BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Mayhew may beat me to it, but take Pioneer to 51, then head up Bausman and down 18th to the South Side flats.

Google does a pretty good job with this one: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Southcrest+Dr,+Pittsburgh,+Allegheny,+Pennsylvania+15226&daddr=15222&hl=en&geocode=FaCNaAIdmh07-ymjSkKp1fY0iDFCMttShItEVw%3BFcwZaQIdpTQ7-ylNaQ9u4fM0iDH7tcjihwi-pA&mra=ls&dirflg=b&sll=40.424705,-80.004915&sspn=0.057891,0.104628&ie=UTF8&ll=40.421926,-80.003214&spn=0.057893,0.104628&t=h&z=14&lci=bike

If you are not going east inside the triangle, going up Southern is probably more direct and at least as friendly as heading to Bausman. Mayhew has apparently been beating on google harder than I have, so Williams to Arlington is what they recommend. I prefer to go down Sycamore (steeper) or McArdle (less steep and using the sidewalk when going uphill) to Arlington. If you get onto Arlington anywhere uphill of McCardle you have to cross the T tracks at a 45 degree angle. Not a big deal on dry days, but folks do go down occasionally when crossing them on wet days.

gillylax, stay in touch. I'm working behind the scenes on an alternative, but it won't be short term. PM me if you want details.

The only change I'd make to the google directions above would be to take Southcrest to Pioneer instead of Northcrest. The Northcrest-Pioneer intersection is a slightly blind intersection for cars coming down Pioneer.

I am not a huge fan of Pioneer. It's narrow which makes it hard to pass cyclists. There's also a somewhat blind pull out near the bottom.

Still, heading towards town it's not that bad. Coming back it's horrible since it's uphill and still narrow.

West Liberty is actually pretty nice heading either way. In bound you're going fast enough to move with traffic and there are very few left turns. Heading outbound the road is pretty wide so there's room to pass.

So my basic suggestion would be to get from your starting point to W. Liberty as quickly as possible.

From there Bausman works well, as does Southern/Boggs, depending on what part of town you're trying to get to.