Yesterday was nice enough (sans fog in the morning), plus it was a short day for us (4 hour shifts instead of the usual 8), so I tried bike commute #2. Route wasn't much different than before, except that I used Crystal Dr to 12th St to Old Jeff Davis Hwy to Boundary Channel Dr.
Given my experience yesterday, it's looking like 40-45 minutes will be the standard for the bike commute time. I'm thinking the 38-minute inbound trip for bike commute #1 was a fluke...likely due to the moderate tailwind I had that morning.
Crystal Drive could stand to see a new layer of pavement, especially north of 26th St. Old Jeff Davis Hwy had REALLY bad pavement, though I imagine this street is a low priority for Arlington. In additon, there's some construction near the south end of the new Long Bridge Park that has the road all tore up.
I've learned that going north through Crystal City is fairly easy. The problem is heading back south...there's no good way to do it. Clark St is the nominal way, but has poor pavement, a hill to climb the overpass at 18th St, and interconnected signals with adjacent Route 1 that are all a mess. The best I've come up with requires sidewalk riding in two spots on Crystal Drive: at 15th St, then again from 23rd down to Potomac Ave.
No bike commutes next week. I have company in town. Anticipating my next one on the 28th.
3 comments:
Here's how you get through CC heading home. Take Boundary Channel to Clark Street (the torn up mess near Long Bridge Par). At the 12th Street traffic light go straight up the incline. That will take you straight to Potomac Drive. Also you can take a right on 12th to Fern Street then a left on Fern. That will take you straight to 4 Mile Run.
Keep at it. The improving weather will make you miss your commute on the weekends!
I imagine they're going to fix Old jefferson Davis Hwy (soon to be renamed Long Bridge Road) when they finish the utility improvements on the highway side (which I think are for the Pentagon) and/or build the Boeing office building where the Twin Bridges Marriott used to be and/or finish the north end of the Long Bridge park.
Oops I read this wrong http://news.arlingtonva.us/pr/ava/arlington-county-board-approves-217674.aspx
The new HQ will be south of Long Bridge park (with something else at the old Twin Bridges site). In any case, they're still probably going fix the road after all the surrounding construction traffic is diminished, otherwise there's no point
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