bicycling

County Board to Vote on Paving New W&OD Trail Connection in Barcroft

By Airey
1/2

Arlington County Board members are scheduled to consider paving a connection between the W&OD Trail and 9th Street S. in Barcroft by the Buchanan Community Garden.

The proposal is to put an asphalt connection and a stop sign between 9th Street and the trail, crossing an area on the side of the trail currently used by Dominion subsidiary Virginia Electric Power Company.

County staff wrote in a report to the Board that they hope paving and providing signage to formalize the path will “improve mobility for pedestrians and cyclists between nearby neighborhoods and the W&OD Trail.”

The W&OD Trail was recently designated as a “primary route” for cyclists during this year’s update to the county’s Master Transportation Plan, while 9th Street S. is a key bicycle route that runs parallel to Columbia Pike.

The Board is scheduled to discuss the 9th Street S. connection during its meeting this Saturday, June 15. The proposal is currently on the meeting’s consent agenda, a place members usually reserve for items expected to pass without debate.

If members OK the proposal, County Manager Mark Schwartz will sign a letter with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, which owns and operates the W&OD Trail, giving the county permission to build and maintain the connection.

Arlington has recently been working on adding new connections to the W&OD Trail.

In April, the county opened a new connection between the W&OD Trail and 7th Street S., and last month the county secured a $680,000 grant to study ways to better connect the W&OD and the East Falls Church Metro station.

Images via Arlington County

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington GOP Not As Interested in Local — “The Arlington County Republican Committee’s efforts to regain a toehold in local governance may continue to suffer from a general disinterest in local affairs from many within the party’s rank and file.” [InsideNova]

Housing Initiative Getting Underway — “Arlington County has a shortage of homes, and with Amazon moving in, that pressure is only increasing. Now the county is asking residents about their housing needs and their ideas to address the crunch as part of its Housing Arlington initiative announced earlier this year.” [Greater Greater Washington]

Women of Vision Winners — Arlington County has named the three honorees of its 2019 Arlington County Women of Vision awards: long-time Arlington County housing staffer Melodee Melin, Clarendon Childcare Center director Sandra Redmore, and Virginia Equal Rights Coalition founder Julia Tanner. [Arlington County]

Bike Theft Reminder — On Friday, two men were taken into custody after a foot pursuit and search on suspicion of stealing bicycles in the Clarendon area, according to Arlington County Police. It serves as a reminder for Arlington residents to register bikes for free with the police department. [Arlington County, Twitter]

Wardian Now Racing Horses — “Michael Wardian has finished the Boston Marathon 18 times. He holds the world record for fastest 50-kilometre run on a treadmill. This year he raced 631 miles across Israel in barely 10 days’ time… The Arlington, Virginia, runner will be one of 650 or so humans and five dozen horses racing against each other in the annual Man Versus Horse Marathon on Saturday.” [National Post]

Live Video: Preparations for the Armed Forces Cycling Classic in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Update at 1 p.m. on 6/2/19 — The live feed has ended. 

Above is a live webcam from the rooftop of Don Tito in Clarendon.

Crews are are getting ready for the 22nd Annual Armed Forces Cycling Classic and its Clarendon Cup Pro/Am Races, which will kick off at 8 a.m. Sunday (June 2) and run through the streets of Clarendon.

If you’re unable to make it to watch the excitement in person, you can see a live broadcast on the Monumental Sports Network, airing from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m Sunday.

Additional rides and races will take place in Crystal City on Saturday.

Note: the Armed Forces Cycling Classic is an ARLnow advertiser

Construction Begins on W&OD Trail Bridge Over Lee Highway

By Airey

VDOT has officially kicked off construction on the new Washington & Old Dominion Trail bridge over Lee Highway.

A new county video, above, shows renderings of the white bridge with decorative safety walls over the highway. The bridge is expected to accommodate the approximately 2,000 daily trail users.

The construction is part of the project to widen I-66 eastbound between Exits 67 and 71, which began last year. As part of the construction, some disruptions are expected for trail users and drivers in the area.

