Arlington Cemetery Area Needs Better Paths and Signs

Following the letters about riding through Arlington Cemetery, Greg Ryan of Reston wrote in about biking around Arlington Cemetery.

As weekend touring cyclists, my wife and I traveled from Reston on bike paths to visit the Air Force-sponsored pro cycling race recently. Getting to the race's start and finish line was problematic, perhaps a reason that many cycling enthusiasts did not turn out to watch the event. Only by using Google satellite maps before leaving home were we able to find a safe route without traveling or crossing major highways in the area, such as the George Washington Parkway and Routes 110 and 1. Although there is a paved walkway between the Marine Corps War Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, it doesn't continue past the Pentagon or into Pentagon City or Crystal City.

I've been riding the Arlington Cemetery Trail pretty regularly lately on the way to and from school and I'll agree that it's hard to get around on if you don't know what you're doing. I'd love to see the route better signed from Memorial Bridge to Court House. There's one point, going up to U.S. Marine Memorial Circle, where a Bike Route sign appears to be sending cyclists in the wrong direction on a one-way street (the way that most cyclists actually go, so maybe a contraflow bike lane is in order).

And the same can be said for the route from Memorial Bridge to the Pentagon Memorial, Columbia Pike and through the tunnel under 395 to Pentagon City. There are no signs that tell you where you're going (and that path could be improved as I've noted before).

Once the Humpback Bridge is finished, the north underpass should include signs guiding users to Boundary Channel Drive and the south underpass should be connected to
Boundary Channel (and signed).

Photo by Kimberlyfaye

Comments

[Elyse]

I agree with you, I frequently need (and want) a trail from Memorial Bridge to the Columbia Pike area. Running along 27 is not necessarily enjoyable or safe. Does anyone know of a good route from the Georgetown area to Columbia Pike?