Biking on the GWMP - Not legal.

Allen Muchnick wrties (This was too important to leave in the comments):

It had been my understanding that NPS regulations for the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) prohibited bicycling only north of Marina Dr on Daingerfield Island (midway between Old Town and Reagan National Airport).

Since at least last November, however, GWMP regulations have banned bicycling on ALL of the GWMP roadway (and also on ALL of the Clara Barton Pkwy, where PPTC once held time monthly trials). These prohibitions are stated in regulations signed by the former GWMP park superintendent on 11-06-07 and supposedly updated annually [http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/parkmgmt/upload/Compendium.2007-11-06.pdf].

The unnecessary bike ban on the roadway south of Dangerfield Island and the moronic 15 MPH speed limit on the parallel Mount Vernon Trail must be changed. A 15 MPH bicycling speed limit is a de facto ban on transportation bicycling.

FWIW, the GWMP roadway proper (and NOT the Mount Vernon Trail) is still recognized by AASHTO and VDOT as the route of US Bicycle Route 1.

Update: Looking at the Compendium, it reads "Bicycling is prohibited [on]...the George Washington Memorial Parkway from Mt. Vernon Circle to Interstate 495". And according to the VDOT produced Bicycling in Virginia map, USBR 1 uses the Mt. Vernon Trail from Mt. Vernon to the Roosevelt Bridge (It shows the red line of USBR 1 going off the road and parallel to it at Mt. Vernon).

Comments

[mvm]

Does this include south of Old Town on the GW? On a Saturday or Sunday, the main roadway has lots of bikers. If that's really the law, maybe they should consider posting a sign or two.

"A 15 MPH bicycling speed limit is a de facto ban on transportation bicycling." Hmm, why would that be? I bike to work almost everyday on the Mt. Vernon trail, from the Mt. Vernon area. I go about 14 MPH, according to my speedometer and am passed by very few bikers. In fact, it sounds to me more like a de facto ban on speed training.

[MB]

I'm having a hard time reconciling your claim to go 14 mph, and being passed by few bikers. Maybe you're just talking about the hilly/curvy area near the southern end of the trail? I avoid MVT on the weekends, but use a short section (between Rosslyn and the 14th St. bridge) pretty regularly to get to Hains for lunchtime rides during the week. People aren't dawdling around at 15mph. No speedwork involved.