[napes]

Trailrunner offers good advice. Take an express bus to the Pentagon and ride from there. Most bikes fit on the front rack of the bus.

https://www.wmata.com/schedules/timetables/upload/18_171217.pdf

If you were to work too late for the 18 series, you could take the metro to Springfield and ride the 10-12 miles from there.

[napes]

Had a close call on Maine Friday. Really silly driver.
[video=youtube_share;upyaaZF1r0M]https://youtu.be/upyaaZF1r0M[/video]

[napes]

lordofthemark, you mean something like this?

[napes]

Sorry to hear about the collision and the mediocre Fairfax County Police response.

[napes]

Well, no harm, no foul. This sounds very much like a clipping I took in Annandale.

About 2pm near the intersection of Gallows and Annandale on 15 May 2013. https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=38.846738,-77.203476&spn=0.000567,0.000862&t=h&z=20 Police got no information on that incident whatsoever. An older driver collapsed his right mirror on my left upper arm when he attempted to pass.

I went to the Mason District police station, told the story to the dispatcher, and was told, essentially, “no harm, no foul.” She said since this was an “accident” with no property damage or injury, it was not reportable. Even if a policeman had shown up on scene, she said the patrolman would have given the same answer. So the police records will show nothing about that little incident either.

Fairfax County used to have an on-line form to report traffic transgressions. A letter would supposedly be sent to the transgressor. Budget woes caused this program to cease. It certainly would be nice to at least have that reporting mechanism back.

[napes]

As a military retiree who has ridden his commuter bicycle in Arlington National Cemetery along the authorized route, I’d like to comment.

Someone must certainly have shown disrespect, somewhere, for the Army to need to change their existing decades-long bicycle policy. I certainly hope that Congress can petition for more information on who exactly is showing disrespect in riding a bicycle according to existing policies. At present, the only individuals permitted to ride on Arlington Cemetery are those who are authorized to enter from Fort Myer/Henderson Hall, and who can then proceed along a long-designated and marked route downhill to the entrance.

So who are the bicycle riders who were disruptive or who showed disrespect, and what are the statistics? Since Fort Myer requires some form of official U.S. Government ID to enter, these would be the main categories:
Active Duty —
Retired —
Military dependents —
Other U.S. government personnel —
Guests of the above —

How do those statistics compare to the rest of the population visiting the cemetery?

If the answer is an awkward silence, then that will speak volumes.

I certainly hope our comments can help Representative Don Beyer fight this change. Thanks again to his staff for bringing this effort to light of day.

In fact, I would hope we could propose this change

Specifically, no person shall:

( Ride a bicycle or similar conveyance in an Army National Military Cemetery, except on a road or path, at all times yielding right of way to pedestrians.

instead of:

( Ride a bicycle or similar conveyance in an Army National Military Cemetery, except with a proper pass issued by the Executive Director to visit a gravesite or niche. An individual visiting a relative’s gravesite or niche may be issued a temporary pass by the Executive Director to proceed directly to and from the gravesite or niche on a bicycle or similar vehicle or conveyance.

and

(10) Drive any vehicle within an Army National Military Cemetery in excess of 15 miles per hour or the posted speed limit, whichever is lower.

instead of:

(10) Drive any motor vehicle within an Army National Military Cemetery in excess of the posted speed limit.

[napes]

Rails AND trails please in Northern Virginia. As someone who has seen excellent sidepaths along European train tracks, I would like to see some official government effort to get something similar along CSX and Norfolk Southern lines. Much of the rail property runs along the most level channel available.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11919[/ATTACH]
(source: http://www.virginiaplaces.org/rail/vre.html)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]11920[/ATTACH]
(source: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/financing/appendix/presentations/evans.htm)

[napes]

Vehicles passing at crosswalks is a pet peeve as well. Falls Church Representative Kaye Kory has given thought on the issue to try to clarify the pertinent Virginia Code. See
https://www.richmondsunlight.com/bill/2014/hb320/
https://www.richmondsunlight.com/bill/2013/hb1895/

Virginia Bicycle Federation has tracked this effort. http://www.vabike.org/hb82-cleared-hb320-delayed/

The only reason drivers can go above a walking speed is a compromise in the 1920’s whereby pedestrians were pushed to the side in exchange for pedestrian priority at crosswalks. Drivers now seem oblivious to their responsibilities at crosswalks. A crosswalk with multiple lanes of traffic is a particularly dangerous situation as people on foot or on bicycle may be obscured by stopped vehicles. The Uniform Vehicle Code has long had specific language for this situation.

Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC) § 11-502(d)
“Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle.”

