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Spring riding conditions report

Welcome spring, alternated between sleet, cold rain, and snow this morning. I've been seeing increased vehicular traffic on EFT/Jail Trail and the South Side trail with the work on Birmingham Bridge going on. Strangely, a couple of days ago I saw a Pgh Parking Authority truck driving on EFT towards the Greenfield parking lot. The construction contractors/cherry pickers/etc. I understand being on there, Parking Authority, not so much.
ka_jun
2015-03-20 08:52:38
PNC Park and Heinz Field area are clear and they've cleaned up the debris from when it was flooded over the weekend.
kristopher
2015-03-20 11:26:16
Penn Ave lanes are grimy. Leftover sand and dirt from this awesome winter. A good torrential downpour may wash away some of this stuff. Or maybe we can get the street sweeper on it.
chrishent
2015-03-20 15:47:06
Stiff westerly headwind today. Still not enough to deter what must have been at least 100 cyclists from going on the trail between Pittsburgh and McKeesport. That put a smile on my face. Also, there's a downed tree on the trail just before Kennywood. It can be avoided but better to remove it. To who do I report this to?
chrishent
2015-03-21 15:04:56
Headwinds were stiff, almost annoyingly so. I was all bundled up in winter kit (and steaming); most everyone else was in their shorts and such. Planning. Roadies are starting to come out of hibernation; haven't been wooshed so many times in months...
ahlir
2015-03-21 15:27:29
There were also a couple of big rocks near that downed tree but the rest of the trail to McKeesport is fine except occasional wet leaf detritus. I found the crosswinds on the bridge at McKeesport to be the most annoying...
neilmd
2015-03-21 16:46:04
Thanks, @chrishent. I notified others on the Steel Valley Trail Council just now about the fallen tree and rocks. We manage trails along the Mon on both banks, between the Glenwood Bridge and Clairton. So Sandcastle, Waterfront, Kennywood, Duquesne, ... that's SVTC. When Yale and I were riding that trail on the 11th, we saw a fallen tree half-blocking the trail, but we only partially tidied it up that day. Perhaps the same one. Thanks for the reminder; we'll get it cleaned up better. If you see dangerous obstacles (rocks, branches, ...) if you're able to clean them up a little by yourself, please do.
paulheckbert
2015-03-21 17:48:55
The Forbes Ave bike lane from S Braddock to Dallas is damn near unrideable due to debris, potholes, and other obstacles. Even the sidewalks were covered in loose gravel. I noticed some potholes that were present on Old William Penn Hwy last week were patched this week. Meanwhile, McCrady Rd is in deplorable condition as always.
jaysherman5000
2015-03-21 20:13:35
Yea I should have stopped to clear those rocks. I was going pretty fast and being a stravasshole.
neilmd
2015-03-21 20:32:40
Who do we report the deep hole on the EFT to between the greenfield side trailhead and the HMB ramp?
stefb
2015-03-22 03:33:01
In general, there's gravel everywhere, so watch turns, take it easy. That mud next to the Allegheny River by the 10th St. Bypass is something else, though. Anyone got any bright ideas how to take care of it? All I can think of is a team of shovelers, followed by a fire hose. Actually, a hose apparatus might be a useful tool for the city to have. A weekly pass at the goose droppings on the other side of the river would improve the human visitors' quality of life.
stuinmccandless
2015-03-22 08:23:43
@stefb: For Friends of the Riverfront trail hazards, the best person to contact is Jeffrey McCauley, the FOR trail stewardship coordinator. I emailed him your note. @stuinmccandless: The city has a truck with spray nozzles that I saw blasting goose droppings a couple weeks ago, near the Point. The mist from their spray had a chemical smell to it - de-icer?
paulheckbert
2015-03-22 08:43:57
I rode this route today, which includes a stretch from the McKees Rocks Bridge to E Carson. I didn't realize the current state of W Carson (1 lane, jersey barriers on both sides), otherwise I would've avoided it. So, does anyone know a good inbound detour to avoid W Carson St? Preferably, it would resume the aforementioned route somewhere in the S Side. I'm not averse to more climbing.
jaysherman5000
2015-03-22 13:55:40
Were I to do that: * southbound McKees Rocks Bridge, exit at Helen Street * L Helen, L Robb, R River through The Bottoms * R West Carson, L Chartiers * L PA51 * straight Stafford St * L Maple, R Radcliffe, R Stadium, L Stafford * R Minton * L Zephyr * R Sherwood * L Sheraden * R Hillsboro * two L onto Chartiers (across Busway) * R Chartiers (instead of straightleft onto Corliss down to WCarson) * optional L Lorenz to climb to W End Overlook * L Steuben * R Wabash or Alexander or Sanctus * L West Main * R West Carson, however you want to approach it. I have not biked this, but this is my favorite detour by car. Knowing this route in reverse is how I *get to* McKees Rocks from downtown.
stuinmccandless
2015-03-22 17:38:30
There's a section of the southside trail below Hofbrau that is completely covered in mud. Better to go over on the top side of that trail on that sweet paved detour. Also, 311'nd a ridiculous pothole on Swinburne underneath the Parkway overpass on the uphill lane. Hit that one hard today...
chrishent
2015-03-22 18:26:43
Took the GAP to the Steel Valley to the Montour yesterday. The tunnel in Cecil was closed still due to ice. But there was a easy way to navigate around it. The wet gravel from Cecil to Mcdonald was like quicksand and took twice the effort to pedal. People passed too close coming home on Noblestown, but that happens every season.
shooflypie
2015-03-22 18:55:15
Street cleaning begins in April, so hopefully that will address most of the gravel and debris issues. I've encountered this on Stanton and the debris includes broken glass. In addition, not sure if anyone uses Smallman but one of the factories/warehouses around 34th dumps a lot of water onto the street and this caused icy conditions today.
mjacobpgh
2015-03-23 07:58:59
Apparently, there is snow outside right now. Just saying. So tired of wearing base layer. I'm over this winter.
ka_jun
2015-03-23 20:39:45
Downtown streets seemingly all clear. No snow
chrishent
2015-03-24 06:13:52
I check Wunderground; satellite shows the next rain band is maybe 30 mins away. I leave to ride home. Outside it starts to drizzle. Oh well. I forge ahead. Drizzle turns into shower. Shower turns to rain. I approach home. It's back to a drizzle, the clouds are breaking. A nice evening ahead. Perfect timing. (And no rain gear.)
ahlir
2015-04-02 18:44:08
@StuInMcCandless: The city does have a hosing apparatus (a truck of sorts). Last year they used it - daily - to hose down goose poop on the North Shore. They used to take a sweep at the trail around 7 AM, going from the Science Center to the kayak place. They would even move over and turn down the water flow if they saw my blinky in the rear view mirror.
rainbow-dog
2015-04-03 07:40:46
So it exists. I haven't been down at river level since the Viking ride, so don't know if the mud situation has improved. Do or did or can they bring that apparatus over to do the city side after a flood?
stuinmccandless
2015-04-03 07:53:51
I don't see why not. It's a rather large truck with a cistern. So as long as there is vehicular access they should be able to. On a related topic, I think the geese should be re-homed to Brunot Island or some place less populated.
rainbow-dog
2015-04-03 08:57:18
Call today for a FREE, No Obligation Evaluation of your goose problems
paulheckbert
2015-04-04 09:26:12
A duck, seriously?? Oh, Portland.
edmonds59
2015-04-06 15:07:48
Somebody hitting someone else and then can't bother to stop... where have I seen that before... FWIW, the guy has apparently apologized a couple of times in the forums. Why am I getting worked up about the killing of one duck in a world of wanton and pointless nonhuman animal killing? Maybe I'm just different, but I actually stop when I see animals lying in the road to see if they're still alive. There are wildlife rehabilitators as well as an emergency center for companion animals out by Camp Horne road.
sgtjonson
2015-04-07 23:22:27
I hope no one got caught in the storms yesterday. Be safe today. I heard more may come during the morning commute. Various amounts of debris, especially on the jail trail along the jail parking lot. Traffic light at Neville and Bayard in Oakland out as of 5am. Flashing light at Market and BOA downtown (BOA gets the flashing yellow). Careful around all turns, as there could be gravel at intersections.
stefb
2015-04-10 05:33:51
I was riding home on Rt 130 and stopped at an office building as a storm cell approached. The lightning and pouring rain was fun to watch from a safe place. Then I continued on through Dick Valley. All the street lights were out in West Homestead.
