Route advice – Arl Village into DC (Metro Center)

[Tania]

I like low stress intersections and routes (…says the cyclist who brazenly takes the lane on Gallows almost every week day).

Anyway, my pain points for this route are crossing 50 at Fillmore, Fillmore before the bike lane kicks in, and the crossings along the Memorial Bridge. Doable? Sure. Would I get used to it? Probably (see Gallows). Do I WANT to do it? Nope.

https://www.strava.com/activities/757290431 – this am, going through Rosslyn and Key Bridge (which at 6:20am is just lovely).

https://www.strava.com/activities/649115816 – via Memorial Bridge

I think I can avoid 50/Fillmore if I get on the Washington Blvd Trail (near 50 and 27) and then hop over to Uhle/Wayne.

Any tips on de-stressing the Memorial Bridge part? Even just getting to the Lincoln Monument annoys me. I guess coming back I could go through Rosslyn again (around 4:15-ish before full-on rush hour).

[scoot]

The Arlington part of your commute matches up well with mine (except that I’m riding much later, both morning and evening). Here’s what I like:

Mornings: Irving – Pershing – Highland – Clarendon – Lynn – Key Bridge – M
Evenings: Key Bridge – Fort Myer Dr – Nash – Wilson – Garfield – Washington – Fillmore (use sidewalk to bypass the immediate roadblock, then stay on Fillmore all the way down to Walter Reed)

[huskerdont]

Yeah, I’ve found Irving less stressful for x-ing Route 50 than Fillmore. Always go that way now, though it would add a bit to your route.

[dasgeh]

I would go under 50 (along 27) instead of over it

If I really want to go over, I would go take Irving.

But I would consider a short trip on the Pike.

[Tania]

I don’t mind adding miles – my normal commute is just under 14 each way so this one (6-ish) feels way too short.

The Under 50 Route (dageh’s first suggestion) is what I was looking at trying this afternoon and I’m sure the Pike at 6am isn’t bad for the half a mile or so I’d be on it. But ugh. Memorial Bridge. My least favorite.

[huskerdont]

@dasgeh 147998 wrote:

I would go under 50 (along 27) instead of over it

If I really want to go over, I would go take Irving.

But I would consider a short trip on the Pike.

You saved 18 or so minutes by braving the Columbia Pike/Washington Blvd. junction. I couldn’t do that on a regular basis, but that’s a substantial savings. Underscores the need to make some sort of connection from Pentagon/CC to points west.

[Tania]

The google maps time estimates are WAY off – my route this am was only 30 minutes even though I was puttering along because:

(Select all that apply)

A. The crescent moon and pink-tinged clouds were just too nice to look at
B. I don’t know where the potholes are on this route
C. Is that where I turn? I think this is the right way…
D. Man, I shoulda had some coffee.

[scoot]

@huskerdont 147997 wrote:

Yeah, I’ve found Irving less stressful for x-ing Route 50 than Fillmore. Always go that way now, though it would add a bit to your route.

A lot less traffic at Irving. I find it worth going a few blocks out of my way in the mornings for a much more comfortable crossing.

The evening is a different story though, possibly because I often ride after rush hour has passed. At that hour, I find that the paucity of traffic on Irving is actually a deterrent, because I have to push the beg button to get across. I never have to do that at Fillmore. Southbound is downhill, so I’m not much slower than the cars are for the narrow part of Fillmore south of 50. Plus at Fillmore you always get a full 30 seconds because the crosswalk activates every cycle, so I can often time the light and build up momentum from the descent north of 50. Watch out for the pavement condition south of 50 though!

[bentbike33]

@Tania 147999 wrote:

I don’t mind adding miles – my normal commute is just under 14 each way so this one (6-ish) feels way too short.

Since you might want more miles, have you considered going south of ANC/Pentagon and across the 14th St. bridge? Not sure how to get you there, but once across the river, 15th is a popular bike route.

