My First Bike Tour of Pittsburgh!

[PittsburghLlama]

Originally Posted by Joe Magarac

I live in Friendship and have been biking to work downtown for two years. Liberty is not dangerous at all, at least not from Baum (where Liberty starts) to 34th Street (where the bike lane ends). I wouldn't recommend staying on Liberty after 34th Street, as there is no bike lane; the road widens to four lanes; and cars start moving at a rapid clip. But prior to 34th Street, you'll be fine if you stay in the bike lane.

To avoid the dangerous part of Liberty, I turn right onto 34th Street, left onto Spring Way, and then ride downhill to 32nd Street, turning right. Take 32nd across Smallman, then turn left on Spruce Way, which will take you to Railroad Street. Stay on Railroad Street until 24th Street, at which point turn right (just before the Cork Factory lofts) and you will be able to get onto the trail that runs along the river all the way to Point State Park, with access points before that if you want to get into downtown before you reach the Point.

This set of turns may sound confusing, but in practice it's very straightforward. And I can't think of a safer route - there are never any cars on Railroad Street, and obviously the trail is completely safe.

Alternatively, once you get to the strip district, Penn Ave has one lane that is a designated bike lane. There are a good bit of cars, but the road is very wide and not terribly chaotic. The bike lane ends at 16th St, however, the road doesn't become any more intimidating.

It is not a route that is devoid of vehicles by any means, but I feel that it is a safe, less turn-based alternative if one were looking for a straight shot that didn't involve biking on Liberty.

[gg]

Believe it or not you can get around most of Pittsburgh's East End and around the Allegheny River region with very little car interaction. For example, from Aspinwall to downtown, you can ride across the Highland Park Bridge on the sidewalk. Go down past the zoo and the road is huge all the way to Neid's Bar. Then you deal with traffic until Inka Dinka Doo. Take a right there and a quick left and you are on a back road to the city. You can go through a bunch of industrial parks and you end up down by Smallman. You can hit a river trail down that way and from there make it to the point. Then you can access paths to the South Side and more. There are a ton of routes, but people in cars don't know them. I get around Pittsburgh in style on my bicycle. Lots of fun and I am in shape. Most car drivers are fat.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Believe it or not you can get around most of Pittsburgh's East End and around the Allegheny River region with very little car interaction. For example, from Aspinwall to downtown, you can ride across the Highland Park Bridge on the sidewalk. Go down past the zoo and the road is huge all the way to Neid's Bar. Then you deal with traffic until Inka Dinka Doo. Take a right there and a quick left and you are on a back road to the city. You can go through a bunch of industrial parks and you end up down by Smallman. You can hit a river trail down that way and from there make it to the point. Then you can access paths to the South Side and more. There are a ton of routes, but people in cars don't know them. I get around Pittsburgh in style on my bicycle. Lots of fun and I am in shape. Most car drivers are fat.

That's going a bit far. But it certainly would do wonders for public health, both physical and mental, if fewer people had long and traffic filled car commutes.

[gg]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

That's going a bit far. But it certainly would do wonders for public health, both physical and mental, if fewer people had long and traffic filled car commutes.

Okay, lots instead of most.

Health - Obesity Rates - Adults