BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

How do you feel about climbing?

What's the worst that can happen? Injured pride and a walk up a hill?

What’s the worst that can happen? Injured pride and a walk up a hill? I'd like to avoid traffic, but climbing Mt. Washington appears to be part of the deal.....

For the record, the first T to Mt Lebanon leaves downtown at 6:07 AM on both Saturday and Sunday, and runs every 30 minutes or better throughout both days. I think you were looking at the schedule for the SL Subway Local, which is on the same printed sheet. On weekends it augments the regular service between the North Shore and South Hills Junction only, so there's always a train every 10 minutes on that section. It doesn't start until 10:47 AM.

Google maps does a decent job of keeping you off of four lane roads, but expect to arrive a little sweaty http://goo.gl/maps/9l9r4

Climbing Mt. Washington is part of the deal, unfortunately, unless you really want to take the extra time and miles to go around. If taking the T all the way to Mt. Lebanon seems like it defeats the purpose you can also take the Mon Incline (starts running 5:45 AM on Saturdays, 8:45 Sundays) and coast down Southern. Riding up West Liberty/Washington Boulevard is actually not bad. It's the bulk of my morning and evening commute and I never have problems with traffic except when there's construction. And there are rideable sidewalks with little pedestrian traffic along most of the route. (But once you get to Dormont you're probably better off riding in the street.)

Thanks for all the replies. Yes, I am apparently an idiot when it comes to reading T schedules -- I was clearly looking at the wrong part as Steven pointed out. Regarding the incline -- if I take that up, what's the best way to get down the other side heading toward MTLB?

When I go to Mt L, I usually take the T out there and ride back. Gooogles route that Marko82 posted takes you ove an extra major climb if I read it right. I brave 51 from West Liberty (great road for riding, IMO) to Bausman and up to Brownsville/ 18th st. If I thought 51 was too much, I would take the sidewalk. Even if that meant getting off the bike and walking the 200 yards or so between Bausman and W. Liberty. If I took an incline up Mt Washington, I'd uses Southern -> Boggs-> Warrington -> 100 yards on 51 (sidewalk?) -> W liberty.

I don't know if Marko's Google route gives you an extra major climb, but I'd say it's a long, unrelenting climbs vs. tougher (but shorter) routes. (Also, I'm not sure climbing up Whited street is a great idea.) I'm with Mick, though. Southern -> Boggs -> Warrington is probably the best way to get down from the incline. Then, depending on traffic and your confidence level, you can either ride the sidewalk down the 51 entrance ramp and cross using the walk signals in front of the tunnels, or take a left onto 51 for all of 50 feet before taking the exit for West Liberty.

Hey, I'm not say'n that's the way I'd go - It's just that it (mostly) keeps you off of four lane west liberty which the OP had requested. I think west liberty is fine, at least not during rush hour..

I need to learn to read. I totally mised that the original posted specifically din't want W. Liberty. TBH, I've enver ridden it during rush hor and it always seemed like a great bike road to me. Perhaps at different times, it would not be. The best roads topologically in the South Hills , like Saw Mill Run and Banksville are truly sucky due to traffic.

West Liberty Ave looks a whole lot worse on paper than it does when you are actually on it, especially since you will be going the opposite direction from the bulk of rush hour traffic. It is a nice wide road. Once you are over the hill I recommend staying off of Pioneer. It looks better on paper but traffic moves almost as fast as West Liberty and the road is a lot narrower. The only part I really get nervous on is when going up West Liberty is going under the busway ramp where the road bends a bit and the sight line isn't great for folks coming up behind you if you are hugging the curb. The shoulder can be gravelly and the sidewalk is inconsistent (missing, parked trucks, etc.) on the southbound/uphill side of the road. If you keep about a yard from the curb life is pretty good, but if you want to ride the sidewalk uphill go over to the left side of the road until around Brookline Blvd. Here is the route I've found to be the safest and least hilly - coming up McCardle, stay on the sidewalk, going down you can keep up with traffic no problem. If you don't mind hills then you can take one of the shorter roads up from Carson St. http://goo.gl/maps/l0krm If you really want to avoid West Liberty as much as possible but not entirely, I would do this. but I still think West Liberty the whole way up is better. Broadway is slower, but you get more parked cars and folks doing odd things when the T runs through. http://goo.gl/maps/VPGO8 If you feel like riding a little more or less and are mainly trying to avoid riding over Mt. Washington, you can ride the T to Fallowfield and pick up Broadway or get off at South Hills Junction and then drop down Warrington to the intersection with 51. 51 has a nice wide shoulder, but cars and large trucks are going 55mph. I would avoid it even though it is the only way to get around the hill instead of over it.