[Deb]

@Mark Blacknell 634 wrote:

Approval of the club’s use permit by the Board is not certain due to a number of other issues. But from a cyclist’s perspective, this is a moment we have been waiting for for many years.

But what are the “other issues”? It does not make sense to blindly support this item if there are downsides that outweigh the desire to create a crossing over 395.

[Deb]

@mpoethig 315 wrote:

Coming home from work I ride from the Roosevelt Island parking lot to the top of Upton Street off of Old Dominion near intersection with Lorcom Lane. At first this long uphill killed me–not being much of a bicyclist–but now I’m much stronger and it’s not so bad. Does anyone know what the elevation is for that stretch?

Margaret

What specific route do you take for this?

[Deb]

Go up Lorcom Lane from Spout Run Pkwy.
R – Nellie Custis Dr, turns into Military Rd
R – 30th St
L – Oakland St
R – Pollard St
R – Roberts Lane
L – Piedmont St
L – 36th St
R – Military Rd
R – 36th Rd
L – 38th St
R – Military Rd
L – Old Glebe Rd
L – Glebe Rd
QR – Upland St
R – 40th St
R – 39th St
L – River St*
L – Highwood Dr
L – Woodacre Dr
R – Laburnum St
L – Balsam Dr
L – Hardwood Lane
R – Oakdale Rd, continue straight on Woodley Rd
R – Forest Lane
L – Albemarle St
R – Delaware St
L – 36th St
R – Williamsburg St

*Going up 39th St from River St is a good climb, too.

Or, going back to Military Rd:
L – 35th St
L – Vermont St (becomes Rock Spring Rd)
Cross Glebe Rd if you can still breathe
L – Little Falls Rd
Straight at Yorktown Blvd (1st intersection with Yorktown)
L – Yorktown (2nd intersection with Yorktown) (becomes Little Falls St)
Cross Williamsburg onto Powhatan St
R – Kirby Rd
L – Ivy Hill Dr
R – Barbee St
R – Tucker Ave
R – Birch Rd, continue up Lorraine Ave
Continue on your choice of low-traffic roads with short steep hills…

[Deb]

Another incident, on Sunday morning:

http://www.arlnow.com/2010/03/09/developing-flasher-strikes-on-again-wod-trail/

This happened on the trail near Ashlawn Elementary School, between Carlin Springs and Wilson Blvd.

[Deb]

They should consider rescheduling during nice weather.

[Deb]

Thanks!

I was at The Bike Lane in Reston earlier this afternoon (I drove there on my lunch hour) and they said that they’ve heard the trail is clear all the way from Reston to Purcellville. But they hadn’t heard any updates about the problem areas in Vienna.

This is good news!

[Deb]

Does anyone have any updates on the WOD? I’d like to ride this weekend, either Shirlington-Vienna or Reston-Leesburg. I know some other folks who would like to get back to commuting by bike and are wondering about the section west of Vienna.

Thanks!

[Deb]

Is there a place to lock up your bicycle? Indoors or outdoors? – One bike rack in the underground parking area
Can you take your bike in the building and up to your desk area? – no one has tried, but I doubt they would approve
Is there a place to store and change clothes? – no
Shower? – no
Are there many other bike commuters at your workplace? – a few people will ride in if the weather is nice, but no regular bike commuters
Have you formed a club? – no
Does your employer offer the $20/month bike benefit? – don’t know
Any other bike activities through the workplace? no

I work in an office building in Arlington that is close to the Custis trail.

[Deb]

@Joe Chapline 102 wrote:

A multi-modal possibility would be to leave the W&OD and go south on Gallows Road to the Dunn Loring Metro station. That would cut about 9 miles off the bike ride. The Metro station is less than a mile from the trail, and Gallows Road has a bike-pedestrian path alongside it. You might not need to take your bike on Metrorail, since there’s a Metro station right in Rosslyn. I don’t know what the lighting situation is on the W&OD — I’ve never ridden on it at night. If it’s not lit, this might be something you could only do in the summer.

You wouldn’t be limited to summer, you would just need some good lights for the darker times of year. I know people who commute on the WOD and Custis trails year-round.

Some metro stations have bike lockers available for rent so you can leave your bike there for the train portion of your trip. It might be worth checking to see if Dunn Loring is one of those stations.

BTW I’ve heard that riding on Wilson Blvd is a faster alternative to the Custis trail, if you’re comfortable riding on-road. It has bike lanes.

[Author]

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