(Photo by Mr.TinDC)

As the Purple Line finally gets underway, so do the inconveniences of construction. One of the first is the closure of the entire Georgetown Branch Trail for the length of the project, an estimated four to five years.

The 3.5 mile trail between Bethesda and Silver Spring will close on Tuesday.

After a lawsuit prompted a yearlong delay, Maryland leaders finally held a groundbreaking for the light rail line on Monday. When completed, the Purple Line will bridge D.C.’s northern suburbs with 21 stations running between Bethesda and New Carollton. Though it isn’t a part of WMATA, there are connections to the Red, Green, and Orange lines.

But first, comes a few years of work on the project. While the lawsuit is still ongoing, a judge ruled that construction can begin.

Those looking for one last hurrah on the Georgetown Branch Trail have through Labor Day, including a Georgetown Branch Bachelor Party and Final Trail Ride organized by WashCycle on Monday at 3 p.m., starting from the west end of the Air Rights Tunnel.

After that, the official detour goes over busy Jones Bridge Road, as shown in the map below.

Georgetown Branch Trail detour route. (Via Purple Line Transit Partners)

Although Jones Bridge Road doesn’t have bike lanes and only a narrow sidewalk, Chevy Chase has refused requests from Montgomery County to run the interim signage through neighborhood streets.

“The Town of Chevy Chase and other local jurisdictions approval to use neighborhood streets has not been granted at this time,” planners say.” We continue to work with these jurisdictions to gain their approval for another southern alternate bike trail route that utilizes neighborhood streets.”

Still, it’s legal to ride through those streets, and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association has several suggestions. And here’s another unofficial detour route: