ShekkyCat

I am trying to find a path from Springfield, VA, corner of Braddock RD and Rolling RD (to be very specific) to the Pentagon. What would be the best route? The weather is getting nicer, and I need to shed some lbs, plus need to start training on the bike for a 3 up coming triathlons which I am just planning on finishing, no record time. Thanks for the heads up.

ShekkyCat (my kitties name....lol)

tulip

Great for commuting! Go get yourself the Washington DC Bike Map published by ADC. They are sold in bike shops and bookstores.

Berniebikes

with due respect to Tulip she wasn't too helpful. Try this site https://bikewashington.org/ They have some good info. One possible route would be to go north to the W O & D trail, to the Custis Trail, then south along the river. Most direct route would be down Braddock Road to Columbia Pike to the Pentagon. I would last maybe one ride mixing with the traffic on that one. Bike Washington should be some help, then you can choose which mix of trails and streets you want. Years ago I used to play softball with a Senate league team, and we had games all over DC. I worked in Bethesda, and when I didn't feel like taking the car cross town for a late afternoon/early evening game I'd just hop on the bike and head down Mass Ave to the Mall area or wherever we had a field. Thought nothing of it. Doubt if I would hazard mixing it up with rush hour traffic now. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

tulip

With all due respect to Bernie, if you have a map you can find your way anywhere. Basic tools of commuting.

StanSeven

Your best bet is taking the Custis trail which runs along I-66. I've ridden from that area through residential streets before to get to I-66 but don't remember the names of the streets. Use Google maps or Mapquest and take a look. Then drive the potential route and see how it goes.

Once you're on the trail, you'll find lots of commuters to ride with.

What triathlons are you doing? I'm going to do the Annapolis one for certain.

Berniebikes

What part of "best" in his/her request was hard to understand? He knows how to get to the Pentagon, I'm certain he knows many ways. Knowing the infinite number of ways, as a map will provide, still doesn't answer the question. A person posts a question for assistance, and you tell him 'go find your own answer'? I find that more than a bit arrogant, as was your last post. If you don't have anything constructive to say, or you don't know the answer yourself, how bout keeping your mouth shut? Better to be perceived the fool than to open the mouth and erase all doubt. My apologies to ShekkyCat. Hope you find a good route and start commuting.

ks1g

After a quick glance at the map, I agree that the most bike-friendly way may be to work your way north to the W&OD/Custis trails along 66, then transition in Rosslyn to the Mt Vernon trail and take that towards the Pentagon, assuming there's a connection over to the north-side parking lots. For an additional list of bike routes, check the Arlington County bike map - an excellent resource.

"Plan B" is go multi-mode - take a bus down Braddock that connects to a bikeable route - Metrobus and Fairfax Connector buses all have bike racks now.

If you work at the Pentagon, check if there is any info on bike commuting and routes - a number of government agencies and large contractors have this info on their internal systems. Good luck!

cc_rider

Few hills or many?

Getting up to the Custis Trail would be the "scenic" route, and add a few miles. Probably good for training but maybe not for getting to work in a timely manner.

This way is more direct, but a bit twisty.

From around Rolling and Braddock, cross over to King's Park and pick up the end of the Accotink Trail (near the VRE tracks) and go around the lake, past the marina. Continue around and there is a side trail on the right that takes you into the neighborhood and up to Queensbury (you'll go right/east on Qby)
(or if you don't want to deal with a gravel take Clydesdale to Danbury Forest to Braddock (traffic) to Queensbury)

From Queensbury, left at T at Hemming. Go under the B'way and first R on Leesville.
Left at T onto Backlick (traffic) and right at light on Edsall (busy but wide). (You could use Industrial Road to avoid the traffic, but there are a lot of trucks and the paving is bad.)
Just before Edsall reaches I-395, go left on Cherokee Ave. When you get to Chowan bear right and continue to Little River Turnpike.