Per Arlington County:

Bicyclists and pedestrians should expect a temporary trail realignment and detours during construction. The first trail detour has closed the W&OD Trail between Little Falls Street and Lee Highway (near mile marker 5.5) and for a short portion on the east side of Lee Highway. In addition, Fairfax Drive will be closed to traffic, Lee Highway will have short traffic stoppages at night, and there may be lane closures on side streets.

“Once the project is complete, cyclists and pedestrians can expect a much-improved experience on this portion of the W&OD Trail,” the county said in a press release.

Road Closures Planned for Weekend Armed Forces Cycling Races

By Airey
1/2

(Updated at 11:00 a.m.) The Armed Forces Cycling Classic is returning to Arlington this weekend, prompting several road closures.

Teams will compete in a series of races sponsored by the the Boeing Company on Saturday, June 1, to win the “Crystal Cup.” The teams will then return on Sunday, June 2, for a chance to win the “Clarendon Cup.” This series marks the 22nd year for the annual event.

This Saturday, the race will open with an all ages “Challenge Ride” from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at 2100 Crystal Drive along a 10 kilometer track. Afterwards, the event will shift gear to line up the day’s professional and amateur races.

ACPD said police will close several streets in Crystal City and Rosslyn from 4:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, including:

  • Crystal Drive, from S. 15th Street through S. 23rd Street
  • Wilson Boulevard, from N. Kent Street to the Route 110 ramp
  • Route 110, from Rosslyn to Crystal City
  • S. Clark Street, from S. 20th Street to S. 23rd Street
  • S. 20th Street, from Crystal Drive to S. Clark Street
  • S. 18th Street, from Crystal Drive to S. Bell Street
  • S. 23rd Street from Crystal Drive to S. Clark Street
  • Crystal Drive (West side), from S. 23rd St to the Central Center Parking Garage
  • S. 12th Street and Long Bridge Drive

Competitors will roll into the Clarendon Cup Cycling Classic on Sunday. Professional teams will race 100-laps around a 1 kilometer area. Police said they plan to close the following roads from 4:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. to accommodate the event:

  • Wilson Blvd, from N. Fillmore Street to Washington Blvd
  • Clarendon Blvd, from Washington Blvd to N. Fillmore Street
  • Washington Blvd, from Wilson Blvd to N. Highland Street
  • North Highland Street, from Wilson Blvd to Washington Blvd
  • North Garfield Street / N. Fillmore Street, from Wilson Blvd to Washington Blvd

Organizers recommend attendees park at the Crystal City underground at 1600 Crystal Drive but warn them to remove bicycle roof racks from vehicles before driving down into the parking garage.

The county said in a press release that parking near both races is limited, and is encouraging attendees to use Metro or ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft. Metro-goers can access the Armed Forces Cycling Classic from the Crystal City Metro station, and the Clarendon Cup race via the Clarendon Metro station. Both stations are open during Metro’s summer shutdown south of Reagan National Airport.

For both events, police are warning drivers to keep on the lookout for additional road closures and “no parking” signs in around the events.

Flickr pool photos by Michael Coffman

22nd Annual Armed Forces Cycling Classic Returns June 1 and 2

2019 Armed Forces Cycling Classic
The 21st Armed Forces Cycling Classic held in Clarendon and Crystal City in 2018 (courtesy Douglas Graham/WLP)

The 22nd annual Armed Forces Cycling Classic, proudly brought to you by the Boeing Company, is the regions premier cycling event with fun for the entire family all cycling interests and abilities!

The weekend kicks off with our Challenge Ride, a non-competitive and traffic-free ride, Saturday morning in Crystal City. Participants enjoy a 10 km course, traveling past the Pentagon, up to Rosslyn and back. The event begins at 7 a.m. and all riders must be off the course by 10 a.m.

Riders completing 3, 6 or 9 laps will receive bronze, silver or gold finishers medals.

This year, we also invite participants of the Challenge Ride to help support our official beneficiary, TAPS. Those that raise more than $200 receive a limited edition TAPS cycling jersey.

Following the Challenge Ride on Saturday, professional and elite amateur teams from the U.S. and abroad, begin the weekends racing with the Crystal Cup. Then, the prestigious Clarendon Cup, will take place on Sunday in Clarendon, and will crown the weekends champions.

