BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Two questions: How far you are interested in biking, and how far are you interested in driving once you get off the major highway?

I live just off Perry Highway about halfway between Wexford and West View. IMHO anywhere south of me is OK and anyplace north inhospitable. Babcock Blvd is a nice, flat, reasonably unbusy road, unlike McKnight (busy) or Perry/Perrysville (hilly). Official P&R space is limited, though, and it's quite a ways off 279.

My hunch, though, is that doing a "hide-and-ride" in West View or Avalon/Bellevue might be your best bet.

Edit: From Babcock, wiggle through Millvale, then either MarylandAve/Rt28sidewalk/40thStBr or river trail to 31SB or 16SB, would do you well.

Assuming that your reason for doing it is saving time on your commute,

I would park somewhere around Venture St. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl And ride down East St. to a left on Tripoli St. and wind your way down to the 16th St Bridge (sidewalk, please) And you are there

There are different routes from East to the bridge that are less intense depending on your urban riding experience.

East St. drivers go way faster than the speed limit but in rush hour it shouldn't be too bad.

There is likely a way better route forthcoming in this thread as well.

If this was my life, and I wanted to ride after work some:

Perrysville exit off 279 to riverview park.

Park at the top of riverview.

Ride down the riverview hill,

down to woods run.

woods run to mcclure to eckert (all the same street)

quick right to a quick left and you are on the

northside trail. In the morning maybe 5 cars will

pass you. Yes this is out of the way and

longer than you wanted.

OR:

park in about the same area:

Nelson rd to ivory ave to troy hill

i would take spring hill to avoid traffic in

troy hill. to the ped bridge across 28 across

from the brewery.

careful people think the 16th st bridge is a highway.

You could take I-79 (not I-279) to route 65, turn towards Pittsburgh (65 South) to the first stoplight at Hazelwood (in Emsworth.) Turn left on Hazelwood, and immediately right onto Center. Lots of on street parking everywhere. From there it is an awesome 10 mile ride into downtown, probably 12 miles into the Strip. Not knowing your riding style, I'd suggest Center all the way to Benton/Termon, left on Benton, Right on Brighton, stay right on Shadeland, left on Woodland, right on Brighton (having avoided a big valley by taking the Shadeland bridge). At West Park, left through the park, and right onto Federal or? to cross the river, down the ramps to the trail on the downtown side of the river, then out to the strip. Not the fastest route, with stop signs and all, but very comfortable, with a general downhill heading in to town. Other options include a right on Benton to a left on California, then picking up Brighton past the post office (faster, one scary section), or a couple of routes off of either Benton or Brighton to catch the Chateau Trail (out of your way, and slow, but some people really like it). PM me for more information..... The time you save by not messing with I-279 at all might make this less than logical routing worthwhile

Thanks very much. Great info! Think I'll try more than one!

I PM'd you with options, per your question. forgot to mention that the Chateau Trail is probably not going to be a lot of fun on skinny tires.