Originally Posted by
SCROUDS
I know I'd be happy to chug along (slowly) up the bridge on that shoulder. Looks better then most bike lanes and you don't have to worry about right hooks on the bridge.
But, if you look at google maps, the western approaches to the bridge is pretty hairy, either putting you VCing on the busy road or on the sidewalk for the apporach. Taking Pierce through clearwater as an alt looks easier and puts you directly on the mup via a spiral ramp. If I wanted to go to the beach, I'd probably do this.
Explore it for yourself:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=...06158&t=h&z=18
Also, to give you a look at that shoulder and where it starts:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=...331.03,,1,7.07
Google street view of the spiral ramp area shows a cyclist using the roadway coming off the bridge rather than the MUP. The shoulder has ended at this location, but the posted speed limit is 30 mph. A WOL or paved shoulder would be preferable at least until the first intersection. It seems that they didn't plan for cyclists using the shoulder despite the obvious preference of at least some cyclists to use it rather than the MUP.
It's also too bad there are no openings in the barrier near the MUP access points at each end of the bridge. This would allow cyclists to ride faster on the bridge shoulder but still transition to slower travel on the MUP for more convenient access to the destinations served most directly by the paths. Sure, many cyclists could lift their bikes over the barrier, but they shouldn't have to.
But I do I think this bridge is a lot better than most for giving cyclists a choice of places to ride: Travel lane, shoulder, or MUP.