Yep, that's the main "bottleneck" but it is not bad and better than the alternative.

Going outbound I basically take the Gwynns falls trail along Carrol park and the Montgomery office building, then, I get on Washington and sprint past the I95 ramps (where most of the traffic is going). All that is left is 1/4 mile of Washington blvd from Hollins Ferry to Desoto. This stretch does not have a lot of traffic in the early morning and coming back it is downhill and I am as fast as the car traffic.

The alternative is to take Gywnns Falls trail through golf course to Wilkins and immediately turning back onto Dukeland, etc. but the desolation around the tunnel gives me the willies.

There other alternatives like Hollins Ferry, but the road has gotten pretty bad in the last few years. Going through Westport to access 648 is OK, but unpleasant on the return near Patapsco ave.