Sunday Video - Washington Boulevard Path

This video shows quite a few issues on a short stretch of trail. I used to ride this all the time. It needs some work.

Comments

[Michael H.]

Good video. I had always hoped that someone would take a video of that path to show the problems of that so-called trail.

[JJJJJ]

I think you linked to the wrong video. That's a video of someone using a bad sidewalk to bike, no trail was shown.

Also, I counted dozens of lawbreakers failing to yield at a crosswalk. Someone alert the media of the rampant criminal activity.

[Michael H.]

That's the correct video. It's the path along Washington Blvd. on the east side of Arlington Cemetery. Some sections of the route are paved trails, but one stretch is a sub-standard sidewalk.

[Greenbelt]

Lane width looks quite wide, and that's certainly not a truck route. Some narrow shoulder in spots -- too narrow to pull completely off, but taking up valuable space. They should narrow the lanes, ditch the shoulders, and widen the trail/sidewalkd by at least 4 feet, maybe more. Looks doable from the video.

[5555624]

Amusing.

I take this route every morning. I take part of it in the afternoon.

I've never had a problem passing runners and non-tourists, but I use a bell and then call out. (Every now and then, I've encountered some tourists who just stand there and look at me, without moving.)

The worst part of the "trail" is the portion just before and after it crosses over Rt 110. Other than the really narrow part just south of the bridge, I've passed cyclists and pedestrians on every part of this and never been concerned about toppling over the guard rail.

Taking the trail in the direction he takes it, south, those ramps are not a big problem. The heaviest traffic is the one at Memorial Bridge, from Rt 27 to the GW Parkway, but even his video shows a clear view of oncoming traffic. As he mentioned, they are all worse, traveling the other direction, when you have to look back to see traffic. While I do not dismount at the ramp crossings, he seems to prefer convenience over safety -- if you stop and dismount, you can get a clear, unhurried view of each crossing and walking (or running) across does not take much longer than riding (if you stopped).

The question I have, however is how did he get to the western end of the Memorial Bridge? Did he come from D.C.? If he is as concerned about making good time and having wide trails, then he could have crossed the George Mason Memorial Bridge and taken the (infamous) tunnel under the Humpback Bridge. That would eliminate the first 4:50 of the video and it's problems. (It's why I now only travel part of it in the afternoons.) Yes, I know, riding down Ohio Drive SW and crossing the George Mason Memorial Bridge would be a little longer.

The trail needs work.

[Ren]

Glad they made the video. I ride this way about 4-5 days per week (luckily it doesn't make me as motion-sick as the video did). To me, given the trail's lack of users, the poor maintenance and design of the trail are not a big deal. The much scarier issue is riding Columbia Pike through traffic trying to get on 27 before I get to the trail.

[MBT Sko Norge]

Velg sportsklær passer veldig viktig å være i stand til å tilpasse seg motoriske ferdigheter av sporten, kropp stretching, hopping, gå, stoppe, kjøre, hånd og fot bevegelser av komfort for å bli tatt i betraktning.