circle, cross the Case Bridge, and come out through Hains Point. As noted elsewhere, they are beginning some construction along Maine Avenue SW, from the 14th Street Bridge to the 12 Street Bridge. The sidewalk will be closed at times.

Having said all that, I actually take Memorial Bridge in the mornings. (With about one exception, everyone on this forum is asleep when I ride in.) I do ride this route when I ride straight home, although I take S Ode St from Southgate Road to Columbia Pike and then take the Pike and not the sidewalk. Oh, in the afternoons, I usually take L Street SE, from 8th St to the alley before Half Street.

Any questions, feel free to ask.

[Riley Casey]

Did you know that you can select bike routes on Google maps?

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[chris_s]

Welcome fellow Penrose resident! That’s definitely a do-able bike commute. Google Maps bike directions will give you a fairly direct route, but one which will involve biking on Columbia Pike – there are a couple options for avoiding that particular unpleasantness – you can ride on the sidewalk until you get to Orme St, then pop up to South Gate Rd, or you can go through Fort Meyer (enter at 2nd Street, show your Driver’s License to the guard and he’ll wave you right through – then bike down through and exit directly onto South gate Rd), or you can take a more roundabout (but prettier) route and bike down Walter Reed to the Four Mile Run Trail, take that trail over to the Mt Vernon Trail and take that up to the 14th Street Bridge.

[DSalovesh]

Columbia Pike is tough to ride. Here’s what I’d do:

Head north to Arlington Boulevard / 50
Continue to Lynn / Meade
Join Mt. Vernon at Lee
Head downriver to George Mason (14th St.) Bridge
Cross into DC, continue around Tidal Basin and up 15th
Turn right/east on Independence
Angle right on Washington
Turn left at D or E (depends on traffic)
Turn right on New Jersey
Turn left/east on M

Arlington Bvd. / 50 has good side trails but some difficult intersections that require more than average attention. Everything else is quite reasonable or better. If Independence feels too busy you can swap it for Jefferson, along The Mall. The route should clock in at a bit over 9 miles each way – not too shabby! The big swing up to Lee adds a few miles compared to a route on Columbia Pike, but there’s just no happy way through between the Pentagon and the cemetery.

[5555624]

@DSalovesh 6901 wrote:

Cross into DC, continue around Tidal Basin and up 15th

Once across the Geroge Mason Memorial Bridge, just head past the Jefferson Memorial and down to Maine Avenue and to M Street SW. It’s a lot more straightforward than going around the Tidal Basin, etc. It’s also an easy ride — except during the afternoons of Cherry Blossom season.

@DSalovesh 6901 wrote:

The big swing up to Lee adds a few miles compared to a route on Columbia Pike, but there’s just no happy way through between the Pentagon and the cemetery.

Define “happy way.” There may be no “happy way” to get to the Pentagon via Columbia Pike, but the route between the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery, especially to get to the George Mason Memorial Bridge (14th Street) is easy. There is a nice trail between the Pentagon and Route 27. Other than crossing the exit from Route 27 to the North Pentagon Parking Lot, there are no crossings of Route 27 or the GW Parkway.

[DSalovesh]

@5555624 6902 wrote:

Once across the Geroge Mason Memorial Bridge, just head past the Jefferson Memorial and down to Maine Avenue and to M Street SW. It’s a lot more straightforward than going around the Tidal Basin, etc. It’s also an easy ride — except during the afternoons of Cherry Blossom season.

Oh, I’ve ridden it many times, but I consider Whitehurst -> E Street a good bypass across Georgetown so I’m not really a reliable judge of sensible routes for sane riders. From the Tidal Basin to the waterfront fish market there are 3-4 ramp crossings where nobody wants to stop and they’re not paying good attention to bicycles, whereas Independence or Jefferson take advantage of some signals and are fine for all riders.

@5555624 6902 wrote:

Define “happy way.” There may be no “happy way” to get to the Pentagon via Columbia Pike, but the route between the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery, especially to get to the George Mason Memorial Bridge (14th Street) is easy. There is a nice trail between the Pentagon and Route 27. Other than crossing the exit from Route 27 to the North Pentagon Parking Lot, there are no crossings of Route 27 or the GW Parkway.

Fair enough. I’ve driven through there far more than I’ve ridden. But starting with balletgirl1980’s apparent reluctance to ride Columbia Pike I figured it doesn’t really matter what connects there if she doesn’t want to use that road. I defer to others to say if that’s feasible or not…

[5555624]

@DSalovesh 6908 wrote:

From the Tidal Basin to the waterfront fish market there are 3-4 ramp crossings where nobody wants to stop and they’re not paying good attention to bicycles, whereas Independence or Jefferson take advantage of some signals and are fine for all riders.

Once off the bridge, since East Basin Dr SW is one-way, you need to cross onto the trail/sidewalk on the memorial side. You take that until East basin Drive SW turns into Ohio Drive SW. There’s a mid-block crossing that is usually not too bad, since the light at Maine Avenue SW causes enough gaps. Alternatively, just ride down to Maine Avenue SW. After that, the only ramp crossing has a traffic light and is No Turn On Red.

@DSalovesh 6908 wrote:

Fair enough. I’ve driven through there far more than I’ve ridden. But starting with balletgirl1980’s apparent reluctance to ride Columbia Pike I figured it doesn’t really matter what connects there if she doesn’t want to use that road. I defer to others to say if that’s feasible or not…

My interpretation was she wants to avoid the exit ramp for Washington Boulevard/I-396 on Columbia Pike. I can understand that. If I rode in four or five hours later, I’d want to avoid it, too. On the other hand, I am not sure I’d ride the sidewalk — on either side — there, either.

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