BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I know someone who rides from W'kinsburg/Swissvale area to McKeesport, but not sure if he does it in the winter or not. I'll check.

I have commuted to Mckeesport, but was not planning to in January. I think I will wait now until spring. I did have a good route from the east end if you are looking for one.

EL

EL, sure, I would like to know your route. This is the one that I found on a previous post:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/206594

How are the rides during commuting hours? I am thinking that they will be against traffic. Any other advice? Are you sure that you do not want to join?

JAH

That's my route based on a few trips to McKeesport, but it's definitely not optimized. I've also only ever ridden it in the summer, so I don't know what kind of shape it'll be in come wintertime.

I also recall rumblings that the trail between the Waterfront and McKeesport has been coming together, so you might want to check if that's open, as my route is both hillier than that and has mildly disconcerting traffic.

You have basically the same route I take. I prefer to stay off of Braddock Ave through Swissvale. From Edgewood ave, cut over to Monongahala Ave via Washington Ave. That winds down through Rankin and gets you back to Braddock Ave going under the Rankin Bridge. I find much less traffic there.

Traffic is rarely a problem. The place to be careful is on the return trip going down E. Pittsburgh McKeesport Blvd. Especially when it is dark or getting dark. I got hit once crossing through the intersection at Route 686. It is a downhill, and the tendency is to go fast. I got hit by a car coming the other way and turning in front of me.

I may be interested in riding on Mondays if it is not too cold. My lungs can't handle the cold anymore.

EL

Thanks for the advice, EL and Alan. I will be back in town in a few days to try out the different routes before the early AM rides begin for work. Unless we have significant snow fall, I will be using my cyclocross bike with 35mm tires. I cannot wait; my current commute is < 3 miles each way. This will be a more worthwhile ride!

JAH

I'd also suggest caution toward McKeesport on the East Pittsburgh-McKeesport Boulevard, which goes through an unlit tunnel heading toward McKeesport. Outside of the tunnel, I usually take the shoulder, since it's pretty freeway-like, but in the tunnel your options are taking a traffic lane with high-speed traffic, in which case you'd want very good lights, or taking a sidewalk with chunks missing and bits of glass on it. Many of the times I've gone that way, I've decided to walk the sidewalk in the tunnel; I'm not sure how trustworthy I am of the drivers I am on that route, as I've noticed quite a few little crosses on the roadside.