October 2015 Road and Trail Conditions

[Terpfan]

@gibby 126055 wrote:

Yeah I ‘tried’ to ride the mulch a couple times and gave up due to that very reason of not wanting my head getting planted on GWP. Over to CC for me for the coming weeks..

I think we’re talking about different routes or I may be confused about the route in the video. It looks like CaseyKane50 is going right up into the departures area and down the GW onramp. I guess that could be 25mph but I don’t think I’ve been in or seen a vehicle that was going that slow as they enter and exit there- or paying much attention to who they’re cutting off.
Apologies for my initial shock at anyone trying that..

No need to apologize. I understand what you’re saying.

See Dasgeh’s comment above, but the maintenance facility route is really easy, especially southbound. I will try to make a video if I remember, but it’s literally just take the turnoff to MVT (left if heading southbound), veer right in maintenance area following the road up until the stop sign, hop to left lane with cars at stoplight, proceed left at this light (there is a straight route she explained earlier), make your first right where signs say toward GWMP southbound and then simply veer left down the abandoned road. The actual on-road distance is maybe a couple hundred feet and aside from the traffic light, the cars don’t seem to be going the way you would be going.

Time-wise, I noticed a guy pass me last night. He was probably near the mulch around the time I was cresting that second bridge hill (heading southbound). I hit the red light by turnoff to Crystal City, but exited this route just before he finished climbing the mulch hill. So I think it actually saves maybe a minute or so of time and more importantly, at least in mind, reduces the risk of collision. CC route is fine too, but unless it’s that access road, I think dooring is a real threat.

The whole route can be reversed by simply taking the second crosswalk (first non-temporary one) and then sort of veering right along this sidewalk to get to the northbound side of Aviation Circle. Or Dagseh posted a non-Aviation Circle route above too.

[Tania]

I rode the mulch this am on skinny 23’s. It’s really not that big of a deal (it’s also pretty darn short).

[BTC_DC]

@dasgeh 126026 wrote:

Has anyone tried this route sb?
or this route nb?

I tried the sb last night. It works well, but the downside is slowing down for the few 90-degree turns re-entering MVT rather than carrying speed from the downhill abandoned road.

I then tried nb this morning and can you believe it but Abingdon Dr is currently being milled for repaving (it is fine for riding, though). Just can’t win I guess!

Anyway, sounds like Crystal Dr. has been repaved so that makes the most sense for me now. But the airport provided a nice little change of pace there for a while. Maybe I will still head through there occasionally to mix things up a bit.

[scoot]

@americancyclo 126093 wrote:

10th St North between Fairfax Dr and Arlington Blvd (and more importantly to me, the ABT) is milled and has some loose gravel spots. I doubt many folks take this route, but it’s the fastest I’ve found from Memorial Bridge to the Custis in Ballston. It’s not on the 2015 Paving Map. Any idea where I can find out the paving schedule? Might alter my route while they are finishing.

Thanks for the heads-up. I often ride there also. Sounds like it’s time to check out the alternatives.

If you find the paving schedule, let me know!

[GovernorSilver]

@komorebi 126077 wrote:

The northern end of the service road is the driveway in front of the Crystal Place apartments. Go where the white SUV is going in this photo, if I’ve gotten the link right.

The southern end of the service road will put you at the intersection of 26th Street South and Crystal Drive. That intersection is unfortunately milled at the moment, but the transitions off and back onto the paved surfaces aren’t too bad. After getting through the intersection, I take 26th Street west, turn left on S. Clark, and turn left on 27th Street South to get to Potomac Ave.

Thanks! Will try these tomorrow evening.

[dasgeh]

@americancyclo 126093 wrote:

it’s the fastest I’ve found from Memorial Bridge to the Custis in Ballston.

I’m asking the powers that be, but I find this interesting. Memorial Bridge is my snow route, and I do the equivalent of this route, and it sounds like you do this route. Mine is longer but fewer lights, etc. Have you tried my way? Just curious…

[americancyclo]

@dasgeh 126107 wrote:

I’m asking the powers that be, but I find this interesting. Memorial Bridge is my snow route, and I do the equivalent of this route, and it sounds like you do this route. Mine is longer but fewer lights, etc. Have you tried my way? Just curious…

Haven’t tried your way. Mine takes an average of 14 minutes from Iwo Jima to the Custis Trail. I don’t ride up the Custis from Rosslyn much anymore, but on an average time for me when I did, it took 14 minutes to get from Rosslyn to that same point on the Custis. That doesn’t factor in riding from Iwo Jima to the start of the Custis in traffic and dealing with the lights to get there. I might try it once to give a baseline, but I’d be surprised if it was faster.

[dasgeh]

@americancyclo 126093 wrote:

10th St North between Fairfax Dr and Arlington Blvd (and more importantly to me, the ABT) is milled and has some loose gravel spots. I doubt many folks take this route, but it’s the fastest I’ve found from Memorial Bridge to the Custis in Ballston. It’s not on the 2015 Paving Map. Any idea where I can find out the paving schedule? Might alter my route while they are finishing.

I asked the powers that be. It’s VDOT work, and the powers that be didn’t know ahead of time so (1) couldn’t plan for (much needed) bike lanes and (2) couldn’t warn us. I don’t have an ETF, but will let you know if I hear one.

And I’m just curious about routing, but do let us know if you try the other way…

[GovernorSilver]

I tried dasgeh’s northbound MVT detour route:
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/10735970

For some reason, I thought I could just follow Abingdon, which led me towards S. Smith Blvd, and another stream of cars turning from Smith to Abindgon, which is ironic because I took the route to avoid the stream of cars going down Aviation Cir. to the GW Parkway onramp. I didn’t realize there was a left turn I should have made from Abingdon to West-something to enter the parking lot full of trucks and whatnot, in order to cut back to the trail.

