Route from Capitol Hill to Washington Hospital Center

[TwoWheelsDC]

I’ve only been there by car, but I’ve been there a lot since that’s my wife’s VA hospital. The approach from the west always seemed to be much quieter than coming from the east, although that would essentially be the long way ’round. However, if she rode up the MBT to R, then west to 6th, then north to T and back over to 4th, she could link up with the 5th St bike lane and onto the sidewalk on Hobart/Irving. Again, it’s the long way ’round, but it’s fairly bike friendly and not so stabby as the upper portions of the MBT. So maybe this?

http://goo.gl/maps/3D9U6

R, then west to 1st may also be an option, but I don’t have a good sense for what traffic is like on 1st, and it looks kinda narrow.

[eminva]

@TwoWheelsDC 44447 wrote:

maybe this?

http://goo.gl/maps/3D9U6

R, then west to 1st may also be an option, but I don’t have a good sense for what traffic is like on 1st, and it looks kinda narrow.

This is the route I would recommend, too, or the alternative suggestion of 1st. 1st is a quiet residential street, although narrow, very bikeable.

You are trending uphill, though.

Liz

[DaveK]

That looks great and I like that it’s through Howard’s campus as well as she will be riding at night… I think we’ll go try a couple of variations but MBT > R St > northish looks perfect.

[jrenaut]

Anyone have suggestions on crossing Florida? Doing it at R is unpleasant at best – because it’s diagonal, it’s a really broad stretch of road to cross, and the cross traffic doesn’t stop.

[eminva]

@jrenaut 44453 wrote:

Anyone have suggestions on crossing Florida? Doing it at R is unpleasant at best – because it’s diagonal, it’s a really broad stretch of road to cross, and the cross traffic doesn’t stop.

Good point — you can avoid it altogether by going north on First, crossing Rhode Island (there is a signal at 1st and RI) and cutting west on the neighborhood streets from there (or continuing north on First). That neighborhood has gotten quite vibrant in the last few years and there should be plenty of foot traffic even in the evening.

Liz

[Rootchopper]

Yes, she was communting east to west in December on MI avenue near North Capitol when she was rear ended by a pick up truck. The pick up got the better of the collision. She is still recovering (broken right arm). Her bike was KIA.

I’ve ridden on MI Ave in that area on the weekends and during the 50 States Ride (held on a Sunday). It’s a pretty hairy place to be on a bike.

[DaveK]

I think this is turning out to be the winner – we’ll test it out one of these weekends before she starts.

http://goo.gl/maps/7yWwZ

[Brendan von Buckingham]

1st Street NW is a great street, good choice. Stop sign at every intersection keeps traffic volume and speed low, beautiful houses. Try K Street as your E/W to 1st St NW. If you can manage the underpass at the rr tracks it saves a good chunk of time and gives the advantage of all of 1st Street’s good crossings over the avenues. Depends how you feel about Sursum Corda, but I’ve never had a problem.

[DaveK]

@Brendan von Buckingham 44724 wrote:

1st Street NW is a great street, good choice. Stop sign at every intersection keeps traffic volume and speed low, beautiful houses. Try K Street as your E/W to 1st St NW. If you can manage the underpass at the rr tracks it saves a good chunk of time and gives the advantage of all of 1st Street’s good crossings over the avenues. Depends how you feel about Sursum Corda, but I’ve never had a problem.

It will be a female friend of mine riding alone, so I imagine she’ll want to steer clear of Sursum Corda… though I hear the fun parts are much smaller these days and it’s not nearly as bad as it used to be. Still, best not to find out.

[Author]

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