Thanks to Chevy Chase the interim Capital Crescent Trail is going to suck, just like Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase sucks and, as a result, it looks like the (official) interim Capital Crescent Trail is going to too. 

the route proposed by planners would take walkers and cyclists entering the [interim] Capital Crescent Trail from the entrance near Bethesda Row on a sign-guided route through streets in downtown Bethesda, then north along Pearl Street and Maryland Avenue, east onto Jones Bridge Road and through Rock Creek Park, and then onto roads in the Lyttonsville area before arriving in downtown Silver Spring.

The interim route does not include installation of new cycling infrastructure—such as separated bike lanes—and depends on riders and walkers using the signs to guide themselves while traveling the route.

To quote one commenter

I'm a very confident road/off-road cyclist and ride Jones Bridge regularly on the weekends. It's dangerous and can be terrifying. As a designated cycle route, it borders on irresponsible in its current state. I'd like to invite County planners to ride it during commuting hours and see what they think.

The reason for this route is that the Town of Chevy Chase refused to allow Montgomery County to route the interim trail through its streets once the Georgetown Branch Trail closes for Purple Line construction.

Chevy Chase Town Manager Todd Hoffman said Wednesday town leaders and residents are concerned that the town’s narrow streets can’t safely accommodate the number of cyclists and walkers who may use the interim trail. He also said there are concerns about whether those users would conflict with ongoing utility replacement projects in the town.

Or maybe they're still sore about the Purple Line project which they have doggedly opposed for decades, even though "The Town of Chevy Chase says it has ended its active opposition to the Purple Line and will aim to work cooperatively with the Maryland Transportation Administration to resolve concerns about the line's design. A September 9, 2015, Town Council meeting approved a resolution stating that “the Town of Chevy Chase wishes to focus its efforts on mitigation of, rather than opposition to, the Purple Line.”"

Anyway, the only reasonable thing to do is to create an unofficial route that uses the roads in Chevy Chase. Putting such a route online is easy, but to really be effective, it has to also be on the streets. I see the plan working like this:

1. Crowdsource a route from the Bethesda end of the CCT to the Silver Spring Transit Center. I'm thinking it would start on Willow and Leland and then maybe Beach, W Beach, Kalmia, E Beach, N Portal and Colesville Road, but that's after a quick glance and without intimate knowledge of the area. I'm sure others from up there could do better.
2. Post the route on the internet in as many places as possible.
3. Nap (I always like to work one of these in when I can)
4. Trail blaze it with a combination of paint and stickers. A few rolls of this could do the trick.
5. Watch Chevy Chase's utility repairs grind to a halt. Not going to be able to watch your precious "Matlock" reruns without cable are you Chevy Chase?

I'd be happy to help coordinate these things if people are interested. 

The proposed interim trail route from Bethesda to Silver Spring. (Blue line drawn by Bethesda Beat for emphasis- click here to see it larger

Comments

[Smedley Burkhart]

Thanks for this.

I gather the funding for PL is in real jeopardy, even under fairly optimistic projections, since "infrastructure" is likely to mean highways in red states. However, if it actually goes, I hope people don't give up, but ad hoc it in a maximally visible and inconvenience-causing way. I make an occasional rush hour sprint from the NIH to Beach Drive on Jones Bridge to Jones Mill and it's mighty unpleasant, even for an old school, leather ass such as I. However, with um...critical mass...

That reflective tape looks very expensive. I propose something cheaper and harder to remove and I'll help, if we can do it on week nights.

[Ren]

I don't spend much time in this area, but I support the effort. "Planners" everywhere should be required to ride routes they create during rush-hour. I attend and sometimes ride to events at Woodend (ANS) and the people there are sometimes open to my complaints about difficulties in biking/walking (even though most attendees drive). I can make them aware of this if that seems like good idea.

[DE]

The subversive WashCycle. Love it. But really, without something like this, usage of the CCT will go way down. Can you see a family of cyclists using the official route?

[Dana Wise]

I am sickened by how the Town of Chevy Chase is responding. Since the town is supposedly full of liberals, maybe some of those people should organize and speak up now.

I ride between Silver Spring and the top of the CCT twice a day. There are definitely some unfriendly spots when the GBT is down (from snow, mud, or construction -- or opposition by rich people).

