Hi there,
I now have an xtracycle. I couldn't get the hooptie (roll bar that goes around the deck) because they are sold out. So my 5 year daughter will have tandem handlebars to hold onto. We are both so excited to graduate from the trailer!
Here's the thing, I know have to get her to a new school, Waldorf, in Friendship. I live in Polish Hill, very close to the Bloomfield bridge. So if i ride across the bridge on the sidewalk, i get dumped into the on-ramp. The curb cut is in a terrible location and then I have to down the on ramp and do an almost 360 to get back onto the road. My cargo bike is not so nimble.
My goal is to get onto Friendship Avenue as soon as possible. But, I'm terrified of then crossing into the left hand turn lane that faces the Bloomfield Business District, once I navigate off the bridge/ramp.
I'm committed to making this happen. Suggestions? Ideas? Do I just ride in a lane over the bridge? Do I just ride the sidewalk once I cross the ramp? But then how to get onto Friendship? Exit Polish Hill on Gold Way and ride Baum and then ride up Millvale?
Then there's the issue of getting home. Crossing Liberty back to the on ramp/curb cut for the sidewalk is pretty hard when i'm on my own, let alone with a 5 year old who's just holding on behind me.
Please help.
courtneyjanester
2013-09-23 12:09:22
Here's my best suggestion.
To school: I would ride the sidewalk, then get in to the far right lane on liberty at the end of the sidewalk, and proceed towards bloomfield. Make a left on taylor st (at crazy mocha) and then turn right on to friendship ave.
Coming home: Take friendship to millgate st (right before penn ave), make a left on to main st, right on to cabinet way, left on to 40th, left on to liberty, and then hop on the bridge sidewalk.
It seems like you're not a fan of the taylor st route for inbound. You could actually take the alley (ewing st) that runs behind the construction buisness on liberty all the way to 40th st, and then take howley st to main then on to howley st again by the sure save to friendship.
benzo
2013-09-23 12:35:23
Keep in mind, that main st can get busy during evening rush hours. You may even consider taking friendship to ella, crossing liberty, making a right on to mott way to enter the park under the bridge (right after the pool) and hop on to the bridge sidewalk from the western side of the bridge.
benzo
2013-09-23 12:40:51
Hrm, if it was me, I would do this..... ((less hilly w/less traffic))
(1) take Melwood/Gold Way, make right on Denver St (by Filmmakers) abit steep downhill but less crazy cars coming-in from Baum with no stop-light.
(2) from Denver ST, make right on Melwood again.
(3) Ride on Sidewalk on Baum Blvd (not many pedestrians and wide-sidewalk)
(4) Make left on Milvalle Ave. -either ride sidewalk, or sharrow
(5) Cross Liberty Ave until getting onto Friendship Rd, make right
(6) When Frienship gets to Gross St (end of park), you could continue on Friendship, or make your way to Coral St (which runs parallel with Friendship w/less traffic.
NOW,
For a more direct approach WITH sidewalks, most-definitely would it be going up Liberty Ave, crossing then Liberty at the 40th st Light so you are on the other sidewalk, which then takes you around the Liberty/Main St/Bloomfield Bridge, and straight onto Howley St, making a right on Friendship.
AND LAST
You could just go straight on Liberty Ave, pass Bloomfield Bridge by staying on the right lane, then making a left on Taylor St, and off to Friendship..... the right lane on Liberty Ave is very "mellow", and is easier to merge and make a left turn at Taylor St.
I used to live in Polish Hill, and now live in Friendship -so hope this helps!
bikeygirl
2013-09-23 12:44:57
To Friendship:
these first two were written based on a misreading of where you are in Polish Hill. Hopefully they'll be useful to someone.
- If you're comfortable riding up Liberty together, but not through the bridge spaghetti, take the left at 40th, then right on Howley. Jog right at Main, then left on Howley to Friendship. Or, 40th to Penn to Friendship (though Penn has a bit more traffic, volume tends to keep speeds down--Howley from Main to Friendship can be a bit fast).
- If you're not comfortable with Liberty, take Ligonier/34th to Penn, then up to Denny or 37th. Cut back towards Liberty and take Mintwood or one of the other side streets up to Main. This section of Penn is residential and has few side streets or driveways; taking the sidewalk is legal if necessary.
More usefully from the top of Bloomfield Bridge...
- Is it possible to cut through the park underneath the bridge? Then you could take the left at the bottom of the ramp, cut through the park to Idaline, then up Taylor to Friendship.
- Or, from the bottom of the bridge ramp, turn left on Ewing (continuing behind the lumberyard), then up 40th across Liberty at the light up to Howley as above.
- If the bike handles well enough to do a short, steep downhill, take Gold to Denver, cut down to Melwood to cross Baum at the traffic signal, and then take Centre from Melwood out to Millvale (or Aiken).
Returning, I would again suggest taking Liberty (or the side street of your choice) to 40th, then cutting behind the gas station and lumber yard to get back to the sidewalk for the bridge.
epanastrophe
2013-09-23 12:45:45
buffalo buffalo wrote:- Is it possible to cut through the park underneath the bridge? Then you could take the left at the bottom of the ramp, cut through the park to Idaline, then up Taylor to Friendship.
The only trick about getting to idaline is that ella street is one way, going the opposite way. You can get from idaline to mott (the street that takes you to the park), but not mott to idaline without going the wrong way or taking sidewalks for a block. You can definitely cut through the park though.
benzo
2013-09-23 12:50:05
I hop on the Bloomfield bridge from the top. From Bethoven. I hope I can cut through the park.
courtneyjanester
2013-09-23 13:03:38
Benzo wrote:The only trick about getting to idaline is that ella street is one way, going the opposite way. You can get from idaline to mott (the street that takes you to the park), but not mott to idaline without going the wrong way or taking sidewalks for a block. You can definitely cut through the park though.
ah, i wasn't sure where one would come out of the park. idaline was just a name i grabbed from the map---I'm definitely not as familiar with that southeastern part of Bloomfield. I'd think Minerva (the next street towards the busway) would be just as good, if that much further from the eventual destination.
epanastrophe
2013-09-23 13:10:56
