Originally Posted by
spinnaker
Originally Posted by
CliffordK
When driving I-84 a few days ago, I noticed that near one of the tunnels, it appeared as if the bike route simply climbed the hill, crossed over above the freeway, and circled the mountain. Climbing is tough on cyclists, but they aren't as restricted to going straight ahead as cars seem to like to do.
Where on I84 was that?
Ahhh, found it, I think.
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.6380.../data=!3m1!1e3
Toothrock Tunnel.
And, as I had surmised, the trail does, in fact, cross above the tunnel.
It looks like the tunnel has a bit of unique history.
https://sos.oregon.gov/archives/exhi...n-tunnels.aspx
So, I think the eastbound lanes of I-84 goes through the tunnel originally built in 1937 long before the freeway.
The westbound lanes go over a bridge around the rock protrusion.
And the trail skirts around it.
The point is that any mountain along HWY 101 will end somewhere west of the road. A tunnel might be convenient for road construction, but might not be necessary for trail construction.