Hello,

I am interested to hear if any of you have a preferred/safest route from downtown Pittsburgh to New Castle.  I am from Western PA but have live in CO the last 25 years.  We are riding part of the route with a group riding across the country.  Part of the ride is Pittsburgh to New Castle/Youngstown.

Are there any recommendations for best/recommended route from downtown Pittsburgh to New Castle?  I have looked at various websites but am trying to get local rider recommendations for the best routes.

Any recommendations?

Thank you,

Mike

Other people can offer more constructive advice, but I’ll suggest you avoid Route 51 between Coraopolis and Monaca — several cyclists have been struck by cars and killed there. Route 65 on the other bank of the river may be a bit safer, but I would avoid that route, also.

The last time I went that way I took a bus from Pittsburgh to near North Park and rode from there. Avoided all the local traffic. All Pittsburgh buses have carriers for two standard bikes.

I just left a comment on a thread about State Bike Route A. I heartily second Paul’s recommendation about the area south of Monaca. Traffic speeds between 75 and 85 mph are common, and there is no shoulder at all.

From the North Side, Federal to Perrysville Ave/Perry Hwy, take that to Ingomar Rd thru North Park. Then thru towns of Valencia, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople, Elwood City, New Castle

A few years ago, I roade from Pittsburgh to Zelienople.    I got some feedback from here, but ended up following the bike route recommended by Google.

The Google route was OK.  After I rode back, I would have made some small changes, but I’ve forgotten those long ago.

PIT2MAD’s route sounds like it might be better, only I would take East St out of the Northside.  Then, either take Evergreen to Ivory (tricky connection there, but I forget the exact trick), or just stay on East up to Perry Hwy.  There’s an extra hill if you stay on East, IIRC.

The sidewalk on the multilane part of East is good, with little pedestrian traffic, and it’s up hill.  I know it’s bad form to sidewalk ride, but I do whenever I  go up there.

Be aware there is a formidable elevation rise going north from the city.

I’ve ridden Rt 51. I don’t think I need to again.

You could probably find a guide if you keep posting here.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by  Mick.

This wouldn’t even be a question if there was a way across the 2004 Wal-Mart landslide site near Emsworth. But there isn’t. Between that site and the megatons of concrete for the I-79 interchange, you simply can’t get north of there from here, except in an automobile.

Someone prove me wrong?

Stu, I might be misunderstandinbg, but my impression is you go somewhere pretty far north of Emsworth every day?

I got to Zeli, and I’m old, slow, weak, stoned, and stoopid.  Prolly a few other adjectives, as well.  It’s rural past there.

I’m pretty sure Stu is in McCandless. :-)

A simple path through that landslide site would make a world of difference for connectivity.

I am just north of the Ross-McCandless line. CCAC North is about a half mile north of me on Perry Hwy. Better than 95% of my travels by any form of transportation are south of Cumberland Road, the next traffic light north of CCAC.

But I do know intimately all the issues of traversing McKnight, Babcock and Perry south of that line.