Klineline bridge!

[the Wumpus]

It's almost done! Yay!

Why should anyone care? Well, looky here:

http://www.clark.wa.gov/public-works...9-12median.jpg

You see that intersection just up the hill from the closed bridge? That's the one I ride over two miles to from where this picture was taken. Both ways, Monday through Friday. Along a lumpy two lane road. Across a congested bridge with no bike lane which receives traffic directly from I-205. Through the largest intersection in Clark County, where I turn left to get away from the automotive madness. And maybe you've encountered this mess, if you tried to ride north through Vancouver this year.

I'm excited. Everything's paved. All they had left to do when I rode by this afternoon was to paint lines. Maybe tomorrow? Wheee!

[jr98664]

The entirety of Highway 99 from downtown Vancouver up to Salmon Creek seems like the bike facilities were simply an afterthought. Oddly enough, they were! Two narrow lanes in each direction through Vancouver? Check. Shoulders that spit you out between two lanes of traffic, one of which is coming off of the freeway? You bet. Right turn lanes were bike lanes just were? Of course!

At least this is a step in the right direction.

[scdurs]

The County is currently exploring a redevelopment of the Highway 99 corridor. I believe thats from Salmon Creek south to 63rd Street. My hope is better bicycle facilities will be one of the results. But that would be many years away.

Steve

[LESTER]

Originally Posted by jr98664

The entirety of Highway 99 from downtown Vancouver up to Salmon Creek seems like the bike facilities were simply an afterthought. Oddly enough, they were!

I don't mind it much north of Minehaha. WAY better than riding HWY 99 in Portland!

What really chaps my hide is with the new construction on 78th and Hazel Dell, that stretch of 78th Street STILL has no bike lanes! 12-foot sidewalks, but no bike lanes. How did this happen?

Oh, and the massive amount of chip sealing going on in Clark County. That stuff's nasty!

[LESTER]

I'm looking forward to Klineline bridge reopening. I got caught out once having to pick up an emergency print job at Kinkos up there in Salmon Creek before work. I rode all the way up to the bridge, thought about running down and wading through the creek, then came to my senses and rode all the way back down to 99th, and up the I-5. Uggh, what a wonderful morning!

[jr98664]

Originally Posted by LESTER

…rode all the way back down to 99th, and up the I-5.

Since when has that even been legal? To the best of my knowledge, I-5 is off limits to cyclists from OR 217 all the way north to I-205 in Salmon Creek. I would have just taken Salmon Creek Avenue. I know that taking I-5 is recommended as a detour for cars, but does it say for cyclists as well? If it does, I wouldn't mind exploiting that loophole to ride on that stretch of I-5.

As for 99 in Portland, which part are you talking about? 99E is about as spotty as it gets, but 99W is pretty good all the way south to the Terwilliger curves, after that, it can get a little spotty, but is generally pretty good.

[the Wumpus]

Originally Posted by jr98664

The entirety of Highway 99 from downtown Vancouver up to Salmon Creek seems like the bike facilities were simply an afterthought. Oddly enough, they were! Two narrow lanes in each direction through Vancouver? Check. Shoulders that spit you out between two lanes of traffic, one of which is coming off of the freeway? You bet. Right turn lanes were bike lanes just were? Of course!

At least this is a step in the right direction.

I'm a huge fan of Hazel Dell Avenue over HWY 99! Much better.

The thing I'm really liking about the new bridge is the bike lanes: the old bridge really put the squeeze on everyone, and it was a super bumpy ride where the deck had begun to fail. I lost lots of things while tearing downhill across that bridge at 30+ mph.

Unfortunately..... After talking to a couple of road workers, it seems they've been cut back to a skeleton crew nibbling away at the remaining scraps of work. And a couple more people have verified that the opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday of next week. (parade and all) A pessimist might presume that not finishing the job is cheaper and seemed less likely to anger the general public than parking a cop on the finished bridge for a week until the official Opening Ceremony... (what, me? impatient?) Oh well, I've added over a thousand miles of riding on the detour around that bridge; what's 30 more? Assuming it'll be open that Friday afternoon, 13 more trips to go!

[the Wumpus]

IT'S OPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

They seemed to have backed down on the holding-it-shut idea. It opened at 4:48 today, and I was the first cyclist to (legally) cross the new bridge. If you see some dork in khakis and a button up shirt with a basket on the bars on channel 8, that's me.

[LESTER]

Originally Posted by the Wumpus

IT'S OPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!
.

WoooHooo! I think I'll roll across it tomorrow morning, before heading back downtown for a visit to Farmer's Market, Bad Monkey and ???

Oh, and jr98664, you are correct. Rolling the I-5 is not legal 'til you get north of the I-205. I kept my fingers crossed as I rolled up to Kinko's.

I must confess, outlaw biker that I am, I've actually gotten on the I-5 at 99th Street two times since, on my way to Tumwater. The recent two times were both between 7 and 8 am on Saturday mornings, so getting across the two lanes of merging I-205 traffic took MUCH less patience than on the weekday trip.

Of course, getting on at the I-205 merge, you still have to deal with the two-lane exit up the road from there. I'm thinking the best place to get on the I-5 is at 179th. I might have to explore google maps for a safe way to get up to 179th.

[the Wumpus]

Originally Posted by LESTER

Of course, getting on at the I-205 merge, you still have to deal with the two-lane exit up the road from there. I'm thinking the best place to get on the I-5 is at 179th. I might have to explore google maps for a safe way to get up to 179th.

20th Avenue, which is what becomes of Highway 99 through Salmon Creek. Just keep heading north on that road and you'll drop right on to 179th. You still wind up riding a short stretch of 179th over to the freeway; it's two lanes with fast traffic and no shoulder, but it's only a <1/4 mile dash and not quite as bad as it sounds. If you're headed north from there, you might even turn north on 10th before the freeway, then left on 5th, which turns north again to the Ridgefield exit.