BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Doug,

I don't know that area all that well, but you might have soejm problems with your maps.

MapQuest shows McCaslin Dead ending and Enlow dead ending. Betwen them is an interchange for the airport that is maybe 10 years old. Maybe the map you are using is older?

There is a map for the Montour trail that shows a "Planned airport connector" through that area, so there might be a stealth way to do it now.

http://www.montourtrail.org/maps/cora.html

(Note, this map also shows Enlow as dead -ending, but the map is incomplete as to roads)

I'd consider taking the shoulder of the Airport expressway east to the McClaren exit, then S-SE on McClaren to the Montour Trail. I've never ridden on the should of that road, but I've looked at it from the window of the bus and decided that it might be do-able.

Then, when you get to Coraopolis road (pronouced Corr-ee-oop-oh-lis, BTW), you might want to consider going west to Ferree St, then NE over the Neville Island Bridge, SE on Grand Ave, SE on Neville Rd, and across the Fleming Bridge to Island Ave. This would save you a very large hill with ugly traffic. Possibly uglier traffic than Grand Ave.

***

Now, if it were me, and I didn't have a chance to get any more information than I have now (I've never ridden on the Montour trail, for example),

I would do the shoulder to McClaren, go 100 feet south on McClaren to these roads (that I DO NOT KNOW)

Aten (Starts NE, then goes) SE 1.5 mi

Cliff Mine SW 1/4

Enlow SE (Saying "WTF?" So am I.) 1/2 mi

That brings us to roads I've ridden on - only once, but not too long ago. Part of Oscar Swann's Potato Run Rd ride.

Stubbenville Pike E 1/4 mile

SHOULDER OF US 22-30 (Ugly) E 1/2 mi.

Campbell's Run S 3 mi

Baldwin Rd NE 1 1/4 mi

Stueben St E 4 mi

Down a huge hill to the west end circle -Ugly (note capital U)

Get under the rairoad overpass and down to the right onto

W Carson St, E 3/4 mi

Left at light on

W. Station Sq Drive E

A Bike Trail ( ! ! !) starts there)

Follow the bike trail 1 mile to Station Square (Yuppie shopping site)

You can take the poorly marked shared use sidewalk accross the Smithfield st to Dowtowm (pronounced Dahn-tahn)

I'm putting this up partly in hopes of someone more knowledgable putting a better route.

Good luck. Please let us know how it goes. I would be delighted to buy you a beer, if you survive.

Mick

Unfortunately, Pittsburgh International Airport is one of the few airports in the country where the only truly public access to the terminal is via limited access highway. That makes riding from the airport terminal difficult.

A couple suggestions: The general aviation side of the airport would be accessible by bicycle. I know that the service provider there often provides a shuttle to/from the terminal for their customers. I do not know the odds of getting them to do that for you, but it would make things MUCH easier. That would make your starting point the intersection of Business Route 60 and University Boulevard. A half mile north on University Boulevard you would come to Beaver Grade Road. East on Beaver Grade Road would take you to the Montour Trail at Montour Run Road (other routing is possible, and potentially more interesting.)

The other option is to see if one of the extended term parking lots (off airport) would carry you and your bike to one of their lots.

Final suggestion. The local transit service provider, the Port Authority of Allegheny County, provides bus service from the Airport to downtown, with an intermediate stop at Robinson Towne Center (google IKEA for map). For $2.60 you could take the bike on the bus, and get off at Robinson Towne Center, which is immediately adjacent to the Montour Trail.

I know the intent is to RIDE from the airport, but things being what they are, this might be the best compromise. Note that not EVERY Port Authority bus is equipped with a bike rack, but the buses run every 20 minutes or so, so you probably would not have to wait long for a bus with a rack.

For route suggestions between the airport and the trail, as well as elsewhere while you are here, the MPO for the region has developed draft biking suitability maps for Allegheny County outside the City of Pittsburgh. The web link is http://www.spcregion.org/trans_pedbike_maps2.shtml#all. The airport (your starting point) would be in map quadrant 33.

Also, note that the McKees Rocks Bridge is currently under construction; while it is still open in the northbound direction, it is narrow, shoulderless, and fairly heavily trafficked. From Island Avenue/51 in McKees Rocks, you're probably better off taking 51 (busy and unlovely, but doable) all the way to the South Side, then crossing over into town.

(I can't believe I just typed "better off taking 51")

A couple of thoughts. First, a correction: Coraopolis is pronounced corr-ee-OP-oh-lis

swalfoort's suggestion of using a 28X bus to Robinson Towne Center is a good one. I, for one, would not want to ride on the shoulder of 65mph expressways for very long.

As to the McKees Rocks Bridge, if you can get to the sidewalk you'll be in pretty good shape. This is a very long bridge, and the sidewalk actually has two parts. The first gets you from PA51 to Helen Street. Cross the street and get on the second part of the sidewalk to get you across the river. Part of this walkway was just rebuilt a month ago.

Cross PA65, go up hill to next light, a 5-point intersection. Take Termon (R peel but not R turn) one block, R Fleming, L Antrim, R McClure, R Woods Run, L Beaver, R just after jail, and you should see signs to the river trail. Sweet ride from there into area just across from Dahntahn Pixburg, passing the just-opened casino, Heinz Field (where the Stillers play), and PNC Park (where the Parrrts play). Don't fall in the river.