Vancouver East to downtown Portland

[tao]

Hello,

I live on the east side of I-205 in Vancouver. I took Sandy Blvd. when I bike commuted last year. It is the most direct route but it is not ideal.

Anyone knows a safer route?

Thanks

[bikieboy]

Originally Posted by tao

It is the most direct route but it is not ideal.

Tao, that's an understatement - glad you survived to tell the tale.

here's a route i'd recommend:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...ntown-Portland

[fetishridr]

i ride out that way all the time. i dont have a cool map though. i'll try to describe it.
as you come off the 205 path heading south, the path crossed airport way, then drops down onto a sidewalk with a stop sign. turn right here instead of going south on the path (alderwood rd). proceed along the wide, bike laned route and cross 82nd. there is minimal traffic. the road then turns south and keep going untill it hits columbia. turn right and go 100 yards (you can even use the suicide lane) and turn at 1st left (cully) that part is the only part thats high traffic. take cully up all the way( there is a sketchy 5 way stop sign) untill it turns into 57th. you can proceed south until the tillamook bike blvd or take sandy. i ride this a lot to get to marine dr. and i've never had problems. its way shorter than going all the way to the burnside area bike blvd. and you dont have to ride concrete paths the whole way. take a look at google maps

[tao]

Thanks for the info. I will check it out.

[Jeff Wills]

Originally Posted by tao

Hello,

I live on the east side of I-205 in Vancouver. I took Sandy Blvd. when I bike commuted last year. It is the most direct route but it is not ideal.

Anyone knows a safer route?

Thanks

I ride from East Vancouver (I live close to McGillivray) close to downtown all the time. I used to go all the way downtown, finishing a block from Big Pink. Here's my favorite (sorry, no map):

I-205 bridge and path to Sandy Blvd.
Sandy Blvd. over I-205 to Prescott
Prescott across NE (wider road, lightly traveled)
left on NE 40th, 39th or 38th for one block, before Prescott narrows down
right on Skidmore to NE 33rd
quick left/right on NE 33rd then NE Mason
bend left on NE Regents, descend to NE 21st
left on NE 21st, follow it down to Broadway
right on Broadway, take the bike lane all the way downtown

Going home nowadays, I tend to ride up Vancouver all the way to the I-5 bridge, and then go across town on McLoughlin, MacArthur and McGillivray. That avoids climbing the I-205 bridge- the noise gets to me if I'm riding slowly (although during afternoon rush hour I think I'm going as fast as some cars).

Jeff

[tao]

I tried what Jeff suggested yesterday after a year and half of slacking. It was fun and the route is much better than taking Sandy all the way. I will try the routes bikieboy and fetishridr suggested and see which one I like better.

Thanks a gain

[NEPcyclistic]

Originally Posted by tao

I tried what Jeff suggested yesterday after a year and half of slacking. It was fun and the route is much better than taking Sandy all the way. I will try the routes bikieboy and fetishridr suggested and see which one I like better.

Thanks a gain

i've done both the past, having lived in Vancouver for some time. Jeffs route is much better.