New Arlington County Bike Maps

You can download or order them here. It's probably a useful thing to have, especially if you're just starting to commute by bike. It's nice to know where bike lanes are (and aren't) when you're planning your initial route, though it's not a substitute for actually riding it. Here are the key updates in the 2011 edition:

While the old map had four route categories and colors (Bicycle Lanes, Shared-use Trails, On-street Bicycle Routes, and Other Recommended On-street Routes) the new map sports three categories (Off-street Trails, Bike Lanes and Sharrows, and On-street Routes) with a much cleaner look and feel. The updated network makes navigating Arlington County by bike easier than ever, particularly in the north-south direction, where the new map indicates clearer travel choices.

Going north-south in Arlington is a pain pretty much no matter how you're travelling, so I'm glad that they've added that. I thought that I stumbled on a really great direct route using an on-street route from Shirlington to Clarendon, but it turns out it was just the similarly colored grid line. Maybe it's just the color on my computer screen, but they look like the same light blue to me. So, I don't recommend taking the (non-existent) on street route through the Army-Navy Country Club.