[Judd]

@Tania 148001 wrote:

The google maps time estimates are WAY off – my route this am was only 30 minutes even though I was puttering along because:

(Select all that apply)

A. The crescent moon and pink-tinged clouds were just too nice to look at
B. I don’t know where the potholes are on this route
C. Is that where I turn? I think this is the right way…
D. Man, I shoulda had some coffee.

Google usually assumes that you will be biking at 10-12 mph. No “Click if your a bad ass like Tania to get an accurate time estimate” button yet.

[EasyRider]

@huskerdont 148000 wrote:

You saved 18 or so minutes by braving the Columbia Pike/Washington Blvd. junction. I couldn’t do that on a regular basis, but that’s a substantial savings. Underscores the need to make some sort of connection from Pentagon/CC to points west.

Going down the Pike from S. Courthouse to Orme is actually not too bad, I ride it every morning around 8:15. The key is to wait at the South Courthouse Rd. intersection until east bound Pike traffic gets the red light. Only then should you go. Stay in the left lane. I can usually get to the bottom of the hill before any cars overtake me, and I’m not very fast. Traffic is almost always stopped at the bottom of the hill at the light just before Washington Blvd. By then, you’re almost to your turn left onto Orme and down Southgate. Coming home, I always use the sidewalk on the north side of Columbia Pike. I can’t keep up with traffic going uphill, and the setting sun is in their eyes.

[Judd]

@bentbike33 148005 wrote:

Since you might want more miles, have you considered going south of ANC/Pentagon and across the 14th St. bridge? Not sure how to get you there, but once across the river, 15th is a popular bike route.

My Monday commute route (the only day that I don’t go to a coffee club) will get you there. I included a bonus loop at Hains Point which would get you up to 10 miles. I end up riding all the way around the Pentagon, cause I like it. You could instead turn left onto the trail at the 9/11 Memorial and then turn right into the Pentagon Reservation further down.

https://www.strava.com/activities/754465620

You could also pop down to Crystal City, take the Crystal City Connector to the Mt. Vernon Trail to 14th St Bridge to 15th St Cyclotrack:

https://www.strava.com/activities/755394112

If you’re feeling really ducky, you could bike the exact opposite way of where you’re headed to the W&OD to 4MRT to Mt. Vernon to 14th St Bridge to 15th St Cyclotrack. If you don’t want to ride the Pike on this route you can take the Bike Boulevards to the north of the Pike. Traffic going westbound in the morning is pretty light, especially the earlier you leave.

https://www.strava.com/activities/756399921

[Judd]

@Tania 147999 wrote:

I don’t mind adding miles – my normal commute is just under 14 each way so this one (6-ish) feels way too short.

The Under 50 Route (dageh’s first suggestion) is what I was looking at trying this afternoon and I’m sure the Pike at 6am isn’t bad for the half a mile or so I’d be on it. But ugh. Memorial Bridge. My least favorite.

Traffic is pretty low on the Pike at 6 a.m. Take the 14th Street Bridge instead. It avoids crossing over the George Washington Parkway early in the morning where cars may or may not stop for you. It also puts you through the LBJ Memorial Grove which is much better scenery.

[scoot]

@EasyRider 148011 wrote:

Going down the Pike from S. Courthouse to Orme is actually not too bad, I ride it every morning around 8:15. The key is to wait at the South Courthouse Rd. intersection until east bound Pike traffic gets the red light. Only then should you go. Stay in the left lane. I can usually get to the bottom of the hill before any cars overtake me, and I’m not very fast.

I also wait for the Courthouse light change when riding this stretch. Works great! I usually take the right lane and merge over further down the hill, as I do get passed by a few cars who have turned from Courthouse onto the Pike. but I get to the bottom before the herd coming straight through on Columbia Pike arrives.

Obviously this doesn’t work westbound. There I’ll either take the center of the right lane, or bail to a slow ride on the sidewalk. Depends on time of day, traffic level, visibility, etc.

[Tania]

@Judd 148010 wrote:

Google usually assumes that you will be biking at 10-12 mph. No “Click if your a bad ass like Tania to get an accurate time estimate” button yet.

That early in the am, I’m more PA than PAL. Don’t tell anyone.

[Author]

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