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Snow had covered the Custis & TR Bridge this morning. But as a benefit to the cold, it was not slick at all – just squeaky. Easy peasy to ride on.

I’ll probably still take Key Bridge home, because I’m risk adverse. (But not as risk adverse as the APS parents screaming that they didn’t cancel school because there is white on the street).

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I biked this morning. No problems. I also have hydraulic brakes.

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@ginacico 186524 wrote:

So since we’re over here in the General corner NOT talking about Freezing Saddles , I have a .02 comment/suggestion for your Feb meeting.

Does Arlington have cops on bikes? Could one or two of them make it their job to ride around Crystal City at various times of day? Because I guarantee they could hand out a slew of tickets to people poaching the bike lanes. Even more importantly, they’d get a sense of who those drivers are (mostly rideshare?), interact with and educate people, and gain some perspective on how bad and dangerous the problem is.

One of the things i heard last night was that maybe Crystal City drivers are “still getting used to” the bike lanes, and don’t know quite how to behave. On bikes, ACPD could help with both education and enforcement at the ground level. Being our advocates from a shared POV could be a whole lot more effective.

Thanks. I’ll bring this up.

As reference, I’ve been asking for ACPD officers on bikes since I joined the BAC. I have not been successful — ACPD consistently says their officers need to be flexible to get to wherever they need to be. There are also many fewer ACPD officers in Arlington than MPD in DC at any given time (per area and per capita). In fact, ACPD is short staff and announced that they cut back on traffic enforcement. We can follow up on where they are on staffing, as they got the budget increase they requested for this year.

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@infinitebuffalo 186614 wrote:

Where is the meeting held?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

2100 Clarendon Blvd (Courthouse), 3rd floor conference room (it’s on the atrium – if you come up the stairs or elevator, just look for bikes)

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Yes, ACPD has been engaging with the BAC and the Pedestrian Advisory Committee. In fact, they’ll be at our February joint meeting. If you have questions, post them here or get them to me in whatever form works for you by next Wednesday!

Oddly enough, they monitor Twitter but don’t like people posting this stuff on Twitter. It’s annoying, because reporting via Twitter allows for transparency. *sigh*

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Congrats on getting published. That’s super cool.

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@scoot 186426 wrote:

The underpass along Washington Blvd has high-speed highway ramp crossings. Drivers going from 50EB to 27EB are especially reluctant to stop or yield. I prefer to avoid this interchange entirely.

I don’t mind these ramp crossings because (1) there are good sightlines, (2) at the bottom of the 50EB-27EB ramp, drivers generally have to stop anyway, and (3) because of the traffic lights on Washington Blvd and 50, there are gaps in cars. I find that smiling and waving in the most friendly way possible while starting to roll forward is the best way to get drivers to stop.

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Google has some bad information, so isn’t giving you some of the better options.

If you don’t mind a little bit of riding on the Pike, I’d take this route (Memorial Bridge -> 27 Trail -> Pike (stay on the trail there) -> Southgate Road -> Orme -> Pike (sidewalk) -> NEW TRAIL STARTING AT TOWERS PARK -> 6th -> Walter Reed (If you’re feeling confident, you can save the detour via the new trail, but the sidewalk along the Pike gets very, very bad, so you’ll have to take the lane — the trail route adds 1/2 mile).

If you want to avoid the Pike entirely, I’d take this route: the south side 50 trail to Pershing, as recommended, but I’d then take Edgewood to the “Secret Trail” (I don’t know what the official name is, but it runs behind Long Branch ES), and then the trail along 27 to Syphax.

The Rte 50 route adds 1 mile over the Pike + trail route. Personally, I’d take the Pike + trail route.

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If anyone can fix the title to be January 2019, that would be nice.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

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Just in case anyone was wondering: Trollheim and TR Bridge are clear! (There’s some snow on the Trollheim, but plenty of space to ride).

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You’ve gotten good advice so far, and I’d definitely start out on the CCT.

@Crickey7 186271 wrote:

Don’t forget there are no lights or stop signs on the CCT, so your average speed will be higher. Honestly, I’d do it just to avoid riding the surface streets through Georgetown.

Note that L Street is an alternative to K depending where you’re going. The cycletrack there is very good till Connecticut.

I’ve found Georgetown is fine in the morning, but less so at night. For the World Bank, the streets south of K are all fine. Just remember that when you’re in the middle of GW’s campus just before or after class, students seem to treat all streets like the quad.

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@dasgeh 185953 wrote:

How’s the Memorial Bridge? I didn’t love the Custis-Key Bridge commute this morning, and may go back to my roads to the Iwo Jima – 11 trail – Memorial Bridge route.

Answered my own question: Memorial Bridge is completely clear. As is the entire connection between Marshall Drive and the Bridge (including the 110 Trail). Yay.

@DrP 186009 wrote:

I tried a different route home (well gym). Joyce to Columbia Pike to Washington Blvd Trail East (the one along the Pentagon) to 110 trail through the park with Iwo Jima to Lynn to Custis to Quincy.

I would recommend roads after the 110 Trail. Specifically, Marshall – Meade – 50 service road – Rhodes – 14th/15th/Veitch (same road, changes names) – Wilson – Fairfax.

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@DrP 186006 wrote:

Washington Blvd Trail East (the old one) and Washington Blvd Trail West (the new one)?

Rolls off the tongue…

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@semperiden 185937 wrote:

The trail next to 27/Washington Blvd was clear from Columbia Pike all the way to Arlington Memorial Bridge. MVT from Arlington Memorial through Trollheim was really bad. I tried to put up a good fight riding it on my 32s, but on hindsight, it should have been faster walking it.

Rosslyn hill on Custis was clear, except for a patch between the sound wall.

Now there are 2 trails next to 27/Washington Blvd and both start near Columbia Pike (the old one, connecting to Memorial Bridge, and the new one, Towers Park to Courthouse Road). It would be great to have clear names for them…

How’s the Memorial Bridge? I didn’t love the Custis-Key Bridge commute this morning, and may go back to my roads to the Iwo Jima – 11 trail – Memorial Bridge route.

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@SpaceRider 185289 wrote:

There are a lot of branches on the trail due to the high winds the last two days, but just north of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, there’s a large tree completely crossing the trail. I took a picture and am sending it to the superattendant for trail maintenance, but with the shut down, I’m not sure when they’ll get to it.

You might send to Alexandria, too.

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