Tomorrow, (Tuesday, 4/27), a road in the lower portion of River View Cemetery will be close all day to all traffic due to a construction project at the mausoleum. Cemetery GM David Noble says bike traffic will not be able to get through:
“A large crane with its outriggers will be completely blocking the road, as well as the shoulders so there is no way for anyone to even walk their bicycle through to slip by (not that we want them to anyway, since it is a very dangerous construction zone).”
Noble says they’ll have signs near the top so folks don’t roll all the way down and then have to backtrack up the hill. The closure is expected to only last one day. I’m not familiar with riding in that area, so if you know of a good alternate route, feel free to share it in the comments.
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There is no real alternative. People will have to go north on Macadam and then take Taylor’s Ferry (yuck).
Its great that they posted the announcement. Remember, the cemetery is not a designated transportation corridor.
There is an alternative. Not fun, but an alternative. Go north on Macadam, take a left on Nevada followed by a left on Virginia. Then take a right on to Taylors Ferry (I usually use the Sidewalk) then a right on to La View. Follow La View to Corbett, then right on Corbett at which point you follow the signs to Barbur, etc.
Woops. Let’s try that again (feel free to delete the previous post).
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=45.470108,-122.679595&spn=0.006012,0.009645&t=h&z=17&msid=102183411849142752638.0004852864bad775749e0
Barbur => Terwilliger is also an option for those that commute from Downtown or from anywhere on the eastside north of Ross Island.
HWY 43 to Lake Oswego is an option, but not advised.
Meh……why not just call in sick tomorrow?
People, just do the right thing and don’t ride through the cemetary tomorrow. There are roads going to where you need to go. Pick one, be careful, and enjoy the change of scenery. Eeeesh, it’s not that hard.
I’m with Marcus on this one. The fACT THat this is private property means that Riverview has no legal obligation to cyclists at all. That they’d go out of their way to provide notification demonstrates an admirable level of consideration and accomodation.
Thanks Riverview!
I appreciate the notification by Riverview Cemetery. Though this brings up an interesting point…..who is responsible for notifying cyclists that a major route such as this is closed? For instance, when the Springwater Corridor was closed, the City had a large sign up weeks in advance notifying riders of the closure and duration. It would be useful to have something similar at the east side of the Sellwood Bridge to notify riders of this closure, but as they are a private entity, they have no responsibility and probably no ability to provide such signage (although it is probably unnecessary for a 1-day closure). Just again highlights the fact that relying on a private entity to provide a major bike thoroughfare is wrought with problems.
Lots of work underway today as well at Pamplin’s monument to himself, perched astride a verdant hill overlooking the glaring multi-million dollar revenue generating horseshoe-shaped pit that Ross Island Sand and Gravel gouged out of the middle of the Willamette River. What a strange world.
Has a protest been scheduled?
There are a couple good alternatives mentioned above. Another option that might work for a few of us.
Take SW Lakeview to Corbett to SW Custer to SW Barber to SW Terwilliger. I do this a lot.
SW Lakeview can be reached starting up SW Taylors Ferry and taking the second right (the first road, Virginia is a one way, the wrong way)
or
By taking SW Nebraska (from Willamette Park) to SW Virginia to Taylors Ferry to SW Lakeview.
There are a few other options too, depending on where you are coming or going.
Cemetery Rider #9: Yes, this is a major route, but it’s also private property. Riverview Cemetery can close the road to all but cemetery visitors if they want, and everyone who uses the road to cut through will have to figure some other way around.
Look, people, it’s real simple: The road through the cemetery is PRIVATE PROPERTY. They don’t have to give you access to the road as a transportation corridor, and they don’t have to tell you when they are closing the road– especially when you’re not there to visit the graves or attend a funeral, you’re there to avoid traffic elsewhere.
If the cemetery hours are dawn to dusk, RESPECT THAT and find another route during the hours the cemetery is closed.
If the cemetery closes the road for whatever reason, find another route.
Red Five, #11: a protest for what?
That a private property owner closed his property to people who insist on using his property as a transportation corridor?
Maybe you should go down to the city of Portland and lodge your protest there that there are no other viable transportation routes for non-motorized vehicles except to use private property.
Kt:
Perhaps my sarcasm indicator was malfunctioning. Sorry.