WMTA question (DCA to Crystal City)

[Metra Electric Rider]

Hopefully this is the best place for my quick question. I'm going to Crystal City tomorrow from DCA and it looks like a reasonable walk or one stop on the Metro - suggestions, advice (have another destination, but that's by... ack... car since it's not transit accessible)?

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Found another route (google maps routes to the south) which appears to be an official route from the Airport itself:

https://www.flyreagan.com/sites/flyreagan.com/files/2022-06/Biking Map_0.JPG

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

So to update; I used the route in the post above, was actually quite a nice walk and it ends up by the Crystal City Water Park (no, it's not a big amusement park) where I had a delicious meal. It's not a great route into the terminal via the parking garage - outbound I went from Hertz via the garage and service bays, but it is a good route.

 

[Trollopian]

You're too soon! Maybe, just maybe, by decade's end there'll be a civilized way to walk the route you did. "Construction on the CC2DCA [Crystal City to DCA] bridge is expected to begin construction in late 2027 and last for two years." (No, I didn't write that sentence, I wouldn't have used "construction" twice.)

Plans for DCA pedestrian bridge take shape, as more public input sought | ARLnow.com

 

[Literalman]

When I needed to go to the airport from Crystal City, I used to walk the trail partway until I was across the highway, then cut across an access road and a parking lot. I could walk from the VRE station to the airport terminal in about ten minutes.

When VRE had a presentation at the Crystal City station about plans for a new Crystal City station, I pointed out that the airport is so close but has roundabout trail access, and that a good pedestrian connection between the station and the airport was needed. Somebody from VRE told me that it was not VRE's problem: VRE was responsible only for the station. I wasn't suggesting that VRE should create the connection.

This reminds me of a transportation conference in Virginia that I attended many years ago. The state was going to require that all new transportation projects that cross another mode of transportation establish connectivity. I cynically thought that people creating transportation projects would avoid situations that would demand an intermodal connection. Well, at least the pedestrian connection construction is expected to begin construction a few years from now.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Hahaha, I'll go back!

It wasn't that bad of a connection - at least it can be done - I just threw in some pictures. You certainly can't walk to O'Hare as easily - though you could get to the shuttle and take that in to the terminal, Midway is right on a busy street with sidewalks and a bus station adjacent to the L, so if you were close yes.