Northern California - Benicia Bridge Bike Ped lane opens!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2544/3869227198_0e0a294584.jpg
Tricia and I joined hundreds of cyclists and pedestrians for the opening of the Benicia Bridge Pedestrian/Bicycle Path. It's about time. And it only cost $50 million! There were festivities that we skipped, but we did score a 15% Sports Basement coupon and a very nice commemorative water bottle.

The bridge path is wonderful. It's plenty wide, and will be fun to ride on normal days when it's less crowded. It does, however, dump you into a rather ugly industrial area of Martinez, but it doesn't take long to get out of the refinery zone and into the hills near Martinez. The Benicia side can take you into Benicia, or into another industrial zone with signs that say "Danger. Remote control rail cars." Still, I'll be riding it, and trying to find a loop that will take me to the Carquinez Bridge into Crockett and back to Martinez.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2446/3868446633_15eb0d6ed3_b.jpg

Thanks for the update, Curtis. How do you find it from the Martinez side?

Just off Marina Vista, by 680.

......Still, I'll be riding it, and trying to find a loop that will take me to the Carquinez Bridge into Crockett and back to Martinez.

We did it this way, today. A little over 50 miles, and 3000+ feet of climbing.


http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t267/jd6572/2009%20Rides/Benicia%20Bridge%20loop/bridgeloop.jpg

Our route and pictures from the opening day ride are at:

http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=334766

The basic Martinez - Benicia - Vallejo - Crockett - Martinez loop was 25 miles but adding the ride to and from San Ramon made it about 75 total. Note that one of the pictures shows the entrance to the bridge path from Marina Vista. It's well marked with a Bike Route sign indicating that it goes to Benicia. Also note that the path on the Benicia side includes an option to ride up to Vista Point with great views of the area.

Thanks, BBM and Prathman.

Here is a link to a Bikely (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Both-Bridges-Loop344658) for the loop I did with Bossman. It begins and ends at Mt. Wanda which is a good place to leave the cars. Right off the Alhambra Ave exit from HWY 4

Hey, look what I found on the 511 site:

curtis corlew, on August 30th, 2009 at 7:12 am Said:
Way the heck am i looking at a bike path through a car window? What’s the point? Couldn’t, ohhh, I don’t know, walk or ride a bike?

Anyway I'm doing this Saturday, I guess from downtown MTZ you just go out Marina Vista toward the freeway and then there's good signage? Anybody got a photo of this area?

Edit - is this it?

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hSZo5vjiPmQ/Sp72-8kZ8wI/AAAAAAAAH5c/_thNIIiwp7Y/s800/Benicia%20Bridge%20Access.JPG

Hey, look what I found on the 511 site:

curtis corlew, on August 30th, 2009 at 7:12 am Said:
Way the heck am i looking at a bike path through a car window? What’s the point? Couldn’t, ohhh, I don’t know, walk or ride a bike?

Anyway I'm doing this Saturday, I guess from downtown MTZ you just go out Marina Vista toward the freeway and then there's good signage? Anybody got a photo of this area?

Edit - is this it?

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hSZo5vjiPmQ/Sp72-8kZ8wI/AAAAAAAAH5c/_thNIIiwp7Y/s800/Benicia%20Bridge%20Access.JPG

Yesterday morning I rode the path from Taylor Blvd/Pleasant Hill Rd/Alhambra Ave. through downtown Martinez across the bridge to Benicia and return. The signage is good. Pretty hard to miss if you are looking for the entrance.

Cheers,
Geary

I'm not 100%, but that sure looks like the spot you get on. If you come back and head into Martinez downtown, watch out for the HUGE bump on the totally bad angle railroad tracks.

Well that was fun - we went through Carquinez Scenic on the way. The bridge trail is about as nice as you could expect - not exactly great riding but interesting.

Signage is pretty good if you know what to look for.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hSZo5vjiPmQ/SqLc10w6VkI/AAAAAAAAH68/5bilCS_h13E/s800/P9050031.JPG