Pentagon maze

[elbows]

Yesterday, I decided to try an experiment and see if I could find my way from the path under the Humpbacked Bridge to Columbia Pike. It’s true that I didn’t do my research beforehand and laboriously plot the route on the computer, but sometimes a person likes to go a little crazy. I followed the trail to the mass of parking lots and highways surrounding the Pentagon, hitting dead end after dead end, carrying my bicycle up and down stairs. I hit one gate that I possibly could have entered, but figured there was probably an angry guard behind the one-way glass who would not take kindly to that. However, since there was no sign telling me what I could and could not do, I have no idea. Eventually, I caught sight of the North Parking lot and rode through the miles of parking lot (yay forward thinking design) to the trail along 27. I’m sure there was a better way to go, but I didn’t figure it out.

Along the way, I found 2 other cyclists who appeared to be out of towners and who seemed even more lost than I was. One poor German guy (silly Germans who come from bicycle-friendly places and then end up at the Pentagon) was looking for the mall and going in the wrong direction. I was able to help him out. I wonder how many lost cyclists roam around that area with frustration each day…

I recognize that the Pentagon evidently does not want cyclists in its area at all, but isn’t there anything we can do? Would it kill them to put up some signs or a map? If they hate cyclists so much, at least it would help them get rid of the cyclists faster, right?

Topic

[PotomacCyclist]

The road was officially renamed Long Bridge Drive. (No more “Old Jefferson Davis Highway”, which was a confusing name, considering that Jefferson Davis Hwy. is 20 ft. away.)

The base layer on the southbound lane is being added, but it will probably be at least a few more weeks before that lane is finished. The sidewalks are being redone. The northbound lane is open to (two-way) traffic and that’s in rough shape. The same as it has been for the past year or so. Even with a new storm sewer line, the road is still subject to flooding. The rain from the past 6 days has left a shallow pond in the road, in front of the parking area for Long Bridge Park. I’d expect to see flooding after every storm until the road is finished.

The timeline for the reconstruction has been revised several times. The last update I heard was that the road “could” be finished by this summer, but I’m thinking more like fall. The landscaping might not be finished until late fall, or even next spring.

The final version should be a big improvement, with bike lanes and sidewalks on the road.

***
I don’t know how far north they will go with this year’s reconstruction. They seem to have stopped just before the driveway for the self-storage building. The messy interchange with Boundary Channel Drive at the north end is scheduled to be rebuilt and improved next year. Construction will also begin on the aquatic center this fall or winter, which could mean a lot of debris, dirt, mud and construction trucks on the north part of the road.

[dbb]

Rode the route this afternoon. After crossing the bridge, it gets pretty tight at the curb cut. You might want to have the kids walk up the ramp from the end of the bridge and mount up again in the parking lot. You can see where the cyclists go between the curb cut and the curb in the sidewalk. Not for inexperienced cyclists.

Riding along the boardwalk gets you to a tight right turn (where the pickup is parked) and then towards the construction barrels.

It might be easiest to stay in the lot and then go out on Boundary Channel heading to the access road.

On the access road to the Pentagon South parking lot, you may want to have a couple of marshals sprint ahead to the underpass you want to use. It is not particularly evident from the access road. I’d recommend you head diagonally across the parking lot as the road on the south end of the lot is one way.

[CaseyKane50]

@consularrider 56749 wrote:

How’s the repaving going? Looked like there was some base layer down last week.

Long Bridge Drive today – looking towards the south. Curbs have been installed on both sides, paving is down on the west side and sidewalks have been installed on the east side. Just to the north of the photo the road is still rough in spots.

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[PotomacCyclist]

Here’s a post from the Facebook page for the park, dated Aug. 21, 2013:

“Long Bridge Drive work continues. Part of the road does have an asphalt base, with the curb done on both sides. The sidewalk on the park side is currently being worked on. This work will take a week or two. Then the road will be paved with a base coat. The final coat of asphalt should be down in three to four weeks. Landscaping, lighting and final touches will take most of October.”

[Bilsko]

I drove down it yesterday afternoon at about 5PM and there was a fresh layer of asphalt on the eastern edge of the road (left side of the image above with the dumptruck)

[Author]

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