According to Traffic Laws Annotated 1979, https://books.google.com/books?id=f3xPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=%22whenever%20any%20vehicle%20is%20stopped%20at%20a%20marked%22&f=false at least 41 states have laws in place in general accord with this Uniform Vehicle Code language.

Maryland’s law is in verbatim conformity http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2016rs/statute_google/gtr/21-502.pdf

Virginia’s current law is a mess, embedded in a code talking about railroad crossings, https://vacode.org/46.2-858/. Best guess is that maybe 10% of Virginia law enforcement personnel would interpret the current Virginia Code on “Passing at a railroad grade crossing” to include crosswalks. Nonetheless the book above links Virginia’s language to this particular UVC code, and notes that Virginia Code has:

“or while pedestrians are passing or about to pass in front of either of such vehicles, unless permitted so to do by a traffic light or police officer. (emphasis added.)”

One hopes that our legislators can eventually help clarify the Virginia Code so the issue could receive better enforcement.

[napes]

Holmes Run Trail may disappoint you. Last time I rode on it, it was better suited to mountain bikes and careful going. Only portions were paved.

If you are taking a bus to Arlington Mill, you could just hop on another bus, like the local 16A, for a ride all the way to Annandale along Columbia Pike. From there you could easily catch a local 401/402 bus along Gallows. Of course, you could also just take the lane on 35mph Gallows Road. You could also take a scenic detour to bypass some of the Gallows stress. That detour route is what I use heading back into Annandale along Gallows.

Annandale is not overly friendly terrain for bicycle riders as it has the 1950’s street architecture of cul-de-sacs and high speed main roads. Riding on Columbia Pike towards Annandale is not particularly enjoyable past Lincolnia Road. There are sidepaths or access roads available, though, along Columbia Pike from Blair Road to Lincolnia Road.

[napes]

TLDR summary: Cheap bus fares increased bus ridership on Columbia Pike.

Riders make rational economic and time-based decisions and rider data should underscore that cheap buses are generally more popular for those who care about money (ie: do not receive wonderful government Metrochek subsidies). A big part of why the current Columbia Pike ridership is high and increasing is that the present bus costs of riding along that route are set differently than the parallel and faster 395 alternative. I don’t remember the source, but I recall reading somewhere that the 16 A/B/D Local buses along Columbia Pike were typically among the fullest buses around. I certainly have been on it when it was standing-room only. Much of the Columbia Pike bus traffic does not head to Annandale, but my guess is that the ridership to Annandale is a reasonable proportion of the overall bus rider pool.

Annandale may have a minor, but as far as I know, unreported local story on how bus ticket prices affect ridership, and ultimately, maybe, even the political decision to build new infrastructure, like the Columbia Pike streetcar. This is a subset of the bigger story of how government Metrochek subsidies distort local market decisions, just as parking subsidies distort choices for car users. From what I remember, government employees receive Metrochek vouchers without tax implications and are, thereby, frequently more insensitive to paying Express bus costs at $3.65 a trip.

Bus riders between the Pentagon and Annandale can presently take:
1. Cheap slower very crowded Local buses that run on Columbia Pike. (16 A/B/D/L series). Costs are $1.60 using a SmarTrip card or $1.80 using cash.
2. Cheap slower Local buses that run on 395 and exit at Seminary Road (16L and 7X). Then one of the occasional 29K and 29N local buses which run along Duke Street and Little River Turnpike.
3. Expensive usually uncrowded and generally faster Express buses that run on 395 and exit at Little River Turnpike. (29 C/E/G/H series and some 17 series) Occasionally 29 series buses are delayed and end up full, but generally they have rarely been crowded, in my experience. The fare for express routes is $3.65 using a SmarTrip card or $4 using cash. (http://www.wmata.com/fares/)

My prediction is you will find an Express bus is full of English-speaking government employees with Metrochek plans. They are relatively immune to fare prices and just want to return home quickly. A local bus is more ethnically and linguistically diverse, more cost-conscious, with more cash-payers, and few recipients of Metrocheks.

The high ridership number along Columbia Pike has been one of the fundamental arguments for the Columbia Pike streetcar effort. Personally, I would have welcomed a good streetcar line along Columbia Pike to reduce single occupancy vehicles. Bus ticket prices, however, intentionally or accidentally, also appear to drive ridership numbers along Columbia Pike in favor of an argument for a streetcar line. If someone would change some Express 395 bus fares to Local fares, my guess is that the pressure on Columbia Pike bus service would diminish somewhat. I’m sure it is a challenging issue to calculate fares and appropriate subsidies on these bus lines, but as far as I can tell it is an opaque process, with limited opportunity for public input.

