Whidbey Island Highway 20 / Rosario Road Input

[cycler0707]

Can anyone share experiences on these roads? I'm heading out to the San Juans for a week and will start the ride at Coupville. Shoulder size, traffic conjestion, safety for bikers, etc. Thanks in advance.
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[MillCreek]

The majority of the roads in the San Juans are rural narrow two lane roads with not much in the way of paved shoulders. You do see some wider roads and paved shoulders in the 'big cities' of Coupeville and Oak Harbor. On the upside, once you get out of Coupeville, Oak Harbor, or Friday Harbor, there is not much auto traffic, and there are lots of bicyclists. The locals are pretty good about giving you appropriate space on the roads. I enjoy riding in the islands.

[Daveyboy]

Coupeville is actually on Whidbey Island, you will need to take a ferry to the San Juan's. The ferry departs from Anacortes which is the next Island up from Whidbey. However, there's a bridge that connects the two islands (Deception Pass). The view is quite spetacular from the Deception Pass bridge. The ferry is another 12 or so miles north of Deception Pass at the northwest end of Anacortes.

I've ridden the main road and the backroads the length of Whidbey Island several times, starting from Clinton all the way to Deception Pass without problems. There is a fairly good shoulder most of the way, but the main highway is pretty well traveled between Coupeville and Oak Harbour. After Oak Harbour the highway isn't as heavily traveled.

The views and scenery on the Island can't be beat, however.

Good luck.

[pyeyo]

I agree with Daveyboy but I do feel there is a real difference btween the local weekday traffic and the weekend traffic on Whidbey Island, volume and courtesy wise.

[cycler0707]

Just got back from my trip to the San Juan Island and highway 20 was a breeze. Overall, nice wide shoulder for 90% of the ride to the ferry terminal in Anacortes. Climb up and down Deception Pass and the bridge across pretty narrow but otherwise conditions were very favorable for a nice ride.

[rgbrooks]

Just got back from my trip to the San Juan Island and highway 20 was a breeze. Overall, nice wide shoulder for 90% of the ride to the ferry terminal in Anacortes. Climb up and down Deception Pass and the bridge across pretty narrow but otherwise conditions were very favorable for a nice ride.

Just curious is the road construction between Soundview Store and Deception Pass State Park completed? That used to be kind of crazy riding w/ jersey barriers and no shoulder.

[Daveyboy]

Just curious is the road construction between Soundview Store and Deception Pass State Park completed? That used to be kind of crazy riding w/ jersey barriers and no shoulder.

Yes, it has. Last year it was quite a mess wasn't it. I made a trip up the island a month ago and it was all cleaned up with a nice, smooth new road and decent shoulder.