jonawebb
2015-04-10 07:21:04
4/10 8:15AM Standing water next to the Second Ave parking lot on EFT/Jail Trail...3-4 inches when I went through, may want to go through the parking lot, it was pretty deep for that low lying section, I think that the sewer is clogged there.
ka_jun
2015-04-10 08:00:23
Good amount of debris on the North Shore trail.
rainbow-dog
2015-04-10 08:30:07
I took shelter at AGH when I saw, coming up Cedar Ave, that I was not going to outrun the storm. Afterward, one light out at North Charles, and Cemetery Lane in Ross was closed because of a downed tree. Aside from that, just the usual debris on the road one expects after a storm. A few years ago, I didn't outrun a storm and tried to take shelter in a bus shelter. No good; it was fully exposed to the direction the worst of the wind and rain was headed. I may as well have jumped in a pond. Since then, I've mentally filed away spots along my usual routes where I can take shelter. Some are better than others, but the key is to think how far ahead (or behind) me the nearest one is, and to gauge the sky to know whether to make a run for it.
stuinmccandless
2015-04-10 08:35:32
If this morning was any indication, there were a ridiculous amount of commuters/rec cyclists on EFT/Jail Trail. I can believe those numbers that indicate that the amount of riders is way up.
ka_jun
2015-04-13 08:13:23
I used to see no one between 5 and 6am on my way to work. Now I see about 6-8 other cyclists regularly.
stefb
2015-04-16 21:20:00
I bused the bike downtown, then saw at least five in my brief ride from 9th and Penn to the library on Smithfield, about 7 this morning. I kinda wished I'd been able to talk to the couple I saw on the sidewalk, but I wasn't close enough to chase them down.
stuinmccandless
2015-04-17 11:17:16
Bike racks in the Strip all seemingly had at least one bike on them. It was awesome. "People don't go shopping to the Strip by bike!" Right...
chrishent
2015-04-18 12:08:49
It's nice actually having bike racks to lock to in the strip. It's now easier than ever, Wish they had a couple corrals other than the one on smallman by kaya, something visible from penn would be nice.
benzo
2015-04-20 13:56:17
Dark clouds are coming in from the West. Be careful out there
chrishent
2015-04-20 16:44:43
Speaking of racks, the racks at the city-county building really, really suck, as I think has been pointed out before. The good news is that they are also consistently packed full. The bad news is that they suck and are full. Can we get the city to install about 3x more capacity with something that wasn't designed in 1965?
neilmd
2015-04-24 08:58:44
You do know about the four Three Rivers racks on Forbes, right?
stuinmccandless
2015-04-24 09:45:39
neilmd, two days ago, the City-County Building just got two new sets of racks under the portico.
chinston
2015-04-24 10:05:58
Oh yea!
neilmd
2015-04-24 10:29:39
Is there any prospect for getting Irvine St in Hazelwood re-striped to be 1 lane in both directions? It is one line toward Hazelwood Ave and 2 lanes toward Greenfield Ave, and that seems dumb. I assume that as long as the AlMonO site is under development we won't have a bike trail over there, and going along the single lane toward Hazelwood is just annoying. It is made more unpleasant by a large fraction of oncoming traffic using their left lane despite minimal traffic in their right lane. It seems ripe for at least a temporary bike lane (I don't know how the bridge shutdown will affect traffic on Irvine, though). I suspect that the PA 885 designation means that it is under control of PennDOT, which probably answers my question right there.
neilmd
2015-04-25 15:44:01
re Irvine: I really dislike that street (though early Sunday mornings seem ok). I sincerely doubt that it will be possible to make it 2-lane. On the other hand maybe they should just start enforcing the &^%$! speed limit? Right away it becomes a cash-positive proposition. Maybe they could earmark the take for bike infrastructure... he dreams.
ahlir
2015-04-25 17:23:40
I was passed today on Irvine by a van pulling a trailer that was MUCH wider than the van today (one of those car tow things I believe). That was ... exhilarating.
neilmd
2015-04-25 18:59:15
And while we're on this topic: the MongAlOh (whatever...) plan I originally read specified that 2nd would be the main thoroughfare from Greenfield to Hazelwood streets. This seems ill-advised. Irvine is hemmed by a hill, rail tracks and industrial properties; 2nd is supposed to be residential and commercial. Why make the latter the zoom-through street? Then there's that rail line that 2nd will have to cross. Or maybe they'll just raze that whole south Hazelwood neighborhood and build a flyover. Oh, wait. I get it. Irvine becomes a bike boulevard! But why didn't they tell us?
ahlir
2015-04-25 21:59:56
Logan is currently closed; sewer cave in or something like that about half way up, barriers at base. Someone should post when it is open again and look out for (more) uneven surface on the way up.
neilmd
2015-04-26 14:15:23
Encountered City of Pgh DPW sweeper truck on EFT/Jail Trail this morning. That, in itself, is awesome. Smithfield inbound is down to one lane between Third and Fourth, due to that water main break from yesterday. Expect congestion.
ka_jun
2015-04-29 07:56:12
I encountered that sweeper also. Unfortunately it was a the end where the trail is bordered by a guard rail and a drop into large rocks. The guy did appear he was going to stop to give me a space to get by until the last minute when I stopped right in front of him where I was able to squeeze by at the very end of the rocks on my left. I was still appreciative of the trail being swept.
helen-s
2015-04-30 09:07:54
A fallen tree on the North Shore Trail, right by the old jail. It's leaning across the trail and I had to dismount to walk under it. It's still rooted but completely blown over by last night's storm. I don't think it can be straightened, but I am no expert. Would definitely need power tools to cut it down.
rainbow-dog
2015-05-12 09:33:57
@rainbow_dog - Can you submit a 311 ticket for this since you know the location?
benzo
2015-05-12 10:03:46
Done.
rainbow-dog
2015-05-12 11:07:23
On my way to work today, I went through the McKees Rocks bridge downstream sidewalk, which inexplicably had "sidewalk closed" barriers at both ends. I got around them, going over the jersey barriers, and rode the sidewalk, which was in OK shape. My guess is that the barriers are PennDOT's doing, so to whom should I bring this up to? Other than that, it was pleasant morning to ride. Stopped at the North Side commuter cafe and got me some goodies before heading off to Neville Island. Hope everyone had a good ride this morning!
chrishent
2015-05-15 08:05:15
I guess you missed my threads where we discussed and then cleaned the other side. Pen dot closed the side you were on, good luck getting it taken care of.
5matt
2015-05-15 08:27:19
@5Matt, I did see your thread and, for what it's worth, I would've helped out had I not been out of town that weekend. In any case, I had not realized that the downstream sidewalk was "closed" (this should give you an idea on how often I ride in this direction) and wanted to communicate this.
chrishent
2015-05-15 08:49:44
Those signs have been there since the 2009 rebuild. I do not see why they are still there. There is nothing broken AFAICT, and it's been years since anybody did any work on them. They're filled with crud, true, just as the upstream sidewalk was until a few weeks ago, but I think they just forgot to take the signs with them five years ago.
stuinmccandless
2015-05-15 10:51:00
When I was trying to get penndot to clean the sidewalks, Lou Rizzi (sp?) told me they closed that side because of structural damage, it may not be visible from the top. Chrishent, I wasn't giving grief for not helping, just pointing out that the other side is in much better condition although I think we may need to revisit it.