2019 Armed Forces Cycling Classic Schedule of Events:

Saturday, June 1 — Crystal City

7 a.m. — Challenge Ride
10:20 a.m. — Amateur Race
11:15 a.m. — Women’s Pro/AM Race
12:35 p.m. — Kids Race (FREE)
12:45 p.m. — Men’s Pro/AM Race

Sunday, June 2 — Clarendon

8 a.m. — Amateur Races
10 a.m. — LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS (www.monumentalsportsnetwork.com/afcycling)
10:05 a.m. — Women’s Pro/AM Race
11:30 a.m. — Kids Race (FREE)
12 p.m. — Men’s Pro/AM Race

For more information on the event, the live broadcast and VIP Viewing, visit www.CyclingClassic.org.

Deal of the Day: View the Armed Forces Cycling Classic at Rapha Breakaway Club for $15

The Armed Forces Cycling Classic, proudly brought to you by The Boeing Company, includes two days of Men’s and Women’s Pro/AM races.

The BEST viewing is in our Rapha Breakaway Club! This space is located across from the main stage on both days, and includes food and beverages, as well as a live closed circuit feed of the races.

Catering the event will be Founding Farmers.

Tickets, normally $25 each day on site, are available here for just $15 per day!

Purchase Today’s Deal Now

Discount Code: ARLNOW

WHEN: Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2

WHERE: Crystal City and Clarendon

WHAT: The Rapha Breakaway Club is an exclusive viewing space, across from the main stage on both days. Food, catered by Founding Farmers, beer and soft drinks provide you with exceptional snacking while spectating!

Tented space with seating for your enjoyment, along with a live race feed.  Proceeds from ticket sales will help support TAPS, our official event beneficiary.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Fire Outside Shirlington Apartment Building — Updated at 9:30 a.m. — “ACFD working to extinguish a dumpster fire near an apartment building at 3000 S. Randolph Street in Shirlington. ‘Smoke conditions’ reported in portions of the building.” [Twitter, Twitter]

The Cost of Renaming Washington-Lee — “It will cost taxpayers about a quarter of a million dollars to change ‘Lee’ to ‘Liberty’ on the name of Arlington’s oldest public high school. School officials have released an estimate of $224,360 for the name change, with about two-thirds of the total for ‘soft costs’ (uniforms, athletic equipment and the like) and the remainder ‘hard costs’ such as signage.” [InsideNova]

Local Teen Gets Celebrity Shoutout — “When [H-B Woodlawn student] Cole Goco, 17, sits down to draw his comic Billy the Pop, every line and contour is decisive. He uses pen, after all. And, after five years, hundreds and hundreds of strips published regularly to a blog, two self-published comic books, a dedicated following, and — most recently — the recognition of Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, it’s safe to say Goco knows what’s doing.” [DCist]

Rosslyn Startup Gets Another Investment — “Frontier Capital, a Charlotte-based growth equity firm focused exclusively on B2B software, today announced a strategic growth investment in Phone2Action, a digital advocacy platform that connects citizens to lawmakers.” [BusinessWire]

Bomb Squad Investigates Suspicious Car at DCA — “A portion of the daily parking lot at Reagan National Airport was closed [Wednesday] morning after suspicious contents were spotted inside a parked car. Authorities checked out the car ‘out of an abundance of caution’ and nothing hazardous was found, per an airport spokeswoman.” [Twitter]

Local Pedestrian, Bicycle Crash Reduction Effort Honored — “The Arlington County Pedestrian Bicycle Crash Reduction Campaign aims to reduce bicycle and pedestrian-involved traffic crashes through the coordination of education, engineering and enforcement… Arlington County saw a seven percent decrease in pedestrian crashes and a 29 percent reduction in bicycle-related crashes in 2018.” [Virginia DMV]

Arlington to Study Ways to Close the W&OD Gap Near East Falls Church

By Vernon Miles
1/2

Officials are hoping to find ways to close the only break in the 45-mile long Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Transportation Planning Board (TPB) approved $680,000 in assistance for 13 projects, including one to look into options to close a gap near the East Falls Church Metro station.

