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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dr-gridlock/wp/2014/10/16/traffic-alert-cowboys-headed-to-d-c/

I wonder if that horse went through the intersection today.

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It seems to me that things have gone completely backwards over the last couple of days (from the point of view of bicyclists crossing Lynn)

The evening rush hour walk signal seemed really short yesterday, so I stopped there for a bit this morning to observe a few light cycles. The lead time from the walk signal to the green light is now 4-mississippi*, and the counter down timer starts a second after that. The countdown is only 15 seconds, so there is at most, 20 seconds of ‘good’ crossing time (and, as said, less than 5 to get off the curb if one doesn’t want to enter the intersection on the blinking red head)

*my watch broke the other day, haven’t replaced it yet

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It’s really just that one intersection at Irving, though. (and to a lesser extent, Edison). There are only five traffic signaled intersections between Pershing and Manchester (Fillmore, Irving, Henderson, Park, and Edison), but all of them (but Irving and Edison) have plenty of cross traffic and frequent (and I believe, timed rather than sensed) red intervals for Rt 50 traffic. It’s just Irving and Edison that are the ‘surprise’ reds. (and everyone gets antsy from the occasional vehicle trying to make a left there)

ETA: and frankly, it’s easier to cross 50 at grade at any signaled intersection than either George Mason Drive or (especially) Glebe Road.

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and a sickle?

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@Geoff 96284 wrote:

Last night, leaving my office at 8th & K NW about 4:45, headed toward G St., was blocked by cops who had several blocks blocked off. Cop cars with flashing lights all over. Helicopter hovering overhead. No sirens. Anybody have any idea what was going on? I’m used to random police activity closer to the White House, but this was different.

VIP event of some sort https://twitter.com/WTOPtraffic/status/519237762848157697 but who were the P’s, no idea.

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And the power company hates trees.

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Saw the Prime Minister of India and the guy he just took over from at Q and Mass this morning.

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@Steve O 95158 wrote:

The new connector was only completed in 2009, which isn’t all that long ago. Funny how it seems like it’s always been there now.
If you are really old, you will recall riding the Arlington Loop with dangerous grade crossings at the airport. Those bridges were opened on April 29, 2000.

Definitely. My first ten speed roughly coincided with the opening of the overpass over the Parkway by Roosevelt Island (87? 88?) which made the “Arlington” loop possible.

(“scare quotes” because one not only had to cross in Alexandria at the Martha Custis 395 overpass, but also between Mt Vernon/Arlington Ridge and Rt 1 for the good ol’ Wayne F Anderson Bikeway. which back in the day was in much much better shape than the stretch of the 4mr trail then existing along South Glebe. Now, not so much.)

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@mvk20 95138 wrote:

Anybody know what’s going on further down the street, past 23rd and by the water treatment plant and towards the 4MR trail?

The power company doing work on the transformers there.

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?7584-FMR-Trail-To-Be-Closed-at-S-Eads-St

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Before the Shirlington connector was built, it used to be the only way (or at least the most practical way) of doing the Arlington Loop.

Edit: I guess I am as old as, but not as quick as, a ‘very senior member’

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@dasgeh 94766 wrote:

Were the police there? The “safety campaign” was supposed to continue today…

There were 3 or 4 there sometime before 8 this morning when I rolled through there.

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@dkel 93721 wrote:

I’m slower than the pros, and slower than many pathletes, so I wouldn’t consider myself in the running for the tour. But recumbents are supposed to have speed potential beyond upright bikes, and yet I don’t think I’ve ever been passed by one on the trail. If the riders are all around average for the trail, shouldn’t there still be some speed demons on recumbents?

Aren’t they really bad at acceleration though? and especially hills? At least it’s my experience that airport area Mt Vernon trail recumbents are just about the slowest non-stroller vehicles out there, while Difficult Run valley ones are among the fastest.

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@DanB 93728 wrote:

My office building is right on Thomas Circle. Just wondering … what route do you take to the Key Bridge from the end of the M St bike lane to the bridge? I’ve avoided that route since getting stuck in massive traffic on M Street.

If M isn’t you’re thing (and it wasn’t mine for a long time), you can turn right on 28th and go up the hill to N, left on N to 34th, then down 34th to get back to the Key bridge approaches.

Backed up traffic on M (westbound) normally means backed up traffic on 34th, so I often enough just take the sidewalk (and normally walk it down due to the steepness and the cornerstore at the bottom) and the then cross at the light. (and take the downriver side path) If the traffic permits, though, I ride on the street, right onto M, take the right most of the left turning lane, then make the left onto the upriver Key bridge side path

https://goo.gl/maps/YwUx2

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Probably just keep on going on Fairfax Drive (which is more or less the Rt 50 frontage road past Rolfe), make a right onto Meade at Dark Star park, go across the bridge, then you’re at the top of the Iwo Jima/Netherlands Carrilion area.

https://goo.gl/maps/IjCHm

edit: Though is the portion of Fairfax drive between Rolfe and 14th open yet? It was kinda sorta open a couple of weeks ago when I rode through there, but a bit a of rough path (and without a curb cut yet to get from the path/wide sidewalk end to the road)

edit2 : oops, now I see you’re talking about the path on the south side of 50, not the north side. Haven’t done that yet.

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I’m going to defend the placement of the Cabi station (and not just because I live in one of the Braddock place developments). It’s far easier to get in and out of that station on a bike at that location than it would be at most other places around that misbegotten road junction and metro property fortress.

The king st station otoh, is indeed a bit of a pain due to its location on diagonal road up against a office park staircase and a rough entrance and exit (on diagonal) on both the Duke st and King st sides.

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