Washington's employment center is by no means limited to the downtown business district. Over the years, many "satellite" business centers have sprung up around the Washington Beltway. (This trend has wrecked havoc on decades of transportation planning, but that is another discussion!). Anyway, two of the larger employment areas are Tysons Corner, VA and Bethesda, MD. Bethesda also has a fairly high concentration of residential housing, whereas Tysons Corner is basically a huge "commuter vacuum" with very little local housing. As a result, many folks often look for a bike route between the two centers.
Overview of Route. Click on shaded areas for more detailed info. |
This 15 mile route makes use of the Capital Crescent and W&OD Trails. These two trails are connected via an on-road short-cut route through bike friendly Arlington County. The route also crosses the Potomac River via Chain Bridge, which is the last bike crossing for 30 miles. (the next available crossing up river is Whites Ferry). Click on the map for more detailed information.
There are a couple of alternative routes available. If you prefer an "all-path" route, then you can follow the Capital Crescent Trail all the way to DC and then use the Custis Trail to hook up with the W&OD Trail. This route would be about 20 miles each way (a pretty serious commute!). There are also some slightly more direct on-street routes between Chain Bridge and Tysons Corner, however these will take you through bike unfriendly Fairfax County. Consult ADC's Washington Area Bike Map for details.