5matt
2015-05-15 22:57:04
The upstream sidewalk used to have major structural damage for a very long time, 10 years or more, and was unusable. All bridges are supposed to be inspected every two years, IIRC. But these signs have just been sitting there for five years, the busted upstream sidewalk is fine, and the downstream sidewalk seems OK on the surface. I find it hard to believe there is major work to be done on a bridge that just got overhauled in 2009. So, either come up with a recent inspection or inspect it again, and then remove or re-erect the barriers, as appropriate.
stuinmccandless
2015-05-16 08:16:11
Informal bike count made while I was riding eastbound from the Hot Metal Bridge to Costco around 10:45 am: 117 cyclists headed towards Pittsburgh. I love seeing that.
chrishent
2015-05-25 12:40:09
The GAP was definitely popular yesterday. I rode out past Roundbottom with a friend yesterday and every parking lot along the way was completely full.
marko82
2015-05-26 07:07:54
OT, speaking of Roundbottom, typically when we do family bike camping, we camp at Cedar Creek. This is fine, albeit typically noisy. What's the camping at Roundbottom like? Seems like it would be a bit more quiet, as it seems to be more difficult to access via vehicles. When I've rode past, it seems more tranquil.
ka_jun
2015-05-26 07:49:01
5/28/15 Advisory: TreePgh was in the process of doing some work on EFT/Jail Trail this morning, including having a front end loader on the trail between Bates & Birmingham Bridge. Take care in that area. Puts into context that full sized dump truck I saw moving down EFT yesterday around lunch.
ka_jun
2015-05-28 07:53:56
JZ, Roundbottom is quieter in the humans aspect generally (I have encountered some folks who rolled up late with a case of beer and a radio but that was just once). But it's probably even a little bit noisier as far as the trains go, since at Roundbottom, you're RIGHT on the river, no trees blocking the sound at all.
emma
2015-05-28 11:43:51
A few street condition updates: 1. Beechwood just um, let's say east of Browns Hill Road (giving directions on Beechwood is always interesting) is in the process of being resurfaced, consistent with the city repaving plan. This is very good news but be careful during the work. Right now two sections have had the old pavement milled, one leaving the old shoulder intact and one the full width. The transitions are quite abrupt so be prepared to hop or take them slowly. 2. Something heavy slid down Eleanor while trying not to for about 30' near the base at Holt. It took out a fair bit of pavement, so if you really want to you can relive the glory days when Eleanor was cobbles for a few feet. That must have really focused the mind. There is a narrow strip of asphalt still intact near the right edge of the street, though there is also a fair bit of junk in the road because of the skid. It almost looks like a dumpster slid down the street. 3. There is also a section of Sycamore that is getting worse and worse a bit before the switchback. It has been marked with spray paint, so my guess is that you will find a road crew out there doing some spot resurfacing sometime soon.
neilmd
2015-05-30 17:28:27
I think a garbage truck slid down Eleanor.
stefb
2015-05-30 17:55:38
Roundbottom has zero cellphone coverage - which is OK, but if you've promised somebody a call that you're in safe for the night, you're going to have to make it well before Roundbottom.
vannever
2015-05-30 19:38:46
To add to my list, High St in Etna has been milled down to dirt and gravel on top of cobblestones. I did not find that pleasant.
neilmd
2015-05-31 11:09:42
Let's hope it gets some decent pavement before Dirty Dozen.
stuinmccandless
2015-05-31 17:53:15
@emma & @vannevar thanks for the info, I think we'll give it a shot to see what it's like.
ka_jun
2015-05-31 19:49:16
Forbes is milled between Margaret Morrison and Schenley Park.
jonawebb
2015-06-05 09:42:05
Mulberries are in season. The ones on EFT are big and juicy but I am weary about eating them considering they are right next to the highway. The ones at the end of the North Shore Trail by the old penitentiary are getting ripe but are tricky to get to.
rainbow-dog
2015-06-05 11:00:22
If anyone really wants mulberries, I have a couple of trees. They're on a slope, so if I want to gather any berries, I put down some old sheets.
stuinmccandless
2015-06-05 11:31:03
I had a mulberry tree in my old yard that was so productive we had to clean the sidewalk with a snow shovel.
mick
2015-06-06 00:47:00
6/8/15 8AM Tree partially down on EFT/Jail Trail between Birmingham Bridge and Second Ave parking lot across half of the inbound side of the trail. Already been 311'ed.
ka_jun
2015-06-08 07:54:46
Tree removed.
ka_jun
2015-06-08 12:47:48
6/9/15 12PM Work being done on the South Side trail at the new South Side Works marina. Posted "no bicycles past this point" on both sides of that new "elevator?" with no bypass. Guys jackhammering were kind enough to allow us to pass.
ka_jun
2015-06-09 12:27:07
J Z, From my vague memory of rolling through there yesterday, I believe the "no bicycles past this point" only refers to the parking lot. There are "bike route" signs (?) directing people to the sidewalk for that little portion.
jamin
2015-06-09 14:10:26
Went down Williams St in Mt. Washington for the first time today. Aside from the crappy pavement, there is a lot of loose gravel along the entire descent to Arlington Ave. Proceed with caution.
chrishent
2015-06-09 19:45:14
@Jamin When we passed, yesterday, the construction guys had a compressor directly on the trail for the jackhammer. Maybe they were working on drainage.
ka_jun
2015-06-10 07:51:48
One for the last day of Spring, there are some metal plates across the road on southbound Liberty Ave in Bloomfield, right before the light at Baum Blvd. There's a longitudinal gap between two plates, wide enough to swallow most skinny tires.
chrishent
2015-06-20 18:16:53
Speaking of metal plate gaps, there was a really nasty one northbound on Highland just before the Penn intersection, yesterday. You'd probably need a fat-bike for that one. How hard can it be to drive some spikes into the pavement to prevent shifting? Then again, there's those lawyers advertising down the right-hand side who might have solutions...
ahlir
2015-06-20 18:57:06
7/22/15 8:15AM Second Avenue was/is closed between Bates St. and the flyover/Armstrong tunnel, apparently a truck lost its load and they're in the process of cleaning it up. Traffic officer at Blvd of the Allies and Bates and traffic was heavy, there are also a pair of cars parked on the sidewalk (if you're using it to bypass the traffic on the road) in front of that condemned property on Bates.
ka_jun
2015-07-22 08:05:49
8/14/15 8:15AM DPW is doing some work on EFT/Jail Trail between the Birmingham Bridge and Second Avenue parking lot, you may encounter a dump truck parked across the entire trail and a large front end loader that is clearing brush off the right side inbound. There were workers who waved me across when it was safe, be aware.
ka_jun
2015-08-14 08:21:25
It's Spring 2016 now; time to revive this thread.
paulheckbert
2016-03-22 23:20:43
While biking the Southside Trail today, Yale and I found a trailer blocking the (asphalt portion of the) trail at the end of S 2nd St. This was annoying, as it sent us and other cyclists through the loose gravel, which the asphalt was supposed to fix. I put a makeshift note on the trailer: "This trailer is blocking the trail; please move it." I've also asked Jeff McCauley at Friends of the Riverfront if he can get the trailer moved.
paulheckbert
2016-03-22 23:25:27
3/22/16 14H00 Frick Park. Trails were tacky and fun. 1st singletrack of the season for me. Iron Grate, 276, Bradema. Thanks for whomever flagged that ramp on 276 due to the backside being broken. Lots of other riders out who had the same idea I did. Some good has to come out of a day when you have to take time off for medical stuff.
ka_jun
2016-03-23 10:15:21
About that trailer on S. 2nd St, Jeffrey McCauley at FOR replied: "I have looked at the trailer and it has now moved out of the way. My guess is that you weren’t the only one to complain and that someone made a mistake when dropping it off and now it is fixed." Can someone out on that trail check that the trailer is out of the way, please?
paulheckbert
2016-03-23 17:20:18
Today was awesome and there were lots of people out there riding. That is all.
chrishent
2016-03-23 19:27:13
Yeah, the roadies are finally emerging from hibernation. It seemed like every other cyclist I passed this evening was kitted out, off the saddle and cranking away.
ahlir
2016-03-23 19:31:46
North park single track is in great shape also. Great dirt out there
stefb
2016-03-24 05:36:15
@ahlir, I think most of the people I saw yesterday were not roadies. Commuters, leisurers, and a few Healthy Riders. Regarding actual road conditions, I went up 40th St in Lawrenceville, just for the hell of it (it's very rare that I need to go through here). Man, that bike lane sucks right now. In desperate need of some street sweepin'. 311'd it.
chrishent
2016-03-24 07:23:30
Ok, so today I saw just one. Tons of commuters though. Go figure. Maybe it was the forecast of rain... Things do seem to be getting cleaned up, slowly. The Meadow St bridge over Negley Run, outbound, has been swept. Did I mention that cardinals have shown up?
ahlir
2016-03-24 17:36:41
Today I saw a lot of kitted bicyclists but not in the city limits. :)
mikhail
2016-03-24 20:57:47
@paul
jonawebb
2016-03-25 19:17:53
3/26/16 Pretty on the GAP today, no landslides or odd stuff out to Dravo Cemetery. Did have a nice burger, onion rings & beer @ Rich's Parkside Den.
