Is this the safest way?
03-24-06, 09:37 PM
#1
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Is this the safest way?
Ok, I am getting ready to lengthen my commute. In total, my ride from home to work is 27 miles. So I have been working up to that distance. In the next week I am going to move back to the next starting point. In doing so I am going to have to deal with 2 sorta more difficult parts of the ride, with respect to traffic.
1. I am going to be starting at a park and ride. For those who know my area this is the park and ride on Rt 32 and Interstate 70. From there I will head south and then pass under Rt 70. About .10 of a mile after the ramp where Rt 70 traffic merges onto Rt 32 I will need to get left 2 lanes to turn left at the light for Rt 144. The difficulty is this area sees pretty good traffic in the morning moving easily 50-65mph. My basic plan is to generally just turn right at the light for 144 and U turn to then go straight across at the same light. If I can catch a break and get left I will, but I doubt I will generally do that. The shoulders are pretty wide and with the speeds I don't see it as being very safe to try and "take the lane".
2. Rt 144 is a nice 2 lane road. But it merges onto Rt 40 for about .9 of a mile. In the morning I will be turning right and staying in the right lane (turn only lane) since I will be getting back onto Rt 144 at the next light. On the way home however I have to turn left onto Rt 40, and then turn left again at the next light. This section of Rt 40 is 6 lanes(sorta) with a big grass median between the eastbound and westbound traffic. Technically you could call it 4 lanes as the outermost lanes are mostly turn only lanes for the almost constant strip malls etc. My plan for this is to get in the left most turn lane at the light. Turn left onto Rt 40 and stay in the left most lane. I only have to go about .7 of a mile before I can go a little further left into the left turn lane for the light. I will probably piss off some people, but otherwise I have to do something similar to #1 above.
Thoughts anyone? I hope that makes sense.
-D
1. I am going to be starting at a park and ride. For those who know my area this is the park and ride on Rt 32 and Interstate 70. From there I will head south and then pass under Rt 70. About .10 of a mile after the ramp where Rt 70 traffic merges onto Rt 32 I will need to get left 2 lanes to turn left at the light for Rt 144. The difficulty is this area sees pretty good traffic in the morning moving easily 50-65mph. My basic plan is to generally just turn right at the light for 144 and U turn to then go straight across at the same light. If I can catch a break and get left I will, but I doubt I will generally do that. The shoulders are pretty wide and with the speeds I don't see it as being very safe to try and "take the lane".
2. Rt 144 is a nice 2 lane road. But it merges onto Rt 40 for about .9 of a mile. In the morning I will be turning right and staying in the right lane (turn only lane) since I will be getting back onto Rt 144 at the next light. On the way home however I have to turn left onto Rt 40, and then turn left again at the next light. This section of Rt 40 is 6 lanes(sorta) with a big grass median between the eastbound and westbound traffic. Technically you could call it 4 lanes as the outermost lanes are mostly turn only lanes for the almost constant strip malls etc. My plan for this is to get in the left most turn lane at the light. Turn left onto Rt 40 and stay in the left most lane. I only have to go about .7 of a mile before I can go a little further left into the left turn lane for the light. I will probably piss off some people, but otherwise I have to do something similar to #1 above.
Thoughts anyone? I hope that makes sense.
-D
03-24-06, 09:59 PM
#2
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I have found on my route, which is definitely not as scary-sounding as yours, is that there are a couple of spots I do not like. I have tried every variation until I have found what works best most of the time.
I also encountered a year-long road closure on my route which forced me to learn an alternate. The alternate was very pleasant and I had no idea it was there before.
Perhaps similar things will happen to you.
27 miles is very impressive.
I also encountered a year-long road closure on my route which forced me to learn an alternate. The alternate was very pleasant and I had no idea it was there before.
Perhaps similar things will happen to you.
27 miles is very impressive.
03-24-06, 10:12 PM
#3
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I got a little lost in your description but it sounds like option 2 is better to get to work and Option 1 is better coming home?
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03-24-06, 10:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Roody
I got a little lost in your description but it sounds like option 2 is better to get to work and Option 1 is better coming home?
I must have made it too confusing. #1 and #2 are 2 different spots. I have to deal with both of them on my way to work and home.
Hopefully this may work. Here is a google map of the spots I am talking about
Google Map
The first area is the interchange at the center left portion of the map. (32 and 70). I think from looking at the map I may have solved that one. Never looked at the 99 to Mt view road route. I will have to check that out.
If you then pan right slightly you will see where Rt 144 briefly merges in with Rt 40. That is #2 above.
Hopefully that makes more sense, if the map works.