I think this route is pretty low stress: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/13429362

[washcycle]

Oh... Raymond Street. I see. I like that route.

In DC, I wonder if I can sweet-talk someone at DDOT to putting up some official "Interim CCT" signs on the route. It will be 5 years after all. Maybe they have to call it "Interim Bethesda- Silver Spring Route" or something instead. That would make the effort better and easier.

[washcycle]

Does anyone else have thoughts on the route Dana linked to - or a better one? The next step after getting a route might be to schedule a ride some weekend to make sure it works.

[Dana Wise]

There's a light at Raymond across Connecticut, which is crucial.
You could go south on West Beach to Wise Rd, but Wise Rd is no fun during rush hour or at night.

[Smedley Burkhart]

I would actually take Western Ave, at least between CC circle and the park, where it's entirely benign. I ride the whole thing fairly often without issue, but my "road stress" threshold is high.

[fongfong]

Agree with Smedley. Beach to Wise to Western. Get around CC Cirlce to Grafton to Leland and link up with the trail there.

I live inside the DC line, and the reverse is my route to Silver Spring. When heading downtown, Grafton to Leland to the trail works well.

[Dana Wise]

It takes some guts to ride Wise Rd during rush hour, and it takes more guts to power through Chevy Chase Circle during rush hour. I applaud those who do it, but it's not for everyone.

[Crickey7]

"It takes some guts to ride Wise Rd during rush hour."

Meh. For an entire year in 1985-1986, I commuted from Chevy Chase to Dale Drive in Silver Spring on a real, honest to goodness steel Peugeot 10 speed. I did Wise Road, twice a day, with some crappy light that strapped to my leg (and that rarely worked). And I liked it.

[Dana Wise]

I was riding behind my wife when she got hit by a car on Wise Rd. I'm just saying it's not for everyone and I personally don't think it's very safe.

[Carol]

For years, I've been bicycling from Bethesda to Parkway Deli in Silver Spring with an 83-year-old friend. His reflexes have slowed with age and Parkinson's, so he does not feel confident bicycling on busy streets. Without an alternate route, we're never going to be able to make it back there.

[Nancy]

Crickey7, have you ridden on Wise Road during rush hour any time in the past five years? Are the conditions the same now as they were over 30 years ago?

[Nancy]

PS--A Google street view of Wise not during rush hour, but including someone maybe trying to cross where there is no crosswalk:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9802385,-77.0496366,3a,75y,81.31h,71.07t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJang8RqK5Hrt7G5ivnWA2g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Smedley Burkhart]

Oh gosh, Crikey. One of those hammer head leg lights with the red in the back and the white in the front? You must be as old as dirt and I.

[antibozo]

FWIW, there is what looks like a muddy footpath between the end of Springdell Place and Chevy Chase Lakes Drive; ideally that would be part of the route so that everyone would ride past Ajay's house on W Coquelin Terrace.

[antibozo]

So, more seriously, i'm thinking about it:

At the east end, there's the question whether the Talbot Avenue rail crossing will be available. If it is, then i would do something like this:

Existing route, cross on Talbot Ave, to Michigan Ave, to Lyttonsville Rd.

There are several options on getting down to Meadowbrook. Will have to scout that a bit. Offhand maybe Ross, Donnybrook, Spencer.

Cross East-West at Meadowbrook.

Cross RCP to Leland St, up Leland to Woodbine St, and up to Connecticut. There is a ped light crossing on Connecticut half a block down from Woodbine. It's an inconvenient jog but prolly better than dodging car traffic (although speeds are usually fairly moderate through there thanks to the speed cams).

On the west side of Connecticut there are a bunch of options. I don't know that neighborhood (i don't *belong* there); will have to scout.

If there is no Talbot Avenue crossing, it's a little trickier at the east end. Maybe N Portal/West Beach/Primrose/Grubb as Wash suggests. There's a connection between Ashboro/Blaine Dr and Washington Ave but i've never used it. Will check it out.

Definitely not railroad grade on a lot of this route, unfortunately.

[SJE]

A bunch of cyclists on East-West Highway during commuting hours would make a statement.