Desultory Googling failed to turn up any online information, but there are big ol' signs saying that it's closed tomorrow. Closed part is probably the bridge between Brighton Heights and Bellevue. Detour appears to be routed down Brighton Road; the bit of Brighton Rd from Bellevue down to Jacks Run and the Giant Eagle is not terribly bike-friendly: narrow, twisty, and no shoulder to speak of.
That really sucks! Kills my commute for the year. Designated detour is a killer stretch of Brighton from Lincoln, past Giant Eagle to Benton, a stretch I refuse to ride. The other option is Ohio River Boulevard between Kendall and Millerton. If there are sidewalks, I'll ride those. But, I don't think there are. That's just where ORB really starts picking up speed or starts to queue for the McKees Rocks Bridge, depending on time of day.
Designated detour is a killer stretch of Brighton from Lincoln, past Giant Eagle to Benton, a stretch I refuse to ride. The other option is Ohio River Boulevard between Kendall and Millerton.
I wouldn't call that portion of Ohio River Blvd an option...you'd have to cross all four lanes to get to the sidewalk, and inspection suggests that it's pretty broken up.
The only bad part of the detour is the hill between Lincoln and Jack's Run...Brighton from Jacks Run to Benton is a bit of a climb, but plenty wide. I'd suggest something like take Fremont to the end, where it turns right and becomes Balsam. Balsam takes you down to Jack's Run, and you could turn onto Brighton at the light. Not a great cycling detour, but, assuming the road surfaces aren't utter crap, should be doable.
FWIW it surely won't be actually closed starting tomorrow. They're not going to have road crews out right now. And, in my experience, the road crews around here are phenomenally friendly towards bikes and will let you pass if it's physically possible.
The Post-Gazette says "Pedestrian access will be maintained on one side of the bridge at all times."
Woo hoo! I am loving that pedestrian access clause! I monitored the sidewalk story on Route 65 from the seat of a PAAC bus today, and it was not pretty. Mostly a combination of goat paths, with a few stretches of concrete thrown in for good measure. Otherwise, the Freemont to Balsam to Jacks Run route is the only way to go.
PS my bus driver says all buses are being diverted to Route 65, NOT Brighton. I saw a 16B outbound on Route 65 this morning, verifying the bus driver's report.
I guess whoever's going to be picking up the (not very heavily traveled) Car Free Friday trip in from West View should either stick to Perry/Perrysville or at least make a test run on Calif/Linc's sidewalk. I really hate the idea of newbie cyclists using hilly/busy Perry/Perrysville, though.
If that bridge's sidewalk can be relied upon, that would be THE way to go. That's the flattest method to get north out of the city other than Babcock.
Any news on this? Is there a pedestrian walkway open?
As of last Friday evening, one sidewalk was still open.
My wife runs across the bridge three times a week...the sidewalk is still open and bike-able (though not exactly in good condition).
PSA for anyone who ever takes the bus: All but the 16B are now turning down Brighton Heights Blvd at the 5-points to 65, and then re-joining Lincoln in Bellevue. If you're hoping to get off between the 5 points and Kendall in Bellevue, you're SOL. The 16B is still following its normal route down Brighton and then back-tracking on California to the 5 points and down to 65.
OT: reddan, do you live on McClure? I think we met up @ California & Marshall a few weeks back.
@mattre: Yep, I do, on the last block before Perrot.
Thought so...I'm in the same block on Brighton. We met up on California in the snow back in January.
