Is it just me, or is Penn. Ave. in front of the White House closed more often now?

[ginacico]

Not just you, it seems like a more frequent yet arbitrary pain in the @ss. I am similarly stuck trying to get north and south. Kinda sucks the fun out of bike commuting.

[bobco85]

Seems that it’s not just bicycle infrastructure that’s being cut off by the current administration’s security. Our very Potomac River is facing the same security theater nonsense: http://dcist.com/2017/07/trumps_constant_golfing_may_ruin_th.php

[Tania]

It’s definitely closed more frequently now. And it’s getting harder not to give the building the finger when it is open.

[americancyclo]

Heading eastbound in the morning, I’ve adopted this route, which avoids any shutdowns in front of the whitehouse and has a bonus of being faster, too.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15175[/ATTACH]

[dasgeh]

@kcb203 162918 wrote:

There’s no legal route westbound until I get to Constitution going south or Eye Street going north, and I dislike riding on both of those.

It’s legal to bike on the sidewalks around the Elipse because it’s federal property. It’s not a great route, but it is legal. You can also jump on the road, but you have to go clockwise, which is a bit of a detour.

[huskerdont]

I was thinking just yesterday that it’s closed more often now, and I as well thought of the closing of the entire Potomac river to canoeists and kayakers just because a president wants to play golf. I could be sympathetic to security organizations in some situations, but this is just paranoid overreach.

Eastbound isn’t a problem; it’s westbound. I’ve usually gone down to the Ellipse, but it’s often closed as well. So then I just slalom through clogged cars to Constitution and go around. It’s not stress-free, but it isn’t terrible, and I greatly prefer it to I (eye) Street.

[Tania]

Westbound I usually tuck in behind a sidewalk bound Segway tour that has to go around via 15th to H. If no segways, I just walk my bike. And curse.

[huskerdont]

@Tania 162933 wrote:

Westbound I usually tuck in behind a sidewalk bound Segway tour that has to go around via 15th to H. If no segways, I just walk my bike. And curse.

Yeah, the SS guys have pointed me to the sidewalk before, and I just turn around. If I wanted to walk I wouldn’t have brought my bike.

[Judd]

My perception is that Penn is closed a lot more, enough that they upgraded from plastic police tape to installing permanent equipment to rope off more quickly. The 15th Street side also has more frequently had barricades up except for the pylons that recess into the road.

[huskerdont]

I wonder how long before they just close it off for good. Many folks may not remember or did not live here then, but E Street south of the White House used to be a real-live no foolin’ street, but it was closed for “security reasons.”

[ginacico]

DDOT is considering dedicated bus lanes on H Street, which might make it less of a nightmare.

In addition….. “A protected bikeway on Pennsylvania Avenue would also be fantastic. DDOT is considering a two-way bikeway on one side of the street, or a pair of protected bikeways on each side. Either way, Pennsylvania Avenue is a great place for a bikeway, because while it used to be a large avenue carrying traffic right past the White House, with it closed past 17th Street it’s now wider than it needs to be for the traffic it carries.”

I’ll believe it when it happens, but if you want a voice there’s a meeting on Thursday, July 20, 6:30-8 pm at GWU Funger Hall, 2201 G St NW, Room 222 or a link to send them an email.

[Judd]

Pennsylvania is pretty dead West of 17th and dedicated bike infrastructure would be cool, although I find it low stress enough currently that I would settle just for improvements at the intersection of 17th & Penn for cyclists intending to head straight to the White House. Currently there are two right turn and two left turn lanes on to 17th. I end up maneuvering into the leftmost right turn lane to go straight, which is usually ok depending on traffic.

[kcb203]

@americancyclo 162928 wrote:

Heading eastbound in the morning, I’ve adopted this route, which avoids any shutdowns in front of the whitehouse and has a bonus of being faster, too.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15175[/ATTACH]

That also avoids me riding on the sidewalk on H from 20th to 19th. How is it that the IMF gets to close a street for SEVEN YEARS to renovate a building? They’re four years into the project with three more to go.

[Tania]

@kcb203 162962 wrote:

That also avoids me riding on the sidewalk on H from 20th to 19th. How is it that the IMF gets to close a street for SEVEN YEARS to renovate a building? They’re four years into the project with three more to go.

(This block is deliciously air conditioned! As is the corner of 18th and H/Penna.)

[sjclaeys]

I agree that this part of Penn Ave is being closed more often and it throws a big wrench into my commute. However, as tempting as it may be, I do not think that it is due to current Administration. Rather, it reflects the Secret Service’s continual efforts to expand the security perimeter and generally not give a damn about the public.

[Author]

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