I’ve ridden the MBT semi-regularly the past 4 years, and on a near-daily basis the past 2. It is part of my daily commute (live near Catholic, work/daughter’s school near Union Station). Like Steve, I am not a woman. Unlike Steve, I have a young girl on a trailercycle with me much of the time I’m on the MBT, which I think gives me more protection (who would dare hurt her?). We’ve never had anything bad happen (most frequently heading south around 8am and north around 6pm during the week, plus assorted other random times), but are familiar with a few of the incidents that have occurred in recent years. I agree with Steve’s thoughts on commuting north after dark. The lighting is OK (supposed to get better), but the area under NY Avenue isn’t the greatest, and the zig-zag right before R Street that requires slowing WAY down can be unnerving, though that’ll be better in a couple of years whenever the trail straightening and development happens there.
As far as popularity – there is a counter installed on the trail near Rhode Island Avenue. You can pull up the data (though it seems to not be counting this week) at http://counters.bikearlington.com/counter-dashboard/ if you want some numbers to look at. In my experience, there is usually a decent amount of bike and pedestrian traffic during regular commuting times, even in the dead of winter (more peds than bikes, then), but it’s nothing like the MVT or Custis.
One thing I hate to mention but to put it out there: during the daytime, the only concern I ever have on the MBT is afterschool. (This isn’t that dissimilar to some issues folks have experienced on Metro.) It’s hard to tell well in advance if there’s a large group of kids if it’s just a large group, if there’s someone who wants to test someone’s reaction time (for fun and laughs, not intending to cause harm), or if there’s a mix of kids from different schools that don’t get along. (This was a larger issue at the Metro station; the various local high schools have tried to alter their schedules to minimize those commuting interactions.) Most often this is between NoMA and R Street (especially near the NY Ave bridge); bailing on the MBT at R and taking Eckington through Dave Thomas Circle is a viable (though far from ideal because of that path) option there, depending on your destination. I’m sure 99% of the time it’s nothing, but it does make me a bit nervous.
As far as the cops: there’s a decent rotation of bicycle cops who get assigned the MBT. One of the regulars in the rotation, I’ve noticed, often is observing things from a bench at Rhode Island Avenue (or just happens to be there on both legs of a round trip to REI/Union Market/etc.) Others will regularly ride the trail, at least between R and Franklin. But it is good to see them regardless.
One other resource/way to meet other MBT commuters to mention: (generally) the 2nd Friday of each month, the WABA Trail Ranger team hosts a morning coffee hour, usually in the little parklet on the trail at S Street. The next one is this Friday (7/13) from 7:30-9:30 AM.
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