I don't think there is good connection east that avoids traffic, so take just LRT to Beauregard. added - might be a service road in front of the apartments.

From here the simplest would be Beauregard to Walter Reed to Arlington Mill and down to Shirlington. Take the pedestrian bridge over I-395 and down the hill on Martha Custis.
(If Beauregard seems too busy for you, take it as far as Sanger and cross under I-395. Stay straight onto Richenbacher, left on Pegarm, right on Seminary, left on Howard, right on Braddock, left on North Early, right on Menokin. Take the King St service road to Wakefield. Cross at light on Wakefield. Right at S. 34th St, left at Stafford, right on Preston. Cross Quaker lane and Preston joins Valley which joins Martha Custis near Glebe. A lot of zigzags, but it's pretty and not too busy)

Left on West Glebe and on the other side of the bridge take the side path along South Glebe (Four Mile Run Trail).
Then you could take the 4MR to the end of Eads Street (good the bike lanes). Then 18th Street and Hayes to the Pentagon Mall. In the parking lot across the mall there is a pedestrian tunnel under the highway that takes you into the Pentagon south parking lot.
Or if you want something more scenic, stay on 4MR to the Mount Vernon Trail and up to the Memorial Bridge connection. Between Parkway crossings take the trail on the left which leads (eventually) to the Pentagon north parking lot.

I know it's a lot of turns, but it's not too bad a ride. I've biked about 90% of it (just not in rush hour) and driven most of the rest. (Local knowledge is better than any map. )
There are also lots of variations to make it interesting, like cutting over from Beauregard to Chambliss and Dawes, or going thru Annandale and around Lake Barcroft on Waterway and Beachway to get to Dawes from the north (this is a hilly one.)

Let us know route you decide on.

cc_rider

Here's a gmap of the more complicated route.

https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1780542

stealthfixr

I know this is an older thread but curious how the Pentagon commute options are now for someone coming from Alexandria VA. Mount Vernon Trail? Having never been assigned there, where do you put the bike once at the building?

Tbobx

The commute on the Mount Vernon Trail is pretty good. I ride it several times a week although not during commute hours. Depending on where you are coming from in Alexandria you might also consider riding Potomac Ave in Alexandria and Crystal Drive through Crystal City (Arlington) VA and Long Bridge Park. There is a very good bike lane the entire length, and it is more direct to the Pentagon. I don't know about bike parking at the Pentagon but with all the bike routes leading through that area I expect that parking has to be pretty good.

Alexandria and Arlington both have good bike maps and plenty of bike commuters.

Juan Foote

Giggle.....

This thread was first post, one post only. OP hasn't been back since five days later, never posted again....and it's still going....lol.

birru

The MVT is fine to ride and it's scenic near the river. You could take that up through Crystal City (dumps you on Crystal Drive) which is very ridable. You could also take Commonwealth up to Four Rule Run Park Trail, detour over the run, and head up Eads through Crystal City. Check out Washington Area Bike Forum too. Lots of experienced commuters there and they also do a pretty good job of monitoring trail conditions.

ShekkyCat

All thank you for all the wonderful responses. I specifically liked the one that told me to get a map. Why didn't I think of that?? The other responses were just as good, if not better.

Unfortunately, I have since moved out of the area to Winston Salem, NC, where I have posted yet another thread on the Best Bike Routes in Winston Salem to get from point A to point B. I am sure one in the bunch will also tell me to just get a map.

There does seem to be a strong biking community here too, so I am hoping for some good responses.

One thing is for sure, traffic in Winston Salem IS NOT AS BAD AS IT IS IN THE DC AREA. That is for sure.

Happy biking, happy trails, etc.

Rubber side down.

ShekkyCat

Three post now, Juanito.

Juan Foote

You returned.....nine years, like the lives of a cat.....Keep riding Shekky!

BCP

Others have addressed the commuting option pretty accurately. In regards to bike parking, there are several bike racks located adjacent to the various building entrances - especially the metro entrance and corridor two entrance.