Which way do you prefer between the Mason Bridge and Pentagon Metro?

[ShawnoftheDread]

There’s the scofflaw’s shortcut from the tunnel on the south end of Humpback Bridge. It bypasses the Johnson Grove and footbridge, but requires you to ride in the grass along the ramp off 395 to Boundary Channel Dr.

[DismalScientist]

How about the Crystal City metro and using the connector and MVT?

[lordofthemark]

@DismalScientist 47839 wrote:

How about the Crystal City metro and using the connector and MVT?

I live in metroless Annandale – I ride to the Pentagon metro to access buses, not the metro itself. I could try going to the busstop across from the mall – but that works for the 16 bus, won’t work for the express buses when I try commuting, I’m not sure it will be that much easier, and it doesn’t look like as pleasant a place to wait at the Pentagon.

[lordofthemark]

I’m thinking of trying that – anyone use it regularly? Does it work? Have enough people used it to create a “desire path” through the grass?

[ShawnoftheDread]

@lordofthemark 47844 wrote:

I’m thinking of trying that – anyone use it regularly? Does it work? Have enough people used it to create a “desire path” through the grass?

I’ve used it twice. Where the trail ends there’s a desire path, but less of one on the other side.

[DismalScientist]

@lordofthemark 47828 wrote:

Today for a change I tried turning right off the footbridge, to the side path on Rte 27 and around by the 9-11 memorial.

Is there some other way I should know about?

If you take the Washington Blvd (27) sidepath, you are already sufficiently north that I would cross at the Memorial bridge as well, although this requires an additional parkway crossing (you’ve already done this once going this way).

Another alternative is the pedestrian tunnel under 395 at the south parking lot to the Pentagon, which put you across from the north entrance of the Pentagon City Mall. From their you can get to the Crystal City connector for the MVT.

[lordofthemark]

I didn’t want to deal with navigating among the tourists back from the FDR memorial to the south side of the Memorial bridge (I’ve never ridden on the Memorial bridge, and was not 100% sure of the route, despite the DC bike map I had) and figured I would rather try a different route from the 14th street bridge to the Pentagon, which might me more useful for me in the future, as my commute would be to near the Navy Yard.

I will probably try the tunnel to Pentagon City though (I walked it long ago when I was on a contract at the Pentagon)

[Author]

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