ka_jun
2016-03-26 18:25:52
Slightly off topic? Anyone know where to park by sci pgh to use the trail? My wife has biked there from Millvale before (many times) and once when she was hanging on one of those side streets drinking her water bottle a prison guard told her she was loitering and to move. Technically the two streets that go from Beaver to the trail are public but if a big dude with a gun tells you to get a move on... Don't want to risk parking there (yes, on a public Street) and getting towed.
edronline
2016-03-27 07:06:05
Assuming you mean State Correctional Institution, @edronline, I see people park at the end of Westhall St regularly.
paulheckbert
2016-03-27 07:33:16
3/28/16 8H15 Oakland to Dahntahn. zomg, HEADWIND. May want to pack a rain jacket/pants for later, weather looked all over the place on the way in.
ka_jun
2016-03-28 09:29:38
1) Once, while picking up an o-Rama Tag at the prison, I was waved over by a guard and asked to explain what I was doing there (I pretended I was just being curious, "gosh, officer..."). Pro tip: don't be too obvious handling a camera thereabouts. Or otherwise seem to be dawdling. It may be a "public" street, but you should mind the "s. 2) I don't quite understand how this is supposed to make sense, but today I has a headwind both coming into work and going back home...
ahlir
2016-03-28 20:38:29
Biking home yesterday around 6, the only spot that really gave me trouble was the West End Bridge. There, it was almost a straight side wind, and I was mighty glad I was on the sidewalk. I considered back-tracking into the city and catching a bus ride, but once I got in among buildings, trees & hillsides, it was easier to handle, so I made it the whole way home. But yeah, it did seem to be head-, side- & tailwind, changing every 20 seconds.
stuinmccandless
2016-03-29 05:18:38
I recall reading somewhere... Wind is only beneficial if it's in a ~45° arc; that is, within ~23° of 180° relative (your six). So most of the time, wind will be perceived as detrimental. And even on those rare occasions when the wind does blow favorably, rarely does one's route proceed in a consistent direction for long before turning, placing the wind outside that magical arc. Without even taking into account wind variability and the impact of terrain, and... Just how *does* anyone manage to control a bike with deep-dish wheels, anyways?
ornoth
2016-03-29 08:51:00
Got a message from 311 saying that the 40th St climbing lane had been swept. Confirmation?
chrishent
2016-03-29 10:50:02
@ornoth - very carfully. I've ridden (my bike polo bike) with full wheel covers a few times when it was windy, the sail effect really messes with your handling. Could barely handle slow commuting speeds.
benzo
2016-03-29 11:45:17
40th St absolutely has _not_ been swept. Definitely still has gravel in all the same spots. Also, Millvale Ave south of the Bridge is being paved today. Road is closed from the north end of the bridge...which, btw, is also the first place you'll be told it's closed. Avoid.
epanastrophe
2016-04-01 09:22:42
"Also, Millvale Ave south of the Bridge is being paved today." I read that it's going to be closed for the next 80 days too. The blurb that I saw said the work wouldn't start until Monday, but hey, nobody needs to know these things. "The Baum Boulevard Bridge (Route 380) between Melwood Avenue and Enfield Street in Pittsburgh will close for 80 days beginning Monday at 7 p.m. All traffic will be detoured via Liberty Avenue, the Bloomfield Bridge and Bigelow Boulevard. The closure is part of a $12.34 million project that includes replacing the bridge deck and resurfacing the road between the bridge and Morewood Avenue." EDIT: "Different bridges." ooops. So close to one another....
rustyred
2016-04-01 10:51:30
Different bridges. Millvale Ave is being repaved (by the City) between Baum and its bridge over the Busway today (and between the bridge and Liberty later this year). Baum is having the entire deck replaced (by the State) on its bridge over the Busway's Neville Ave ramp this summer, starting Monday.
epanastrophe
2016-04-01 10:54:23
At least they didn't lack the communication enough to make sure both of these things weren't happening at once. That woulda been a nightmare. :P
gimppac
2016-04-01 11:00:15
I'm still waiting for the underpass on Federal/Sixth St by Lacock to become predictably open. It's been shut down for some sort of major work for months. Occasionally they have a walkway open for pedestrians (and the occasional bicycle) to get through, but the last couple of weeks, even that has been blocked off. Of course, all the notice they give is the big generic orange sign for car traffic saying "road closed" and there is no way to know in advance that the walkway is shut down, too. You just have to commit to going that way and prepare to make a quick U-turn if you cannot get through.
stuinmccandless
2016-04-01 13:22:45
East End Riders - The City of Pittsburgh paving is in full swing! Hampton Street between Heths and King was repaved the other day (and is it mighty fine.) From my observations on a bus ride into town today (87) - -Milling is taking place on Negley Avenue from Stanton to Hampton. -Graham is milled from Baum to Coral. -Milling is taking place on Hays Street on the whole length.
jason-pgh
2016-04-01 14:13:28
I heard from Jeffrey McCauley at Friends of the Riverfront: Re Eliza Furnace Trail: EFT will be closed a couple days in April so it can get repaved from Birmingham Bridge to Swinburne Parking lot and the resurfaced limestone jogging tracks. Re Strip District Trail: Also starting in May the Strip District will be closing for five months while Buncher upgrades the trail. They will be closing the trail in sections and doing upgrades to 1-2 block sections at a time. We will work to have proper detours in place.
paulheckbert
2016-04-02 12:28:22
> "starting in May the Strip District will be closing for five months while Buncher upgrades the trail" I...what? You've got to be kidding. The last four months closure turned into two entire years. (A) why should anyone believe the timeline this time? (B) why wasn't this work done then?
epanastrophe
2016-04-02 12:48:56
Please post the exact days the jail trail will be paved if anyone hears. Likely it will just happen without warning. So they got rid of the unintentional little ramp on Hampton, but I am glad it is paved.
stefb
2016-04-02 21:50:42
+1 on beta for EFT/Jail Trail paving. Unforeseen detour on the commute to work would not be optimal.
ka_jun
2016-04-02 22:33:48
Spotted a few icy-looking corners downtown. Take it easy this morning
chrishent
2016-04-05 06:27:36
"Spotted a few icy-looking corners downtown. Take it easy this morning" I can attest to this:almost ate it on the brickwork crosswalk turning from Penn onto 6th at about 8:20. I keep forgetting how slippery those damned things are. Other than that, just a few patches of snow on bridgedecks and frozen puddles to watch out for.
rustyred
2016-04-05 07:37:26
4/5/16 8H15 Oakland to Downtown. Crazy, there was trace snow around, including EFT/Jail Trail. Wood ramp had accumulated snow on it. Watch the shady areas, there actually was sporadic and trace ice. Not a problem if you are cognizant of your surroundings.
ka_jun
2016-04-05 07:52:39
Butler inbound at Home (between 47th & 46th): watch for glass and other debris left behind after car/motorcycle collision tonight. Also: outbound Butler at 46th, watch for huge pile of gravel along the right side of the intersection.
epanastrophe
2016-04-06 20:48:19
Probably seen in another thread about road paving: 7th street from the north side end of the bridge to allegheny circle is scraped. Also there is what appeared to be salt in the Penn ave bike lanes downtown?
stefb
2016-04-07 04:56:52
Downtown roads are clear
chrishent
2016-04-08 06:18:01
East End Paving Observations - 4/08/2016 Black Street (Negley to N. Aiken) - Milled, be careful on this road, lots of large stones N. Negley (Stanton to Hampton) - Fully paved, no line markings Hays Street (entire length) - Fully paved S. Graham (Baum to Penn) - One layer of paving put down
jason-pgh
2016-04-08 08:30:03
Wonder if the strip trail upgrades are so access to the trail can be used as a selling feature for their project. So maybe will have a wider trail. Maybe more level to the buncher project. Maybe more river overlooks. Maybe. Just trying to look on the bright side of things.
edronline
2016-04-08 18:46:58
It will be a shortcut for private vehicles if it is anything like other trails
stefb
2016-04-08 18:53:09
Smallman is being repaved between 33rd and 36th St. Finally. That stretch sucked.
chrishent
2016-04-09 06:46:14
Paving Beechwood between Forbes and Northumberland. Milled as of 4/9
jason-pgh
2016-04-09 21:29:20
I ran up the strip trail today. Needs a lot of love. Buncher hasn't done crap with the rest of their gated off property besides building a huge hill of dirt and other crap. Any idea when they will start to build or do they need to do this landscaping project first? Not a lot of room to widen it to 14 feet unless they level the whole thing off.