[napes]

I’ll try to be there at Columbia Pike and the W&OD Trail, Thursday, November 13, although I may not be there the full shift from 5pm-7pm.

[napes]

At least two bicyclists were there, lordofthemark and napes, and we had enough time to speak. It was an interesting discussion and process. The question of traffic calming in the form of speed humps will next go to the selected Old Columbia Pike area residents for their decision. If enough households approve, it will eventually happen. If too many disapprove or they don’t get enough ballots back, the issue will have to wait two years before it can be addressed again. At least there is nothing in the wind about raising speed limits from (a frequently ignored) 25 mph. There is also a possible effort to get the existing side path extended a few hundred more feet, which would greatly improve that path’s usefulness.

[napes]

Presumably anyone who wants to speak can speak. I am not in the voting area, and plan to attend.

I have ridden my bicycle on Old Columbia Pike hundreds of times in my commuting and shopping runs, so have a vested interest in at least keeping the speed at or below 25 mph. There is no doubt many drivers would like to see the speed increase.

A complete sidewalk or side path would be worth asking for. A completed sidewalk on Columbia Pike (history dating from 1810) itself would also be worth asking for, since there are still major breaks in Annandale. If we were wishing for even more, Little River Turnpike (chartered in 1796) really could use fully connected sidewalks and usable shoulders in Annandale.

Oh, wait, what we really need is an outer bypass.

[napes]

From Annandale to Fort Myer/the Pentagon, you might also try this route. This takes the McWhorter Place cut through in Annandale to avoid much of Little River Turnpike pain, then a northern bypass to Columbia Pike to avoid most of the Columbia Pike pain. There are few hairy spots going, but returning isn’t as much fun on Little River Turnpike, since VDOT has never paved a shoulder on the north side of Little River Turnpike near the George Mason library.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Wakefield+Park&daddr=38.8290091,-77.1902862+to:38.8252841,-77.1741601+to:38.8559703,-77.1307313+to:38.8632907,-77.1065079+to:38.8638012,-77.1043231+to:38.8639128,-77.1038598+to:38.8690008,-77.086987+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&ll=38.849334,-77.149086&spn=0.131818,0.209427&sll=38.869735,-77.085142&sspn=0.008236,0.013089&geocode=FRRRUAIdCK1l-w%3BFdF7UAIdcitm-ylNPTT9LLO3iTEbb0makI3hMQ%3BFURtUAIdcGpm-ynLk4q1I7O3iTFehuw_pNFS0g%3BFSLlUAIdFRRn-ynjgjz9dbS3iTGvLtMFv-Prjg%3BFboBUQIdtXJn-ynDLEqtHLS3iTFFJQLBFrEJ-A%3BFbkDUQIdPXtn-ylxtSA9HbS3iTET7QPhsv5Log%3BFSgEUQIdDX1n-ymPBShrHbS3iTFd2RGyw6WYKA%3BFQgYUQId9b5n-yl7ihK6vba3iTEIkMqMQnBQHQ%3BFa0kUQId3dpn-w&t=m&dirflg=b&mra=dpe&mrsp=7&sz=16&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7&z=12&lci=bike

@Rogburt 58559 wrote:

Matt

I ride from North Springfield to Arlington via Hummer/Annandale Rd to WO&D to Custis/end at Glebe (12.1 mi)… after taking that you could continue on the WO&D to Army Navy Drive or Custis to Lady Bird Johnson park….just a thought.

[napes]

By the way, these SLOW signs are only in part-jest. The STOP signs really should go, but some sort of warning sign is probably appropriate. STOP signs simply confuse drivers on who has right of way, frustrate driver-bicyclist interactions when drivers see our “scofflaw” compatriots roll through them (despite probably knowing how many drivers roll through regular stop signs), and confuse some trail users as well on actual right-of-way. On the other hand, drivers of motor vehicles pose real danger at crosswalks, and vulnerable users ought to be warned of that real-world danger.

One VDOT survey reported vast uncertainty on who has right of way at WO&D style crossings. Of those responding in a survey, 63 percent thought motor vehicles have the right-of-way; 28 percent thought trail users; and 8 percent did not know.” (pg 61 of http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/11-r9.pdf) Those numbers are almost unbelievable, but in light of Northern Virginia crosswalk experiences, those numbers may reflect the chasm of misunderstanding and lack of law enforcement support.

The graphic below shows the lesser, more marginal candidates for part-serious part-jest SLOW signs. Anyone who wants to generate alternates, can easily develop the graphics from http://www.safetysign.com/products/p34941/custom-slow-down-sign

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3326[/ATTACH]

[Author]

Posts