Texas - Moving to SW Austin - planning a new commute route

Hello! I've lived in Pflugerville and fair-weather bike commuted 9 miles one-way to my work via 2-lane country back roads for the past few years.

I'm now going to be taking a job off SW parkway just north of Mopac and am looking at houses in Circle C. Is a bike commute along Escarpment to William Cannon to SW Parkway doable? Being from the north (or south Waco if you prefer), I'm not very familiar with the SW side of the city. The Austin bike route map doesn't cover that area.

No problem at all with Escarpment, it's got bike lanes and the traffic is not heavy. If you're willing to ride the sidewalks, William Cannon will be okay. You can use Google's street view to evaluate the riding situation. (Go to Google Maps and drag the little man to the place on the street you want to view.)

Last time I checked, Austin's city ordinance allows riding sidewalks outside a "business district", which to my knowledge has never been precisely defined but is often interpreted as downtown and near the University of Texas.

If you're a committed vehicular cyclist, you can of course ride with the traffic on William Cannon. But I see many more people riding on the sidewalk there.

I rode part of that route today. It was a pleasant Saturday afternoon with perfect weather. The traffic on Wm Cannon between 290 and Southwest Parkway was light and tame compared to what I normally see on the rest of Wm Cannon. The intersection at 290 is over capacity, poorly designed and junked up with some kind of incomplete road work, but really that's the only negative thing I have to say. I saw maybe 20 sport type riders in kit out on road bikes, all were riding confidently in the sort-of-wide outside lane. It's a long gentle climb from 290 to Southwest Parkway. I think you'll enjoy your new commute a lot.

When we do a Southwest Parkway group ride, we take Escarpment to Wm. Cannon to SW Pkway. You'll be riding in the right traffic lane on Wm. Cannon for a little bit, but it's downhill, and you can keep your speed up. No need to ride the sidewalk. Just get into the middle lane at the 290 intersection to avoid the right-turners. The hill up to SW Pkway will keep you in shape. Have fun!

Oh, I completely forgot about Google street view!

Thanks for the feedback, guys! My wife and I checked out the potential route while we were out touring some open houses yesterday - looks like it won't be any problem.

From Austin City Code


12-2-13 USE OF http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Texas/austin/title12trafficregulations/chapter12-2bicycles?f=images$fn=doc-hit-on.gif$3.0SIDEWALKShttp://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Texas/austin/title12trafficregulations/chapter12-2bicycles?f=images$fn=doc-hit-off.gif$3.0 RESTRICTED.

(A) Except as provided in Subsection (B), a person may ride a http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Texas/austin/title12trafficregulations/chapter12-2bicycles?f=images$fn=doc-hit-on.gif$3.0bicyclehttp://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Texas/austin/title12trafficregulations/chapter12-2bicycles?f=images$fn=doc-hit-off.gif$3.0 on a http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Texas/austin/title12trafficregulations/chapter12-2bicycles?f=images$fn=doc-hit-on.gif$3.0sidewalkhttp://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Texas/austin/title12trafficregulations/chapter12-2bicycles?f=images$fn=doc-hit-off.gif$3.0.
(B) A person may not ride a http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Texas/austin/title12trafficregulations/chapter12-2bicycles?f=images$fn=doc-hit-on.gif$3.0bicyclehttp://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Texas/austin/title12trafficregulations/chapter12-2bicycles?f=images$fn=doc-hit-off.gif$3.0 on a http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Texas/austin/title12trafficregulations/chapter12-2bicycles?f=images$fn=doc-hit-on.gif$3.0sidewalkhttp://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Texas/austin/title12trafficregulations/chapter12-2bicycles?f=images$fn=doc-hit-off.gif$3.0 on the following streets:
(1) 100 to 1100 blocks of Congress Avenue;
(2) 1900 to 2500 blocks of Guadalupe Street;
(3) 100 to 1100 blocks of Brazos Street;
(4) 200 to 1100 blocks of Colorado Street;
(5) from the 200 block of Second Street (West) to the 300 block of Second Street (East);
(6) from the 900 block of Fifth Street (West) to the 800 block of Fifth Street (East);
(7) from the 700 block of Sixth Street (East) to the 1000 block of Sixth Street (West);
(8) from the 100 block of Eighth Street (West) to the 200 block of Eighth Street (East);
(9) from the 100 block of Ninth Street (West) to the 200 block of Ninth Street (East);
(10) from the 200 block of 11th Street (West) to the 200 block of 11th Street (East); and
(11) from the 200 block of 15th Street (West) to the 200 block of 15th Street (East).
Source: 1992 Code Section 16-8-22; Ord. 031204-13; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. 20060727-016."


UT has their own rules banning all sidewalk riding on campus (though it seems UTPD will only enforce if you're being a jerk about it).