Hello. I am new to this community and I'm eager to make myself right at home here.

I am a passionate cyclist and love to take my bike anywhere safe and easy. I do not mind hills, as I have a very nice 7 speed that suits me well. However, busy streets (40mph +) with no sidewalks are places I do not prefer, due to safety concerns. Sidewalks and bike lanes are a must for me.

If you haven't already guessed, I live in the city of Tacoma, located in Washington in the south Puget Sound area. Roughly 32 miles south of Seattle. I live in the North End of Tacoma, and quite a few friends of mine live in Northeast Tacoma, which is across Commencement Bay right on the border of Federal Way.

I thought it would be really exciting to figure out some safe methods of getting up to Northeast Tacoma via bike. Let me tell you that Northeast Tacoma has quite a hilly terrain, which is not a problem for me. I love challenges, anyways. So, I began to research a bit using Google Maps, locating a couple of different routes from N Tacoma to NE Tacoma. Here are some I found:

First route (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=5587640503709458154,47.239030,-122.435370&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=N+21st+street+Tacoma+WA&daddr=S+25th+St+%4047.239030,+-122.435370+to:47.240492,-122.431641+to:51st+st+NE+Tacoma+WA+98422&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=14&via=1,2&dirflg=h&sll=47.247018,-122.426405&sspn=0.025753,0.058365&ie=UTF8&ll=47.238452,-122.435246&spn=0.025757,0.058365&t=h&z=14&om=1). This route takes me via Puyallup AVE/Pacific Highway to the portion of SR 509 that HAS a sidewalk. I have doubts about this route, though. Just because I notice that E Eells St is a bridge and I'm not sure if it has a sidewalk.

Second route (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=6879145014268983050,47.253460,-122.437890%3B11609483526865026282,47.257863,-122.422478%3B27040036951514244,47.240404,-122.431620&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=N+21st+street+Tacoma+WA&daddr=S+11th+St+%4047.253460,+-122.437890+to:E+11th+St+%4047.257863,+-122.422478+to:47.263505,-122.41293+to:51st+st+NE+Tacoma+WA+98422&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=3&sz=13&via=1,2,3&dirflg=h&sll=47.25197,-122.418938&sspn=0.051502,0.11673&ie=UTF8&ll=47.261291,-122.418251&spn=0.051493,0.11673&t=h&z=13&om=1). Again, I also have some concerns about this one as well. This goes through the Port of Tacoma, which I am sure has sidewalks and a low speed limit. Though this brings me onto SR 509 in a slightly different area, which has a speed limit of 50 mph and I'm not sure if that area of SR 509 contains sidewalks either.

I know a route to NE Tacoma by bike is possible. I'm just not totally sure how. You might be wondering, "Why not take SR 509 from where it begins?" Well, there are NO SIDEWALKS at all there. It is a very busy intersection and an epicenter to I 705 and SR 509.

If there is anybody that knows bike routes well in Tacoma and wouldn't mind lending me a hand here, I appreciate it very much. I give many thanks to anybody that knows a safe route to Northeast Tacoma via bicycle. Thanks so very much for your time.

-Parker

I wonder if Pierce County has published a bike map the way Thurston County has.
http://www.trpc.org/programs/transportation/bike+map/
I live in Olympia, and I don't know T'town well at all or I'd be happy to help you. Is there a way you could preview the prospective routes by car to see if they're suitable for a bike trip?

Hmm..........Thats a tough one. The only 2 reasonable ways I can think of are scary. Riding down Puyallup Ave to Fife and squirming up the hills in Fife Heights would be scary because of Puyallup Ave. Lotsa creepy peeps. You could ride over the 11th street bridge from downtown and snake through the port but then you deal with semi trucks rushing around and very poor streets. Personally I'd grab the trolley thing in the theater district, then catch a bus at Freighthouse then to Federal way then pedal west from there. I know it's kinda counter bike but.........Pac Hwy in Fife is scary. 5 lanes of craziness. I noticed you mentioned sidewalks. You would be asking to get nailed on this road (or any for that matter)with all of the people jamming into parking lots from center turn lanes. Marine view drive while cool and scenic would scare the tar out of me because people LOVE to smash up and down that swirly hill like its a race track. I don't even need to mention Frontage. 50 mph? Try 65 with logging trucks and just a shoulder! It would be best to not look at those busy big roads. Most of them have smaller roads a block off. I WOULD NOT ride down the road a block south of Puyallup Ave! VERY VERY SCARY!
Sorry I am not much help. I am spoiled in Puyallup and a chicken although I never ride on a sidewalk. You can take the trolley for free with your bike and the busses all have racks. I do love riding downtown though. My girlfriend worked by the Harmon and while I was waiting for her to get off work I'd race around passing cars and busses then jam up 21st, cut through the UW and ride down the big stairs or through the campus to the theater district and back down Pacific over and over till she got off. Tons O' fun! Good luck finding a route!

Kelly D.

P.S. Have you taken a ride on "Five Mile Drive" at Point Defiance? Thats a great ride!

Oh ya.........and welcome to bike forums!

Pierce county has been screwing around forever with their maps. They keep pushing the date later and later. They still have on their site a target date of december '07, which, of course has come and gone.

http://www.piercecountywa.org/pc/abtus/ourorg/pwu/tpp/nonmotor/bicycle.htm

I wouldn't hold my breath on the maps. Best bet is to map out a potential route in google maps and then drive it in your car to see how busy it is.

I just drove down a good portion of the route you described. There are sidewalks from Pac Hwy to Frontage and down Frontage for a very long ways. The speed limit drops at Marine View but I dont remember if it has sidewalks. There is a bus though. I think the number was 61.

Later.........