The W&OD Trail is a regional pedestrian and bicycle trail with 3,000 plus daily users. This trail is used for walking and bicycling to the East Falls Church Metrorail Station and for longer-distance bicycle commuting across the area. The only gap in the 45-mile long W&OD Trail is in East Falls Church. The trail gap creates conflicts involving trail users and motorized traffic. This project will use technical assistance to identify alternatives for constructing an off-street connection of the trail sections in the East Falls Church area.

Currently, the trail breaks at 19th Road N., just before the Metro station.

TPB received 25 applications for transportation project funding from regional governments before the April 2 deadline, according to a press release.

The applications were judged partially on how they reflected TPB’s long-range regional transportation plan “Visualize 2045” and its goals to move more people around the growing Greater Washington area without adding more cars.

Last summer, the Van Buren Bridge near East Falls Church Metro re-opened after the City of Falls Church repaired it with a $300,000 regional grant to help connect cyclists with the station and with the W&OD. VDOT, meanwhile, is currently working on a new pedestrian bridge over Lee Highway near the Metro station.

Images via Google Maps

Photos: Riders Flock to Trails for Bike to Work Day

By Vernon Miles
1/11

(Updated at 3:40 p.m.) It was clear skies for commuters this morning (Friday) celebrating Bike to Work Day.

The annual tradition encourages commuters to ditch their cars and ride their bikes to and from work. In Arlington, 10 pit stops and themed celebrations were sprinkled across the county.

The Bike to Work event at Rosslyn’s Gateway Park filled the park with spandex-clad cyclists mingling and expressing exuberance at the perfect weather. In the tight-knit community of cyclists, there were frequent reunions between riders throughout the park.

“It was a great ride today,” said Henry Dunbar, director of active transportation for Bike Arlington and a coordinator of the event. “This is about as ideal as it gets.”

Dunbar said the event caters to the one-third of riders who are first-time bicycle commuters. Dunbar said the goal is to teach them about bicycle safety and encourage them to make bicycle commuting a daily habit.

For new riders, Dunbar said the best thing to do is find a more experienced rider and tag along with them.

“Ride with experienced cyclists,” Dunbar said. “All the brochures in the world aren’t as good as someone guiding you through that one tricky intersection on your way into work.”

Dunbar nodded over to the N. Lynn Street and Lee Highway intersection — a crossing regularly packed with cyclists, pedestrians and cars. The crowding is exacerbated by construction around the intersection that’s part of the Custis Trail improvements — construction Dunbar said is likely to continue for another full year.

Several bicycling-focused organizations had stands set up in Rosslyn to help encourage a car-free lifestyle. Robert Santana attended on behalf of the Arlington Car-Free Diet campaign and distributed information about the impending Metro closures.

“I was worried we’d be talking mostly to people who were already car-free,” Santana said, “but people have seemed really interested.”

Tents were set up around the park, with businesses like Nando’s Peri-Peri offering free meals or other local organizations offering bicycle-specific services.

“Today has been fantastic,” said Bruce Deming, a “bike lawyer” who specializes in representing injured cyclists. “There’s a huge crowd, just tremendous turnout. I’m proud to be a part of this event.”

(more…)

Last Chance to Register for DC Bike Ride This Saturday

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Mother’s Day has passed, but it’s never too late to celebrate!

DC Bike Ride is offering a $10 discount on registrations to their annual bike ride on May 18!

DC Bike Ride is the perfect way to celebrate with friends and family. The 20-mile closed-road ride means NO cars, just FUN! Say goodbye to the stress of having to dodge traffic — this is your chance to own the road worry-free. The ride is only a few days away — hurry to register and save!

In addition to cruising through the most iconic landmarks in D.C., you get to enjoy some of the best food and music D.C. has to offer along the course. And the fun keeps going after the ride! You can stop by the Finish Festival on 3rd street after you’re done with the ride to enjoy music, foods, drinks and lots of giveaways and fun!

Don’t miss out on your last chance to join the ride of a lifetime. Sign up for DC Bike Ride and let the fun times roll!

To redeem your $10 discount, click here and enter code MOM10 at checkout!

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