edronline
2016-04-10 14:34:28
Two major cuts in Liberty Avenue with little notice. First one is at 38th Street. There is a base layer of paving down but the bump is enough to startle you. The second one is worse, and it is at 39th Street. This is milled all the way down with large cinders in the pit. Hit these at 30 mph last night and was, to say the least, surprised.
jason-pgh
2016-04-23 12:49:49
4/25/16 8H15 EFT/Jail Trail inbound right past the Second Ave wood ramp is severely restricted by work vehicles, not even down to one lane, they're in that same manhole working on something and you have about 3 ft of trail for both directions.
ka_jun
2016-04-25 09:48:20
Bouquet is being milled from Forbes to Bates. Was milled this afternoon (4/25.)
jason-pgh
2016-04-25 18:20:49
Bouquet is milled all the way up to Fifth. In fact, they milled part way into the intersection at Forbes, so watch yourself if you're in the left lane.
epanastrophe
2016-04-25 22:46:51
Jeff McCauley of Friends of the Riverfront expects the Eliza Furnace Trail (the portion east of the the Birmingham Bridge) to get repaved in mid-May. It sounds like there will be both new asphalt and refurbished running surfaces on the sides of the asphalt.
paulheckbert
2016-04-28 00:19:47
I thought they said April. Will they give more than 3 hours of notice when it will be closed?
stefb
2016-04-28 08:09:50
@stefb "I thought they said April." They did.
paulheckbert Apr 2 2016 at 12:28pm I heard from Jeffrey McCauley at Friends of the Riverfront: Re Eliza Furnace Trail: EFT will be closed a couple days in April so it can get repaved from Birmingham Bridge to Swinburne Parking lot and the resurfaced limestone jogging tracks....
"APRIL is the cruellest month…mixing / Memory and desire, stirring / Dull roots with spring rain." (Eliot, The Waste Land) (So, August, then?)
epanastrophe
2016-04-28 08:35:10
Yeah. Haha I think I predicted August also. It will probably be May, 2017. Just curious as to wether or not anyone has hurt themselves on the few crappy, uneven spots where the patch jobs were done half assed. It is hard to be positive about Pittsburgh commuter cycling when a major commuter path like the EFT got shut down with a few hours of notice, no detours were posted, vehicles still drive up and down it, and the temporary fix is shitty. Bike lanes are still in the door zones. The trail through the strip was closed for a long time, and now it will be closed again? Vehicles continue to blast through the junction hollow trail and the trail surface had deteriorated. Perhaps Bike Pittsburgh has done all they could, but I kinda feel like they have not been advocating in those areas, at least not publicly. Maybe I am one to make a bigger deal, but I almost expected them to go to the media or mayor about it and make it a huge deal. Maybe they have, and I missed it. Maybe that is not realistic. Maybe here is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes, but hey Bike Pittsbugh, commuting by bike in Pittsburgh seems to be getting worse.
stefb
2016-04-28 11:19:11
A few more complaints (because I don't do that enough), the RR has caused a disruption for people trying to get out of Duck hollow and across the tracks in Schenley to the lake. In addition, this message board continues to be unusable on several platforms. I can't see images on my phone, and posts get cut off and I can't scroll over.
stefb
2016-04-28 11:21:59
For what's it's worth I hear that BP is in the middle of updating their website so hopefully that will be addressed along with the website revamp. (the other stuff, I can't say anything to)
gimppac
2016-04-28 11:38:26
Mind if I pile on the rants? * Still silence and inaction on the low manhole covers on the Penn Ave bike lane. * I am unhappy that the latest bike lane proposal, on Federal St, is essentially a DZBL. * I do not understand why my suggestion for directing cyclists from the city end of the EFT down Blvd of the Allies by tweaking the Grant/1Ave light to have a dedicated phase to let cyclists onto Grant unimpeded, was discarded. * I still see no advocacy for actually making it safe to ride on the thousand miles of city and area streets by causing speed enforcement, or getting BMUFL signs posted, something Millvale on its own managed to do. * I would like to see some action to inform magistrates that bikes really can use the full lane, so folks like Jim don't lose stupid cases in court, and educating the police not to pull law-obeying cyclists over in the first place. They have a staff of seven? nine? now, so I should theoretically be seeing twice as much real advocacy as in 2010 when there were only four of them.
stuinmccandless
2016-04-28 12:06:02
Just my .02: BikePgh is about advocacy through long-term harmonious relationships. Although they wrangle behind closed doors - and I believe they do, with good intent - they're not about public confrontation. It's a strategic choice that BikePgh is very disciplined about, and I get it. It produces results and long-term inclusion in the political process. It does leave a vacuum and I don't see another asset to fill that space.
vannever
2016-04-28 12:18:52
I would like to hope that bike pgh was shut out of processes completely, as mentioned before, for things such as the poor placement of bike lanes. Because if they compromised on that, then ugh. Better to have less bike lanes that are safe than to have a bunch that aren't. nothing personal, people. Just remember that the squeaky wheel gets the oil, too. I was under the impression that advocacy groups were more visible and louder. I guess that doesn't apply to all of them. Of course I don't want for their good relations and inclusions in processes to be ruined, but it is just leaving me frustrating.
stefb
2016-04-28 13:11:12
Of course, Bike-Pgh works primarily in the city. I ride in the city, Millvale, Ross, Shaler, McCandless, Bellevue, Crafton, Ingram, Sharpsburg, Robinson, Moon, Stowe, McKees Rocks ... in just the last six weeks. But I have the most trouble on what should be established, high bike traffic streets like Butler St and Perrysville Ave, and I'm not alone. Speeding drivers, drivers who don't know a law-abiding cyclist when they see one, drivers who don't know what the rules both allow (3301a6) and disallow (3303a3, 3331e) ... This is what makes cycling seem frightening and unsafe, and often is. How is fighting that not bike advocacy? Of course, a lot of this needs to be fought at the state level, which admittedly is out of their bailiwick. But my more local gripes are in-city, inside their well defined bailiwick. To be clear, I refuse to use any infrastructure I deem unsafe to use, like DZBLs, and if I have to go 12 mph in a posted-35-where-everyone-goes-45, taking the lane while riding 12, then dammit, I'm going to do that. Liberty Ave through Bloomfield, I'm looking at you. The street should not be posted 35, and there should not be a DZBL. It should be posted 25, it should be enforced 25, there should be a two-foot buffer next to the parking lane, and cyclists should be able to ride on it without fear of being crushed or sideswiped. Like the new R.N. who got mowed down on her second day of work a couple years ago. And as I also said in another thread a couple weeks ago, the thought of having to shell out a thousand bucks in legal fees and lost work time every time I get pulled over while obeying the law is simply abhorrent.
stuinmccandless
2016-04-28 14:21:08
There is room for both behind the scenes and for public, civil advocacy. Open streets is nice, but put emphasis on public safety over the long term goes a long way.
stefb
2016-04-28 17:16:49
Yes, you're quite right Stef. I do think there's room for aggressive advocacy by individuals or some other "bad cop" entity.
vannever
2016-04-28 18:56:45
Rode the south side trail today between ft Pitt bridge and SS works for the first time in a long time. It sucks. Needs to be replaced. Any idea if this is on anyone's radar?
edronline
2016-05-07 17:38:43
@edronline: you say the southside trail "sucks". In what way? Personally, I prefer it over the Eliza Furnace trail - less air pollution and noise from cars.
paulheckbert
2016-05-09 06:46:08
On ultra-skinny road bike tires, the SS trail does not have an enjoyable trail surface. But if running wider tires, tires designed for such conditions, the imperfections aren't even noticed. If the condition of the trail is that noticeable to you, I would humbly suggest wider, higher air-volume tires. They also make brick, cobblestone and potholes a non-issue. Pittsburgh isn't a great city for skinny tires designed for perfect pavement.
dfiler
2016-05-09 11:57:48
Not sure what element of the trail you found to be substandard. I rode part of that section home the other night at 130AM coming home from Cracker running just a basic Planet Bike Blaze 2 Watt Micro & on 32 Conti Gatorskins @ 90psi. Is there some buckling due to root growth? Sure. Didn't seem major, though, at least to me.
