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Old 03-18-2014, 08:40 AM
 
Location: Avery Ranch, Austin, TX
8,977 posts, read 17,550,348 times
Reputation: 4001

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Quote:
Originally Posted by jamm13dodger View Post
I'm thinking off moving to Bee Cave area and will be working on Southwest Parkway. Does anyone do this run on a bicycle? The road looks like it would be do-able but I've been told it would be suicide.
Sunday morning wouldn't be SO bad! Serious adrenaline rush on the weekday! Yikes!

 
Old 03-18-2014, 08:53 AM
 
Location: Austin, Texas
62 posts, read 118,777 times
Reputation: 97
If you take Bee Cave Road all the way to Barton Creek Blvd and then take that to Southwest Parkway, not horrible but about 12-15 miles and with a decent amount of climbing and substantial descending, too. Unless you can leave a lot of stuff (i.e. everything you'd need, including change of clothes) at your work and you're a relatively well-traveled road cyclist, it may not be the most "enjoyable" commute. Then again, if you've been riding for a good amount of time and can iron out the logistics, you may absolutely love that commute. I've known people to do it, but in reverse.
 
Old 03-18-2014, 01:52 PM
 
Location: Cambridge, England
29 posts, read 31,776 times
Reputation: 15
Winter here in the UK is pretty unpleasant but I can manage a 12.5 mile commute here no problem. The only issue I can see would be the heat and the hills. I think I'll probably try it and if it's ok do it once a week and build up from there.
Thanks, Rob.
 
Old 03-18-2014, 03:20 PM
 
2,283 posts, read 3,855,927 times
Reputation: 3685
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamm13dodger View Post
Winter here in the UK is pretty unpleasant but I can manage a 12.5 mile commute here no problem. The only issue I can see would be the heat and the hills. I think I'll probably try it and if it's ok do it once a week and build up from there.
Thanks, Rob.
For me, it wouldn't be the heat and the hills - it would be the lunatics behind the wheels.
 
Old 03-19-2014, 10:33 AM
 
Location: Austin, Texas
62 posts, read 118,777 times
Reputation: 97
Quote:
Originally Posted by RoadWarrior12 View Post
For me, it wouldn't be the heat and the hills - it would be the lunatics behind the wheels.
Generally speaking, going the route I advised is against the flow of traffic during peak times. Bee Cave has a shoulder of 2-4' for the most part and that would be the stretch that would have the most cars going the same direction until you make the right turn and long downhill on Barton Creek Blvd. Barton Creek is primarily residential (save for a couple private schools, the golf resorts, and a few smaller businesses), so most people seem to head north on it to get to Bee Cave to 360 in the morning, and vice versa in the afternoon hours. I have rode north on it with all of the car commuters dozens of times in the 7-9 AM window and have never really had issues, so I imagine the reverse is even more pleasant.

Barton Creek does lack a shoulder for its majority, and it gets fairly narrow toward the Southwest Parkway southern terminus though. There certainly would still be some cars heading that direction though, so being comfortable with sharing the road is still definitely key.

SW Pkwy is back to a wide minimum 3' shoulder the whole way, but there is occasionally debris and loose gravel to be wary of in addition to a very heinous maybe 1/10th mile long "gap" in the road down the hill (going eastbound) from William Cannon/AMD. It's kind of a drainage culvert of sorts to the left end of the shoulder and it could potentially swallow a wheel, or at least cause a spill, if one isn't aware of its presence. I've never had an issue with it in nearly 10 years of cycling that stretch though so it is entirely managable!

And looking at a map, do not even think about trying to do Bee Cave west to 71 south to SW Pkwy. 71 has been under construction for years and will seemingly never be done-it's hairy enough riding north on it early on a weekend and I cannot fathom ever doing the reverse on a weekday as that's going uphill, dodging construction objects and debris, and the 70-mph-SUV-cellphone-yammering types who are already peeved anticipating Oak Hill traffic...

Last edited by texascycling; 03-19-2014 at 10:47 AM..
 
Old 03-19-2014, 03:16 PM
 
Location: Cambridge, England
29 posts, read 31,776 times
Reputation: 15
Is there a footbridge anywhere across Barton Creek that would allow me to cut off some of the distance?
 
Old 03-19-2014, 03:48 PM
 
Location: The People's Republic of Austin
5,184 posts, read 7,277,620 times
Reputation: 2575
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamm13dodger View Post
Is there a footbridge anywhere across Barton Creek that would allow me to cut off some of the distance?
Not really. Two crossings - both roadways currently - between Bee Cave and your destination. One, on the aforementioned Barton Creek Blvd, the other at Mopac - which is being supplemented by a bike and footbridge under construction.
 
Old 04-27-2014, 01:18 PM
 
554 posts, read 1,060,846 times
Reputation: 429
Default Who pays for Austin roads -

This was just posted by a city staff member.

Nadia Barrera One little nugget of knowledge that you should all have at your disposal. In the City of Austin, every person that pays a utility bill - whether you own a car, take the bus, or ride a bike- pays the Transportation User Fee. Check it out-you probably don't even realize you're paying it. It is based on the size of the property. THAT is what pays for the roads in Austin!!! NOT gas taxes, NOT registration. Those pay for HIGHWAYS-where you are very unlikely to see cyclists. One might say that those who pay their utility bills in Austin and ride a bike pay disproportionately more to do so than those who drive heavy vehicles and do more damage to our roads. MSG me if you'd like more info...
 
Old 04-27-2014, 01:51 PM
 
2,147 posts, read 3,590,722 times
Reputation: 3432
Quote:
Originally Posted by veloman777 View Post
This was just posted by a city staff member.

Nadia Barrera One little nugget of knowledge that you should all have at your disposal. In the City of Austin, every person that pays a utility bill - whether you own a car, take the bus, or ride a bike- pays the Transportation User Fee. Check it out-you probably don't even realize you're paying it. It is based on the size of the property. THAT is what pays for the roads in Austin!!! NOT gas taxes, NOT registration. Those pay for HIGHWAYS-where you are very unlikely to see cyclists. One might say that those who pay their utility bills in Austin and ride a bike pay disproportionately more to do so than those who drive heavy vehicles and do more damage to our roads. MSG me if you'd like more info...
Yet there are many who want us cyclists to have to buy licenses! If fees were adminstered equitably we should be subsidized. But regardless of how it is figured, most of the transfer of funds would be swallowed by the overhead of administration.

Don in Austin
 
Old 04-27-2014, 04:33 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
1,707 posts, read 2,983,903 times
Reputation: 2191
http://i.imgur.com/Nqv3pw6.jpg

Last edited by Debsi; 04-27-2014 at 04:38 PM.. Reason: Post as link
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