I notice on the bike map that Smithfield St. is a bike safe route but is open only to busses in one direction.
How do you, based on your experience get to the Smithfield St. bridge safely?
good question. it being open only to buses in only one location is pretty new. also know that the upstream sidewalk is a shared sidewalk that connects to the trail over on grant st and first ave. it's a bit awkward, but that's probably the safest, legit way.
i think most people are still using that one block to access the bridge tho
So Grant to the sidewalk you think?
Cancel that. I will take Smithfield to the sidewalk. 
yeah, at grant near first, there is a crossing that goes to a sidewalk designated "shared use."
it's the spot between all the signs that say "do not enter" (directed at cars). don't know why it doesn't say "trail to smithfield st bridge on it"
You can also take Wood Street and right after Ft Pitt Blvd Turn left and take the ramp up to the bridge. From there you can go straight and make a Rt onto the shared sidewalk on the bridge, or turn Rt at the light and take the normal travel lane on the bridge.
Smithfield used to be two-way from Boulevard of the Allies to Fort Pitt Boulevard. Although I only cross Smithfield Street Bridge on off-peak hours and the weekends, as I feel traffic is too dangerous for me for during regular commutes. I feel safer on South 10th Street and Second Avenue.
that's what's so great about the shared upstream sidewalk. it also takes you right down to that street in front of the station square parking lot, then you can cut through the gas station over to mckean and to the trail or sidney
Sidewalks are lava. 
cars are lava too.
On the online bike map it shows Grant St. as not being a bike road and Smithfield as being one. Is this not accurate? When I am going through downtown I am coming from the Strip via Penn.
it's correct. from the strip, if you don't want to take the road, but the shared sidewalk, i'd either-
legit: a) do what the map says and take wood to that tiny fort pitt section. it looks like a highway, but there's tons of room and dumps you out on smithfield.
or
unofficial (but probably feels safer): b) take william penn, rt. on blvd, and just make the left onto smithfield and go in the buses only lane for a block.
Another variation of this, if you want to avoid Smithfield, is to go across the Boulevard from William Penn, take the cobbled alley next to AI and follow it all the way to Fort Pitt Blvd. You could either make the left toward the bridge, or head right and catch the shared walkway at Grant.
by left you mean right and by right you mean left.
You, sir, are correct.
This is why I often get lost, or, in the case of the rides I organize, get everyone else lost.
From the strip, I take penn, 10th, liberty, 5th, wood, allies, 2nd then south 10th street bridge.
- alternate routes from allies: grant and onto the jail trail or grant, fort pitt, then left onto smithfield.
It's not the straightest route, but it seems to be the fastest with the fewest red lights and traffic issues.
never any issues making all the left turns, as there are a few cars and buses taking the same route
i'm just not a fan of riding on the 10th st bridge. i don't know what it is. i think people speed up a bunch, then that intersection at the armstrong tunnel...maybe it's just the memories of ben rothlisberger getting hit there
Thanks for the suggestions.
watch your self in the bus lane, the pat cops are real jag-offs they will ticket you for riding in the bus lane. it happened to me before.