ka_jun
2016-05-09 12:44:50
It's a little bumpy in places, but nothing compared to the Ohio River trail in Chateau, which is literally falling into the river in at least one place...
epanastrophe
2016-05-09 12:54:28
I'm not fond of the trail because of all the blind curves and other short sight-lines. But generally not a problem if you're not trying to hurry. If I'm in a hurry, I take the street.
stuinmccandless
2016-05-09 13:03:22
I would say that if it's at night and I am alone I vastly prefer the EFT because it is at least marginally lit and wide (not counting the recent construction vehicles hogging up the trail). SST is pitch black, narrow and curvy, and even though a good headlamp would fix that, I like to see what's coming around the corner at me. Surface-wise, EFT was typically better, but with all of that construction going on,there's not much difference to me there. If it's day time, I much prefer the SST.
gimppac
2016-05-09 13:05:20
I'm not sure if anyone else has noted, but the warehouses under the 40th St Bridge that used to be vacant are now occupied and have a lot more vehicle traffic as a result. This shortcut is used by a lot of people, myself included. I've yet to have any issues but it is technically private property and I could foresee issues arising in the future much like the UPMC lot at the EFT trailhead. It would be unfortunate because this little shortcut allows me to avoid Butler and Penn entirely.
mjacobpgh
2016-05-09 13:50:20
mjacobPGH when do you usually go through there? I used it around 9:00-9:30am on a couple of weekdays last week to avoid the more than usual snarls on Butler and didn't notice much more traffic. But then, I haven't used it a lot on the whole, so I don't have a comparison point as to what is "normal".
gimppac
2016-05-09 15:20:57
IMHO, SST has two sections that are pitch black. There was a surprising amount of ambient light from large sodium lights, I found. I saw the workers painting and doing the windows on those warehouses under 40th St. Bridge. If the traffic goes up, that will be sad, when we would go through there, usually around lunchtime, it was usually fairly quiet, especially after the move of the beer distributor, thought the mattress folks have been moving a lot of product, of late.
ka_jun
2016-05-09 15:26:37
Totally different question: Who would you contact to request a street sweeper on a county-maintained road? On a PennDOT-maintained road? Perry Hwy in Ross Twp near Martorelli Stadium has a really wide shoulder, but it has been covered in loose gravel since winter. The various rains have moved some of the gravel, but as this is a posted-35 ambient-45 road, that wide shoulder looks awfully inviting ... if it wasn't so difficult to ride. Separately, some of Babcock Blvd in Ross is county maintained (some is actually state maintained), but again, I don't know who to ask. Two further thoughts: * I should not have to know who to call. There should be a central number or Twitter account or whatever to report stuff, and it gets routed to the right maintainer. * If the right maintainer would actually run that street sweeper along roads with moderate to high bike traffic at least once between the end of winter cinder spreading and the Fourth of July, without having to be asked, that would be a really nice thing.
stuinmccandless
2016-05-09 15:47:26
> * I should not have to know who to call. There should be a central number or Twitter account or whatever to report stuff, and it gets routed to the right maintainer. If you post it at the City's 311 account, they'll tell you who to call. But this is clearly sub-optimal--indeed, it's so far below optimal, they can barely even see each other. It does seem that there should be such a number for the entire county, just like there's just one emergency-services dispatch. But AFAIK there isn't.
epanastrophe
2016-05-09 15:51:43
(BTW, to answer your top question, most of Perry Hwy from Marshall Ave in the City north to the county line is US-19; call PennDOT at 1-800-FIX-ROAD to report a problem. For Babcock, until we get that county-wide 311, I'd probably tweet it at @TownshipOfRoss and @Allegheny_Co both and let them figure it out... and prob. copy @walkbikeross for the hell of it.)
epanastrophe
2016-05-09 15:57:23
East Liberty has bike lanes, and they extended them further than they ever before, all the way to Negley. Chislett Street, notorious for speeding, now has a centerline, which should help to slow speeding because it narrows the travel lanes.
jason-pgh
2016-05-09 18:59:55
On ultra-skinny road bike tires, the SS trail does not have an enjoyable trail surface.
I don't know. For me 23 and 25 mm work completely OK. Speed could be from 10 mph up to 25 (during early morning).
mikhail
2016-05-09 19:48:32
@gimpPAC I'm usually going through around 8 and I'm referring to the lot closest to the 40th St Bridge. I guess I'm comparing it to past years when there were few vehicles in that lot ever and now it's almost entirely full with vehicles coming in and out every time I go through. Many of the vehicles are pulling out of parking spots and maybe can't see/won't expect bikes in a private lot. Again, hopefully not an issue but people should just take it slow in that lot.
mjacobpgh
2016-05-09 22:25:53
There is a section of moorewood between Ellsworth and fifth ave (heading toward fifth) that is milled. Watch out for it to avoid pinch flatting. Didn't look like there was a smooth transition.
stefb
2016-05-11 19:22:48
There is a section of 45th St. about 100 yards downhill from the Children's Hospital parking garage that is milled. Watch out for it to avoid pinch flatting. There is not a smooth transition.
abm760
2016-05-13 08:02:57
Main street had a chunk that is being repaved, where they dug up a water line this spring. It's about 2/3rds of the way up the hill. Currently the transition sucks, but it should be cleaned up nice very soon. For now though, watch your speed coming down main.
benzo
2016-05-13 08:59:25
From my perspective, they can't redo the lower bit of Federal soon enough. There are at least two new-ish wheel-sized holes on the downhill side, near the library, in addition to the general moonscape.
stuinmccandless
2016-05-13 11:07:09
I have to ride that every day twice, stu. It sucks. There is no good line going up the hill from north Ave.
stefb
2016-05-13 18:42:31
I have been rained on during the commute more in the last 3 weeks than the last 3 years combined.
ka_jun
2016-05-18 08:16:55
Yesterday I noticed that the drinking fountain at the Greenfield end of the jail-trail has been turned on. Hopefully the others around the city will be turned on soon too. Stay hydrated my friend.
marko82
2016-05-18 08:30:54
Regarding Federal St.: Good Afternoon, Thank you for coming to the public meeting at the Federal Street Library on April 21st. There aren't any changes to the proposed bicycle infrastructure as a result of the meeting. The bike lanes on Federal Street and East Street presented at the public meetingwill be installed ahead of schedule due to funding opportunities. Weather permitting, both streets will be repaved over the next two weeks and the new lane striping, including a bicycle lane, will be installed following the new pavement. Thank them for your participation and feedback! Please feel free to contact Kristin or myself with any questions. Stephanie Joy Everett
chrishent
2016-05-18 12:56:20
Yes yes yes yes yes. I hope somehow it deters the dangerous driving between north and Parkhurst.
stefb
2016-05-18 14:22:01
5/19/16 8H15 On EFT there are a couple of items of note. Under the bridge next to Golden Triangle, there is a change in the traffic pattern, if you're coming inbound, you'll bear left onto tamped down dirt due to bridgework. It gives some and you'll feel it. At the trailhead next to PNC, the facilities folks have a bunch of cones and tape up, be polite, they're repairing the fractured segments of the pavement and are doing a great job.
ka_jun
2016-05-19 12:44:56
Riverview Ave, the main road with the bike lane through Riverview Park, is being milled in stretches on both the uphill and downhill sections. Swoo-eet!
chrishent
2016-05-23 09:05:54
FYI. BIke lanes have been repainted on S. Bouquet St below forbes ave in Oakland. Just seeing this for the first time out my office window.
benzo
2016-05-23 12:57:53
Also in Oakland: The end of the Bayard Bike lanes at Western Psych now has bollards to stop people from using the bike lane/parking lane as a right turn lane. This is what should be used on ELB to stop people from using the new bike lane as a turning lane.
jason-pgh
2016-05-23 19:53:34
That was confusing as heck. For cars and bikes
edronline
2016-05-23 20:36:28
Does anyone have an orange traffic cone to put at ELB and negley?
stefb
2016-05-23 20:41:20
What about one of those hard hat turtles with an orange flag. Joking not joking.
edronline
2016-05-23 20:47:46
Also it is May 25. Is the EFT actually going to get paved this month?
stefb
2016-05-25 03:43:38
I would be surprised if EFT is paved prior to 6/1/16, but hey, keep hope alive, tho.
ka_jun
2016-05-25 09:56:09
keeping hope alive Keeping hope alive...
