Mountain - Plains - Kansas City, MO:which bridge?

I would like to get from the River Market area to the old airport, north of the river (without swimming).

Good luck. Try this-
http://brenthugh.com/kcmoriverbridges/

The Heart of America Bridge can accommodate experienced on-road bicyclists reasonably well in the northbound direction, but not in the southbound direction.

The Chouteau Bridge can accommodate on-road bicyclists very well in both directions. However, the bridge is too distant to serve downtown Kansas City, Missouri well. Only a few available roads allow access to the bridge and these are extremely bicycle and pedestrian unfriendly.

No other bridge allows any safe bicycle access.

http://brenthugh.com/jacksoncountyroutes/

jman

Thanks, Jman. I started with Brent's maps, and they are well-considered, but have discovered with time many routes I prefer to his. In his list of bridges, if someone else comes across your post, he misses all the usable ones on the west side, where he lists only 435 and 635. You can't ride on those, but there are seven other bridges you can ride across the Kansas between 435 and the Missouri River. I commonly ride across the bridges at 12th St., Central, and under the Lewis and Clark. I had hoped similarly that someone might know some sneaky, little-known alternatives north/south across the Missouri, but I guess not. This lack is a major barrier to biking the core of KC.

Good luck. Try this-
http://brenthugh.com/kcmoriverbridges/

The Heart of America Bridge can accommodate experienced on-road bicyclists reasonably well in the northbound direction, but not in the southbound direction.

http://brenthugh.com/jacksoncountyroutes/

jman

I respectfully disagree with Mr Hugh. I have ridden south across the Heart of America bridge plenty of times. The problem with southbound H. of A. bridge is the exit to the downtown loop on the south end; crossing the exit lane in periods of heavy traffic could be quite a challenge. It is probably not advisable to ride south across the bridge in morning rush hour traffic (though I'm sure some people do), but I disagree with the blanket statement that it does not accomodate cyclists southbound.

Edit to add: I've met a wrong-way cyclist a couple of times in the morning when I was riding north (he was riding south on the northbound side). It occurred to me as I was typing this that he was probably doing so to avoid the very busy exit lane on the southbound side.

You can take Heart of America across the river and then go west through Harlem to the downtown airport. The maps in the phone book at my desk don't show a street connection from Burlington (hwy 9) to Harlem road, but I know there is one because I've ridden it before. You should be able to find it on a good city map. Allow 10-20 minutes for the possibility of a stopped train blocking your route.

Thanks, savage. I'll try out the H of A some Saturday or Sunday morning.

I rode across the Heart of America bridge last month at 7:20 AM (Weekday) Going south you do not have a shoulder the first 200 feet or so going south on the west side of the road. Cars were civil and gave me no trouble.

Instead of crossing the exit lane at 3rd street I get off there and go over to Grand and south on Grand.

The light at the north end of the bridge is 10th street. You can take 10th to Atlantic first north/south street west of Burlington. Then go south on Atlantic to Harlem. I have had to wait for a train more often then not on my way to or from the airport.

I would recomend H. of A. also I used it countless times on trips from OP to Smithville. I had the fortune of being delayed only once by trafic on the south bound trip once, course it was during rush hour on a friday. You might keep an eye out arround the bus stop just before the bridge too, if a bus is comming, they may not see you.

I've never actually gotten to the downtown airport by bike, but I have ridden downtown from KCI and Heart Of America is fine for riding. Southbound is narrow and uphill, but definitely rideable. The one time I have ridden it Northbound, it was pretty fun. Wide shoulder and downhill...the discussion is to make 2 separated bike lanes on the Northbound side.

When you commute by bike, the prospect of riding around the downtown airport loses some of its allure.