Happy Bike to Work Day! (you are biking today, right?) We’re lucky here in the CD since we live just a couple of miles from where most of the jobs are in the region, making bike commuting a great option.
For eight years I was a fair-weather cycler to and from my jobs downtown. It’s actually the quickest way to travel. Faster and less aggravating than the bus, and cheaper and often faster than driving and parking. For example, I could make it from my home to Pioneer Square in just 8-12 minutes depending on how I hit the lights. Coming back is a bit longer at 15-25 minutes due to the hill, but it’s great exercise and a good way to shed the stress of the day.
My main route theories:
- Avoid 23rd & MLK due to heavy traffic and high vehicle speeds
- Pick routes with consistent grades, taking advantage of speed on the downhill sections and avoiding the steepest or otherwise unnecessary climbs
Here’s the best routes I’ve found for major destinations, using 23rd & Cherry as the starting point (assuming it’s the geographical center of the CD):
View Central District Bike Routes in a larger map
You’ll notice that there’s one gaping hole in the map: I’ve never ridden to the UW, so I can’t offer any tips. But if you do or have suggestions for other routes, tell us about it in the comments below.
19th, Interlaken, 19th Ave E. (REAL steep), cross Boyer to 19th, cut thru Greek Church parking lot, round north end of Montlake playfield, walk/bikeway under 520 brings you out by NOAA Fisheries. Along sidewalk, over University Bridge. Can cut behind Hospital to back of Health Sciences if desired. Or cross Pacific at lights to pick up Burke Gilman.
Looks like a fun ride to those locations! In San Diego, we aren’t so lucky. My commute is 30 miles, so biking is a little bit less than easy. Though, I will try to ride more than once a year, if anything just to get into a little bit more of a healthier lifestyle, especially with my job now, I hardly have time to get my exercise in.
Follow the posted lake washington loop route that goes along MLK. It skirts the arboretum and goes through montlake. Much better than going up the hill to Interlaken just to go back down.
http://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/?route=31030
MLK/Arboretum downhill, 25th/27th uphill. Someone less of a speed demon might take 27th/25th both ways.
san diego?
I second Andrew’s route to the U-DUB (of course I’m already on 18th so there’s no extra hill up for me to get to interlaken) but I especially like the underpass by NOAA part which avoids dealing with lights and traffic at all the Montlake/520 intersections. It’s more pleasant than the someone’s alley to MOHAI cut-through on the lake Washington bike route, which I did for three years before I learned of the Greek Church-playfield-underpass secret.
ever thought about splitting it up and alternating? this would assume that you take alternative transportation to/from work now, of course. i knew a guy who would do that and it worked well for him. rode in one morning and took the train home. took the train in the next morning and biked home.
i work compressed work weeks so i have friday’s off … i was ALMOST sad to not be a part of the bike to work but i like my days off. :-) i commute via bike and it’s nice to see more people joining in… it was rather lonely during the winter. anyway, i noticed this morning that the sharrows along 38th and Hunter Blvd were just done. looks nice! wish they would just clean up Rainier; bike lane is totally trashed in areas and lane lines disappear in areas.
I have biked for years and am so happy to see more and more cyclists on 19th, riding right in front of my house. It’s a great alternative to MLK and 23rd, less traffic, slower traffic.