gimppac
2016-05-25 11:09:14
5/25/16 13H00 40th St. Bridge there is a PennDot sign that limits travel on the sidewalk, just be aware. Under the bridge, there is an unusual new feature, there is a stage set up and the normal tight squeeze between the jersey barriers has been blocked by a stack of old tires. Not sure if this is intended to be permanent, but we took the trail behind the warehouses then portaged across the two sets of tracks to what I believe was 36th Street.
ka_jun
2016-05-25 13:25:06
How heavy are the tires? Can we reposition the stack five feet away? Severely limiting access both under the bridge and across it is going to put a significant crimp on two major cycling paths -- and I use both. Thank you for the heads up.
stuinmccandless
2016-05-25 14:11:24
There is a stack of 5 of them. That stack could be repositioned by motivated parties, if they were so inclined.
ka_jun
2016-05-25 15:27:23
5/26/16 8H20 DPW truck on EFT/Jail Trail cutting back the foliage & the corrections officers/trainees are doing their laps, so some congestion near the jail.
ka_jun
2016-05-26 07:54:28
I asked Jeff at Friends of the Riverfront when the repaving of Eliza Furnace Trail will take place (earlier predicted for mid-May) and he said he'd have to ask the contractor. He believes it's been held up by Duquesne Light.
paulheckbert
2016-05-28 07:28:59
Believable, but they could be better about proactively communicating through this whole process...
gimppac
2016-05-29 10:40:56
"State Law Yield to Pedestrians" signs on Penn Avenue where bike lane is are somewhat protruding into the bike lane, moved a few of them out of the lane last night but I was unable to get all of them. Also, the one on Bigelow Blvd. near The Porch at Schenley was off to the side of the road, moved back into the center.
jason-pgh
2016-05-29 13:53:26
S. Millvalle between Baum and the Bridge is paved and has bike lane markings. Debris on the bridge is still piling up a bit but appears to have been swept somewhat recently.
jason-pgh
2016-05-30 10:25:21
5/31/16 12H45 40th St. Bridge, PennDot sign removed. Under the bridge, stack of tires between the jersey barriers and stage removed.
ka_jun
2016-05-31 12:50:37
How do I get down to said area under the 40th street bridge on the Lawrenceville side?
edronline
2016-05-31 18:20:40
Go down 40th St Extension (set your favourite mapping site to give directions to the National Robotics Engineering Center). When you cross the railroad tracks, look for a break in the jersey barriers directly across from the entrance to NREC.
epanastrophe
2016-05-31 18:22:58
Got it. It looks like the trail is only 3 blocks long. Besides the dog park any reason to go down there? Doesn't avoid any Butler St traffic.
edronline
2016-05-31 19:02:38
For me, it's a great way to get to Smallman without touching Butler, and vice versa. More significantly, I can get from Smallman St to Millvale without dealing with traffic until I'm across the river. If you're not headed north, and don't mind Smallman (newly paved, in spots), you can get out to like 47th by using Willow and Plummer. Also, by crossing Butler from Home St or thereabouts, get to Allegheny Cemetery, thus gaining easy access to Garfield and Friendship.
stuinmccandless
2016-05-31 19:11:01
Sorry, I wasn't clear enough---If you reach the actual 'trail', you've gone too far. The break in the barrier accesses the parking lots for a mini-industrial park; there's an exit to 39th St., or you can continue through another set of barriers into another parking lot which exits to 38th St. and has a driveway that dumps onto 36th St at the old Paragon Foods warehouse, behind Wilson McGinley. From 36th, you can reach Smallman, as Stu suggests.
epanastrophe
2016-05-31 19:18:29
Got it. The busy part of butler seems to me from 40th street until about 50th, so whem im riding from the Strip to home (Waterworks area) it won't save me that much aggravation. I usually take railroad or smallman up and then when they deadend end up on butler, so will save me few blocks on butler. I can't deal with the stones on the other side of the river, which would make my commute much shorter. By the way, half the block between 40th and 39th is going soon turning into condos. Seems like the half closest to 40th with Rite Aid and family health center will be safe. Not sure what that means for the trail and the streets around there. Also not sure if eventually they will put a light at 39 or 38th due to a lot more traffic in that area. Making a left onto butler from 39 is a pain in the shorts.
edronline
2016-06-01 06:32:50
The Boring Pittsburgh Twitter says Negley is closed at Fifth
jonawebb
2016-06-01 15:43:56
edroline, you can take the route shown on the map linked below to get from Smallman to 50th and Butler that keeps you on back streets, trail, and industrial park. I work near the 50th St. end and sometimes get lunch in the Strip, and this is the route I use. https://goo.gl/maps/XiHrNUX3cLx
abm760
2016-06-02 08:44:02
They are setting up for the arts fest at the point. There is a metal strip over some wires at the ramp to the fort Duquesne pedestrian bridge. It wasn't slick for me, but another cyclist went down today when it was wet.
stefb
2016-06-02 11:29:09
@abm760, ty!
edronline
2016-06-02 12:19:31
I usually cut through cmu's campus to dump me higher up on Forbes instead of taking boundary all the way to Ellsworth. If you aren't familiar, after you climb out of junction hollow trial, right after you cross the RR tracks on boundary, you can make a sharp right and follow the road through CMU, under the rainbow bridge, and continue on little switchbacks to Forbes. They are ripping up the road between boundary and the rainbow bridge, so you can try to take the garage and cut through campus, but I kinda got lost and ended up climbing up a small hillside.
stefb
2016-06-02 15:51:01
Tree down on EFT. It is directly across the river from the large clock on the south side. It is passable. It only covers 2/3 of the trail. Standing water also near the jail. Also watch that transition near the construction under the 10th St bridge. They put stones and dirt down earlier this week.
stefb
2016-06-03 05:37:09
6/3/16 8H15 +1 to @stefb 's report of tree down on EFT/Jail Trail. 311'ed.
ka_jun
2016-06-03 08:26:14
6/3/16 12H30 tree down on EFT/Jail Trail still there. 311 indicates "supervisor being sent to investigate".
ka_jun
2016-06-03 12:34:55
Any thoughts on having the city fill in the tracks on Railroad St and River Ave to make them less dangerous to bikes? I'm wondering if they could just cut some wood pieces and wede them in against the tracks so the whole thing is flush to the ground? Not sure who owns the tracks, but they are obviously not used anymore and this wouldn't damage them.
edronline
2016-06-04 20:35:10
6/4/16 14H30 tree down on EFT/Jail Trail removed.
ka_jun
2016-06-04 21:38:18
Speaking of RR tracks, has anyone else noticed that the road surface on boundary right before the RR tracks (going downhill) has deteriorated recently? Water runoff from the hillside next to the parking garage during construction is likely the culprit.
stefb
2016-06-05 06:50:38
The construction at CMU above Boundary somehow managed to rupture a water main; the whole area was literally flooded. (And those of us in Squirrel Hill suddenly had no water.) I assume that at some point the roadway will be repaired, perhaps at the expense of the company responsible for the break. Sounds like it might merit a 311 in the meanwhile.
ahlir
2016-06-05 08:49:52
6/8/16 8H15 Wind is serious today. Tree/vines down on EFT/Jail Trail between wood ramp & Flyover/Birmingham Bridge.
ka_jun
2016-06-08 08:15:11
Lots of vehicles in the bayard/bigelow/ohara bike lane inbound to oakland, construction related. Use caution.
benzo
2016-06-08 08:24:07
(Ok, so it isn't Spring anymore, but whatever) I noticed yesterday that someone has installed trip counters on the Jail Trail, between the Liberty bridge and the jail. They should be able to capture most of the people going to and from downtown on the trail.
chrishent
2016-06-21 09:17:26
I noticed yesterday that someone has installed trip counters on the Jail Trail, between the Liberty bridge and the jail. Soooo I guess they DON'T intend to pave the EFT in the near future? :P I mean that's great, buuuut....they've kind of been promising its paving for a while with no good communication or real updates.
gimppac
2016-06-21 09:39:41
I noticed new "CUT" and "MILL" markings spray painted on the Strip trail. Maybe the work that was slated to begin back in May will actually start "soon"?
rustyred
2016-06-21 09:47:09
ICYMI - On EFT/Jail Trail in regards to paving, nothing happened. Reminds me of that cool rock at the corner of Forward an Murray across from the "urban blight, yeah right" that used to be Poli's. The inscription on plaque on the stone says something like "On this day in 1894 on this spot, nothing happened."
