BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I think most drivers treat 2nd ave as having 4 lanes, don't they?

Not seeing a huge advantage, though -- if you're downtown heading east, why not just take the trail?

Pierce, what section are you taking about? The sometimes 2-lane, sometimes 4 lane road through Hazelwood's business/residential district, the stretch along the Almono site to Greenfield Ave., or the stretch between Greenfiled Ave. and the Armstrong Tunnels? An outbound lane across from the Almono site would be nice, and there seems to be enough room if you move the center line of the road over about 6 feet. I have no idea what that would take politically, especially with the new trial there.

Oh lord, I wouldn't want to ride on the section from panther hollow to downtown even if I had a barrier separating me from the traffic.

After the big snow a few years ago Second Avenue was my route until the trail was cleared a few weeks later. I hated it, but fear made my commute a bit faster

Jousting with cement trucks is not my idea of a good time (between Tech Drive and town). It would help if that road had actual pavement and not a slightly smoothed over moon surface, but still...

Sorry, I was specifically thinking Greenfield Ave to Hazlewood Ave

The trail is out of the way, longer, and you have to back track to the HMB to get on

Due to the current lane configuration I think the easier target is inbound.

took my boyfriend on his first ride on a proper grown-up bike around town the other day. before we got on 2nd ave, i told him to take the lane no matter what. no matter what goes zooming past you, left or right, or what is honking or screaming at you, take the lane. it's the only way to not get hassled into a parked car, giant pothole, or off the side of hill. a bike lane would be swell!

I am pretty sure that FOTR is working on a trail connection between EF Trail and Hazelwood, a few blocks north of the Glenwood Bridge. I'll try to remember to check their website and post anything current.

It souhds like the new trail segment might be open?????

Anyone been on it yet?

From the FOTR website:

Hazelwood Trail Segment

Development is complete on the Hazelwood segment of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. The new two mile segment of trail was developed in conjunction with the early phases of the redevelopment of the former LTV Steel property known as the ALMONO site. The new segment connects a trailhead facility at Hazelwood Avenue through the ALMONO site to the Hot Metal Bridge, a span of just under two miles.

Friends of the Riverfront project partners include RIDC, managers of the ALMONO site, the City of Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority, Hazelwood Initiative, Rothschild Doyno, and the Inland Group. As part of the trail development, Friends of the Riverfront partnered with CDM Smith to develop the engineering and design of the trail, address safety concerns and develop trail easements to ensure the trail is accessible as the site is developed in the near future.The new trail segment can be accessed from either the Hot Metal Bridge or a trailhead facility at the corner of Hazelwood Avenue and Gloster Street.

You can access really huge engineering drawings from the FOTR website, but they don't tell you much, other than the trail is fairly straight, and runs between 2nd Avenue and the river......!

Edited to add that the PG confirms that the trail segment opened as partt of the FOTR trail mixer a week or two ago. Here's the confirmation from Larry Walsh:

June 9, 2012 12:03 am

By Larry Walsh / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The annual Trail Mix(er) of the Friends of the Riverfront next Saturday will celebrate:

• The official opening of a new 1.5-mile long segment of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail.

The trail is open. The limestone section is a little bumpy and the roadway section has some potholes and some gravel in a few bad areas. Still nice though.