I didn’t like the stream of cars coming from S. Smith Blvd. but I’ll give this route another shot. The alternatives for riding through airport property don’t look that much more promising.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@americancyclo 126093 wrote:

10th St North between Fairfax Dr and Arlington Blvd (and more importantly to me, the ABT) is milled and has some loose gravel spots. I doubt many folks take this route, but it’s the fastest I’ve found from Memorial Bridge to the Custis in Ballston. It’s not on the 2015 Paving Map. Any idea where I can find out the paving schedule? Might alter my route while they are finishing.

Can you explain this route more? I’d like to have some alternates to mix up my usual commute, both inbound and outbound.

[DismalScientist]

See dasgeh’s post #97 above (her description of AC’s likely route–although I don’t see how you would end up on the north sidewalk of Memorial bridge.)

I think a better alternative would be this: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/38.8830503,-77.1209369/38.8883952,-77.052444/@38.8878393,-77.1016708,14z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m10!3m4!1m2!1d-77.0967466!2d38.8815263!3s0x89b7b69ca7f10ae5:0x5f46430b1ca3b0e0!3m4!1m2!1d-77.0826293!2d38.88645!3s0x89b7b68c7b6e6913:0xc35f2881232545bf!1m0!3e1
This route crosses 50 at Pershing, which allows you to use the south-side bike trail on 50, which has no at grade crossings.

On the westbound return, just go straight on 7th at Pershing and Washington Blvd.

[americancyclo]

@ShawnoftheDread 126242 wrote:

Can you explain this route more? I’d like to have some alternates to mix up my usual commute, both inbound and outbound.

Just made this public:
https://www.strava.com/segments/8153848

or this: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/7861379

[TABLE=”class: cue_sheet_print_view”]
[TR=”class: even”]
[TD]0.0[/TD]
[TD] ←[/TD]
[TD] Left[/TD]
[TD] Slight left to stay on N Meade St[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: odd”]
[TD] 0.1[/TD]
[TD] ←[/TD]
[TD] Left[/TD]
[TD] Turn left toward N Fort Myer Dr [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: even”]
[TD] 0.0[/TD]
[TD] →[/TD]
[TD] Right[/TD]
[TD] Turn right onto N Fort Myer Dr[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: odd”]
[TD] 0.0[/TD]
[TD] ←[/TD]
[TD] Left[/TD]
[TD] Turn left onto N Fairfax Dr[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: even”]
[TD] 0.4[/TD]
[TD] ←[/TD]
[TD] Left[/TD]
[TD] Turn left to stay on N Fairfax Dr[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: odd”]
[TD] 0.1[/TD]
[TD] ←[/TD]
[TD] Left[/TD]
[TD] Slight left[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: even”]
[TD] 0.3[/TD]
[TD] ↑[/TD]
[TD] Straight[/TD]
[TD] Continue onto Arlington Blvd Trail[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: odd”]
[TD] 0.2[/TD]
[TD] →[/TD]
[TD] Right[/TD]
[TD] Slight right onto the ramp[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: even”]
[TD] 0.0[/TD]
[TD] →[/TD]
[TD] Right[/TD]
[TD] Keep right at the fork[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: odd”]
[TD] 0.1[/TD]
[TD] ↑[/TD]
[TD] Straight[/TD]
[TD] Merge onto VA-237 W/10th St N[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: even”]
[TD] 0.7 [/TD]
[TD] ←[/TD]
[TD] Left[/TD]
[TD] Turn left onto N Fairfax Dr[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

How you want to jockey from Meade to Fairfax is up to you. Sometimes I ride to the light, sometimes I scofflaw it on the sidewalk.
Beware of inattentive drivers coming off Route 50 trying to turn left to head south on Meade.
Begin to take the ramp from Fairfax Blvd to Route 50 to get on the sidewalk that becomes the ABT. Crossing over from Fairfax after that requires a 90 degree turn or crossing some rutted mud and gravel.
I haven’t had any issues with cars on 10th St, although folks will pass loudly since they are accelerating uphill.
Position yourself in front of cars when you cross Wilson to be ahead of Northbound cars that will right hook you to continue on Kirkwood instead of bearing left on to Fairfax Blvd as you would like to do.

[americancyclo]

@DismalScientist 126256 wrote:

See dasgeh’s post #97 above (her description of AC’s likely route–although I don’t see how you would end up on the north sidewalk of Memorial bridge.)

her google-fu is a little rusty. I think she chose the bridge and google routed her on the north side.

@DismalScientist 126256 wrote:

I think a better alternative would be this: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/38.8830503,-77.1209369/38.8883952,-77.052444/@38.8878393,-77.1016708,14z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m10!3m4!1m2!1d-77.0967466!2d38.8815263!3s0x89b7b69ca7f10ae5:0x5f46430b1ca3b0e0!3m4!1m2!1d-77.0826293!2d38.88645!3s0x89b7b68c7b6e6913:0xc35f2881232545bf!1m0!3e1
This route crosses 50 at Pershing, which allows you to use the south-side bike trail on 50, which has no at grade crossings.

No. The light at Pershing takes AT LEAST 3 minutes. Unacceptable.

[ShawnoftheDread]

But how are you getting no to Meade? Is that just Memorial Bridge to the cemetery, to route 110 trail?

[Emm]

Looks like Crystal Drive in Crystal City will be fully paved by tomorrow according to Arlnow. I still plan to use the Service Drive since it has almost 0 traffic, but it’s good to know Crystal Drive is back to normal for all my jimmy johns excursions.

[Author]

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