BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Where on the Millvale trail are you starting?   And I assume you are talking about the ft. Duquesne bridge downtown connecting the north shore to the point? Dropped Pin near North Shore, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 https://goo.gl/maps/Q27YpamM9872 This shows you where the switch back ramp starts on the north shore to go over the ft Duquesne bridge. It dumps you right into point state park. Here: Dropped Pin near 25045 Three Rivers Heritage Trail, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 https://goo.gl/maps/XiekcxA6o7u

The ft Pitt bridge is right next to the museum in the park but very, very narrow. You can take that over across the Mon and then (stay on the sidewalk!) down to the entrance of station square and onto the Southside trail. Or you can wind your way up ft Pitt Blvd or Blvd of the allies to Eliza furnace trail. Or you can go through the point state park staff parking lot and on to the mon wharf and then up the ramp to near the Eliza furnace trail.  When the Mon wharf switchback is done there will be a direct connection from the Mon wharf to the Eliza furnace trail.

Here's a route, Millvale to Hays Eagles via Point State Park. It's almost entirely car-free, so low stress. It follows: North Shore Trail, Fort Duquesne Bridge walkway, Fort Pitt Bridge sidewalk (narrow) looping around on narrow sidewalk to the Southside Trail past Station Square (go slow there, watch for small kids), past Hot Metal Bridge continuing upstream. This is not the fastest route, but it's probably the most pleasant. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/23172152 The alternatives and their disadvantages:

• If you cross Allegheny before Fort Pitt Br (6th St, say) then you're on busy streets with lots of cars and lots of traffic lights to get across downtown.
• If you cross Mon at Smithfield St Bridge instead of Fort Pitt, then you have to bike on Boulevard of the Allies or other streets -- more traffic lights, more cars.
• If you stay on the right (north) bank of the Mon using the Eliza Furnace Trail, you can cross at the Hot Metal Bridge, which is very nice, but you've still got Blvd of the Allies to deal with, and biking the EFT is loud and polluted due to nearby cars, while biking the Southside Trail is quiet and green.

Alternatively: ask around, find Yale, ask him to show you the route.

All:...Thanks for the great info and safety tips as well....it was very helpful. I am heading out now.  

Paul (and all),   Thanks again for the info...the ride was perfect today. Lots of buzz on North Shore trail since the Pirates were in town, Pt State Park was fun, Station Square had some outside entertainment, ....and the Barges beached in Baldwin Boro (just before the Eagle nest)  were cool - I saw a name plate that stated they were manufactured by Dravo Corp in 1940. These barges have been beached a good while - tall trees growing from them. I was very impressed to see all the families out on the trails.....from very young to very old.  I made it to Sandcastle..then returned.   Mark