When to use the Wilson Bridge Bike Lane

The Wilson Bridge Bike lane should come into service some time this May. So it brings something we haven't had for a long time, a new Potomac River Crossing. I used to work at NRL and have classes in Alexandria. It was awful. I could look across the river at my school building, and see the Wilson Bridge and then spend the next 40 minutes biking away from both. But those days will soon be over - I graduate in early June (god-willing). Still, I was wondering, when it is worth it to use the Wilson and when isn't it?

To find out I mapped what I think is the best loop from the entrance point to the Wilson bike/ped path across the river and then the shortest route to the 14th Street Bridge (across the South Capitol Street Bridge) and then back to the Wilson on the Mt. Vernon Trail. It is possible that using Washington Street is faster, but I didn't route it that way. It's almost exactly a 20-mile loop. And convienently the halfway point is on the South Capitol Street Bridge.

So I came up with this (ignoring times you'd use one of the other bridges):

Starting in Virginia
    North of the 14th street bridge
        Going to DC or Maryland inside the Beltway - use the 14th
        Going to Maryland south of the Beltway - use Wilson
   South of the Wilson
        Going to DC east of the Anacostia or to Southern Maryland - use Wilson
        Going to DC west of the Anacostia - use the 14th
   Between the Wilson and the 14th
        It depends, you'll have to measure the loop (find the point 10 miles from where you're starting)
Starting in DC or Maryland
    Reverse the above rules

photo by Rootchopper

Comments

[freewheel]

Thanks for this info.

So I take it that Rootchopper climbed over the barricade to get that picture?

[Rootchopper]

The baricades were not up the day I took the picture some months ago.

[MVMike]

"The Wilson Bridge Bike lane should come into service some time this May." What is the basis for this statement? Has an official date been announced? The WWB people have delayed opening this path for the better part of 18 months. A friend of mine told me it was unlikely to ever open due to security concerns. (Why build it? They got more DOT money to build the bike lane than it cost to construct it.) Is she wrong? (I hope so...but I'm skeptical.)

[Washcycle]

I base it opening in May on their last update from early January, where they said it would open in late Spring. I guess that could still be June and be correct.

I can't imagine that there are any security concerns that will keep it from opening. What makes this crossing different from the others in the area? In my emails with the Wilson Bridge people they've never indicated any concerns. And they're still working hard to finish it. So I would say it might slip again, but I remain confident it will open soon.