Clear roads ahead!

The last year of commuting has been a  bit more challenging than normal for me.  It's not the weather or the riding, rather the route.  The river path has been closed a few times (for up to 5 months) for construction of the new sewage treatment plant diversion system and it has been rerouted for the overhead construction of the 395 north bridge expansion.  Not a big deal really, but it has forced me to take some new routes that include the new bike lanes on Mill St., sections of east 2nd street, Glendale, and Rock Blvd.  Fortunately, all the projects are are more or less rapped up and I'm back to my old route.

The very end of my route still dumps me out at Rock Park and leaves me to ride south on Rock Blvd. over the river.  It's not a great section due to the way the road curves and traffics limited field of view due to the bend in the road, but at least there was shoulder striping that delineated where the cars shouldn't be.......until the new slurry coating was done 2-3 weeks ago.  Now it's a free for all and drivers tend to hug the shoulder a little too close to what I used to consider "my space".  It also doesn't help that there are several locations where trees have grown out and overhand the shoulder, forcing me directly into the lane.

I know, I know, I should just take the lane and the problem would be minimized.  However, the curvature of the road and the speed that traffic travels on this section might just lead to some very rapid acceleration of my bike due to the motivation 2 tons of steel provides during impact.  So today, I finally did something about it!

 

I also heard back from one of my traffic engineering contacts in Sparks about the timing on re-striping the shoulder.  I'd emailed him earlier in the day regarding the striping (joking about getting some bike lanes put in on this section).  Low and behold, the powers that be in the RTC have seen fit to put in actual bike lanes along this section!!!  I about fell out of my chair when I heard this.  So for those who roll along the gambit that is this section of Rock, the trees are clear and the lanes should be striped within the next 2-3 weeks!  Happy riding is here again!