Springfield to Georgetown

[micahmac]

Is anyone planning on riding this route?

[smd_bender]

Springfield to Pentagon… might be routing too far east to be the direction you were planning to travel?

[Judd]

There’s usually a bike caravan from the Springfield area for Bike to Work Day. Not sure how many folks did it last year.

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[micahmac]

@smd_bender 159038 wrote:

Springfield to Pentagon… might be routing too far east to be the direction you were planning to travel?

Here is my route:

https://www.strava.com/routes/4912544

[bobco85]

@micahmac 160141 wrote:

Here is my route:

https://www.strava.com/routes/4912544

I think the route looks good, and you’ll have quite an enjoyable ride using a lot of different trails in the area (Ffx Co Pkwy, Franconia-Springfield Pkwy, Eisenhower Ave, Potomac Yard, Mount Vernon, & Rock Creek Park Trails).

If you’re comfortable riding for a bit longer on Franconia Rd, might I recommend this route to avoid the Van Dorn St/Eisenhower Ave mess: https://goo.gl/maps/vca4yGk1f7x It uses a bike lane on Franconia Rd, neighborhood streets (it looks complicated, but if you’ve got your route map, you’ll be fine; plus, it’s a very nice way once you know where you’re going), and the Eisenhower Connector puts you only a few blocks away from the Eisenhower Ave Trail.

Looks like you have the opportunity to visit 4 pit stops on your route (times the pit stops are open):

• Springfield / Metro Park at Walker Lane (6:30-8:30 a.m.)
• Alexandria – Carlyle (6:30-8:30 a.m.)
• Arlington – Crystal City Water Park (7-9 a.m.)
• Georgetown Waterfront Park (7:30-9:30 a.m.)

Given your route says it will take 2:05 to get from start to finish and assuming 15 minutes per stop, you’re likely going to spend about 3:05 to do the whole thing. Have fun!

[micahmac]

Thanks – I biked that route a few years ago with a convoy, but on Franconia from Van Dorn to Bush Hill (almost a mile) there is no bike lane – only sidewalk and the right travel lane and I would not be comfortable in biking it alone.

@bobco85 160148 wrote:

I think the route looks good, and you’ll have quite an enjoyable ride using a lot of different trails in the area (Ffx Co Pkwy, Franconia-Springfield Pkwy, Eisenhower Ave, Potomac Yard, Mount Vernon, & Rock Creek Park Trails).

If you’re comfortable riding for a bit longer on Franconia Rd, might I recommend this route to avoid the Van Dorn St/Eisenhower Ave mess: https://goo.gl/maps/vca4yGk1f7x It uses a bike lane on Franconia Rd, neighborhood streets (it looks complicated, but if you’ve got your route map, you’ll be fine; plus, it’s a very nice way once you know where you’re going), and the Eisenhower Connector puts you only a few blocks away from the Eisenhower Ave Trail.

Looks like you have the opportunity to visit 4 pit stops on your route (times the pit stops are open):

• Springfield / Metro Park at Walker Lane (6:30-8:30 a.m.)
• Alexandria – Carlyle (6:30-8:30 a.m.)
• Arlington – Crystal City Water Park (7-9 a.m.)
• Georgetown Waterfront Park (7:30-9:30 a.m.)

Given your route says it will take 2:05 to get from start to finish and assuming 15 minutes per stop, you’re likely going to spend about 3:05 to do the whole thing. Have fun!

[bobco85]

@micahmac 160152 wrote:

Thanks – I biked that route a few years ago with a convoy, but on Franconia from Van Dorn to Bush Hill (almost a mile) there is no bike lane – only sidewalk and the right travel lane and I would not be comfortable in biking it alone.

Sometime in 2015, a bike lane was added to Franconia Rd on that stretch, and it has made a huge difference in the bike-friendliness of that road. I used to avoid riding on Franconia Rd, too, until the bike lane was installed.