ka_jun
2016-06-21 09:59:07
Baum Blvd Bridge by Melwood ave has reopened after months of construction! Much less traffic and backups on S. Millvale / Center Ave
benzo
2016-06-23 10:25:36
I didn't see a mention about it here (or if there was, I missed it), but the underpass from South Commons, Allegheny Center, onto Federal Street, is again open without restrictions.
stuinmccandless
2016-06-23 11:07:04
Seen on Facebook via Friends of the Riverfront TRAIL ALERT: The South Side segment of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail is experiencing flooding near Hays Eagle on the lower portion of the trail after heavy rain. Friends of the Riverfront, the City, and adjacent property owners are working on a permanent draining solution to fix this problem. Please use caution near this area during and following rain until it is resolved. https://www.facebook.com/fotr.pgh/photos/a.300309354024.145948.63335184024/10154289445084025/?type=3
benzo
2016-06-23 13:16:55
@Benzo, yup, that's been an ongoing issue this year. I first noticed it during winter, when the snow in that area was pooling. Then every time I've gone through there after heavy rains
chrishent
2016-06-23 14:26:39
Yeah, Lake Baldy is a real treat. Cool and refreshing!
reddan
2016-06-23 18:10:28
TRAIL ALERTS! ***ELIZA FURNACE The Eliza Furnace segment of the Trail will be closed from July 12-15 from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Trail is getting new asphalt and limestone jogging track on both sides from the Birmingham Bridge to the Swinbure Street Parking lot. The Trail will be closed at this time and all users who will be crossing at the Hot Metal Bridge are asked to use the Smithfield Street Bridge until the work is finished. This is part of a restoration give back by Duquesne Light and their contractors for installing underground utility work. More trail alerts: http://friendsoftheriverfront.org/trails/trail-alerts/
rustyred
2016-06-30 10:07:48
There is a big chunk of Smallman missing around 25th street. No smooth transition and probably a 1.5 inch drop in the road.
dberlin
2016-06-30 10:27:27
So more trail work in August for EFT? Where are the posted detours going to be?
stefb
2016-07-01 05:10:35
Duquesne Light will be conducting important reliability-related work on an approximately 1.4-mile section of the Eliza Furnace segment of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail between Brady Street and Swinburne Street. Precautions will be in place during the project to ensure the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists using the trail. Duquesne Light will be completing work on infrastructure that will help maintain reliability in the region. Starting in late August Duquesne Light’s Contractor will mobilize and start construction of a ductbank containing electrical lines to be placed under the trail. This work will take up to 3 months. It is planned to do this construction work between the hours of 9:00PM to 7:00AM. During this timeframe portions of the Trail will be closed to users. These areas will be clearly marked and physically closed. During daylight hours the areas of construction will be secured and the Trail open for normal use. After construction of the underground ductbank additional electrical work will be scheduled during the winter months. The Trail will generally not be closed during this work. um, so why are they paving in July when there's gonna be more work done in August? Unless that work won't effect the actual paved surface? >.>
gimppac
2016-07-01 09:20:29
I think this alert is from last year.
mikhail
2016-07-01 09:32:57
yeah, they just haven't bothered to update their website in a year. had a hell of a time even finding the paving notice--i don't think it's on their trail alerts page, just the front page of the site....
epanastrophe
2016-07-01 09:50:46
OK, I'm glad I wasn't the only one confused by that...that makes sense if that's really old information. I guess the Twitter feed is the more reliable source.
rustyred
2016-07-01 10:32:21
Don't forget tomorrow on the commute in, EFT/Jail Trail is supposed to be closed per FOTR: "The ELIZA FURNACE segment of the Trail will be closed July 12-13 & July 18-19 from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Trail is getting new asphalt and limestone jogging track on both sides from the Birmingham Bridge to the Swinbure Street Parking lot. The Trail will be closed at this time and all users who will be crossing at the Hot Metal Bridge are asked to use the Smithfield Street Bridge until the work is finished. This is part of a restoration give back by Duquesne Light and their contractors for installing underground utility work." Plan accordingly.
ka_jun
2016-07-11 22:29:41
North oakland is a mess today. Construction closing part of S. Neville, Closed bayard between S. Neville and craig. Repaving the intersection of Craig and Bayard during rush hour. Some closures on S. Craig St north of 5th ave. Lots of angry drivers and traffic backsups. The signal at S.Neville and craig is programmed to keep traffic flowing on center, ignoring the 2 block queue of traffic waiting to turn left from s. millvale to center. I took sidewalks to 5th to get around the paving work, came up behind some guys who wore too much cologne so much that I could taste it and wanted to gag, and then rode 5th ave all the way in to central oakland.
benzo
2016-07-13 08:47:24
I bypassed EFT/Jail Trail yesterday and today this morning on the commute in, but last night on the commute home saw a runner and rider take HMB to access EFT/Jail Trail. Saw some caution tape flapping in the wind that may have initially closed off the HMB ramp to EFT but was likely removed. Anyone verify 1st hand that EFT is actually closed?
ka_jun
2016-07-13 08:58:10
As of late yesterday, EFT was open from the parking lot to downtown. There is new asphalt from the parking lot to just past the bridge over Bates. The new surface is really great. On the other hand we now have maybe a ~6in sharp drop from the pavement to the dirt. It feels unsafe for both bikers and runners. Perhaps it will get evened out. Note that's there construction debris on the trail as well as a deep cylindrical hole further on. Be careful.
ahlir
2016-07-13 09:07:58
Yes, the contractor finished a bit early. The next time it will close is for the resurfacing of the limestone jogging tracks around July 25th, though I don’t have exact times yet. I imagine that they will level it off then
erok
2016-07-13 15:25:04
The 25th? FOTR states that it will be closed from July 18-19 from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM as well.
ka_jun
2016-07-13 15:39:17
I'm just relaying the info from an email that i got from Friends of the Riverfront about a half hour ago. that is what they told me they probably haven't updated their site.
erok
2016-07-13 15:42:07
New asphalt! They even paved the parking lot entrance.
ninjaturtle0304
2016-07-13 21:17:48
YEAH, EFT is looking good as of last night.
benzo
2016-07-14 09:44:24
The parking lot entrance too? Sweet.
rustyred
2016-07-14 09:54:14
North oakland paving seems mostly done today. However, it seems they changed center ave to remove the left turn lane on to center (inbound to oakland). This seems to cause center ave traffic to backup quite a bit while people are attempting to turn left on to craig. It was backed up past Neville this morning due to this change. Not sure why this is happening. Seems odd.
benzo
2016-07-14 09:57:29
The curb lanes along both OB Centre and SB Craig are blocked for the construction of an apartment building on the site of the existing parking lot. If long-term (i.e., not just for the demolition of the existing buildings on the site), this is going to be extremely problematic for the very large number of disabled persons who use these sidewalks and especially the two bus stops on this corner.... It was unclear to me why the left-turn lane on IB Centre also was removed, especially since the signs declaring a left-turn lane are (of course) still in place.
epanastrophe
2016-07-14 11:16:37
I am still shocked that EFT has gotten paved. Holy shit. They also fixed the bad transition that existed onto/off of the bates street overpass on the more inbound side. No more bumpy trail. However, I did see that there has already been vehicular traffic on the trail, trimming trees and leaving them in the trail.
stefb
2016-07-15 20:18:30
PA51/West Carson is now fully paved between the West End and McKees Rocks. The outbound lane remains closed to traffic but there are no obstacles to prevent one from riding on that lane during non-work hours. *Hint*
chrishent
2016-07-18 12:25:29
Just got word that the Eliza Furnace trail will close again Thursday and Friday ( July 28th & 29th ). They are planning on doing the restoration of the jogging track and will require a full closure.
erok
2016-07-21 13:48:30
that's weather dependant
erok
2016-07-21 13:48:48
They didn't close it today as far as I could tell.
stefb
2016-07-21 19:15:53
Two nasty sized potholes in the CMU area. Watch out for a large one in the right wheel rut, on Margret Morrison Drive near Roselawn Drive. Second one is on Forbes, right hand lane, hugging the road drain, near Devon Road.
jason-pgh
2016-07-26 17:41:24
Also, use caution, S. Millvale at Liberty is lane restricted because of some gas line construction going on on the westmost lanes.
jason-pgh
2016-07-26 18:17:36