The bike lane runs from the entrance of Thomas Edison HS to Bush Hill Dr. You can see it here in Google Map’s Streetview: https://goo.gl/maps/bXXsdhqQfXC2 Most of the imagery is out of date, but the bike lane shows up on Google Maps in the satellite view.

It might be worth considering for a future ride, at the very least, but it’s still dependent on your level of comfort.

[Judd]

@bobco85 160155 wrote:

Sometime in 2015, a bike lane was added to Franconia Rd on that stretch, and it has made a huge difference in the bike-friendliness of that road. I used to avoid riding on Franconia Rd, too, until the bike lane was installed.

The bike lane runs from the entrance of Thomas Edison HS to Bush Hill Dr. You can see it here in Google Map’s Streetview: https://goo.gl/maps/bXXsdhqQfXC2 Most of the imagery is out of date, but the bike lane shows up on Google Maps in the satellite view.

It might be worth considering for a future ride, at the very least, but it’s still dependent on your level of comfort.

I’ve also ridden this bike lane a few times and didn’t feel uncomfortable. Just looked at the Google Street View from before the bike lane was added and there’s no way I would have ridden it before unless I REALLY REALLY needed to. Amazing how a bit of paint changes things. If you do decide to give the route Bobco posted, I recommend a box turn at the stop light at Rose Hill Drive to get to Bush Hill Drive.

[scoot]

I used to commute to Fort Belvoir through there, before the new bike lane was painted on Franconia. I found the Clermont Connector route far more pleasant than the route along Van Dorn and the west end of Eisenhower.

I did cut out a bit of Franconia by extending the residential part around past Bush Hill Elementary, making a few more turns before reaching Franconia at Brookland Rd. Early morning traffic was light enough that I felt comfortable taking a lane on Franconia from Brookland all the way to Beulah, albeit with some care to watch for potential right-hooks when approaching Van Dorn from the east. Afternoon traffic eastbound on Franconia was a parking lot before Van Dorn and a race track after Van Dorn, so I would bail to the sidewalk from Em to Edison High, cut through the school bus parking area, then I would usually wait for that signal to stop Franconia traffic so I could get over to Brookland safely.

[ChampionTier]

@bobco85 160148 wrote:

I think the route looks good, and you’ll have quite an enjoyable ride using a lot of different trails in the area (Ffx Co Pkwy, Franconia-Springfield Pkwy, Eisenhower Ave, Potomac Yard, Mount Vernon, & Rock Creek Park Trails).

If you’re comfortable riding for a bit longer on Franconia Rd, might I recommend this route to avoid the Van Dorn St/Eisenhower Ave mess: https://goo.gl/maps/vca4yGk1f7x It uses a bike lane on Franconia Rd, neighborhood streets (it looks complicated, but if you’ve got your route map, you’ll be fine; plus, it’s a very nice way once you know where you’re going), and the Eisenhower Connector puts you only a few blocks away from the Eisenhower Ave Trail.

Looks like you have the opportunity to visit 4 pit stops on your route (times the pit stops are open):

• Springfield / Metro Park at Walker Lane (6:30-8:30 a.m.)
• Alexandria – Carlyle (6:30-8:30 a.m.)
• Arlington – Crystal City Water Park (7-9 a.m.)
• Georgetown Waterfront Park (7:30-9:30 a.m.)

Given your route says it will take 2:05 to get from start to finish and assuming 15 minutes per stop, you’re likely going to spend about 3:05 to do the whole thing. Have fun!

That’s the route I take to work and the neighborhood is a great way to mitigate risk in the AM & PM. In the afternoons, it seems that the Eisenhower Connector and Franconia Rd (esp. crossing Van Dorn St to get to Beulah) are the two riskiest areas.

If anyone’s interested in joining up, I’m heading out from the Walker Lane Pit Stop at 7am tomorrow, heading toward the Pentagon, Ft McNair, and then back to Springfield (ironically, I’m off work tomorrow).

[Author]

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