7bmwm3gtr

https://smcnews.wordpress.com/2010/06...ement-project/

Bad News for those who don't drive to Canada Rd or Woodside. Took my time to read the large orange signs.

For those cyclists who bike from up north and take the San Andreas and Sawyer Camp trails to Canada Rd, the detour route will be down Crystal Springs Road, Right Turn On Polhemus, then Bunker Hill Dr, then continue on Skyline Blvd.

I'm sort of disappointed, as that will add a bunch of extra mintues and miles, and usually when I come back from Canada Rd or Woodside, I look forward to the ease of the descent down the road leading to the bridge (Going North). Now I have to go on that overpass to Bunker Hill Drive.

I pretty much have to find a new route to Woodside.

Does anyone have alternative routes going to Woodside/ Canada Road? (Other than driving)

SesameCrunch

Wow, bummer! For 2 whole years. Oh well, better than the thing falling down in an earthquake.

Thanks for the heads up. I didn't know about it until your post.

johnny99

You can also take the bike path/bridge over I-280 from Ralston/Polhemus to Canada.

johnny99

Did the signs say exactly when in August the closure begins?

7bmwm3gtr

Yeah! I was thinking the Ralston Bike Path too. As for the sign, I just remember August 2010-2013

pelikan

Thanks for the heads up

genejockey 

Okay, so now it's August 12 - anyone know the date they're going to close the road?

deep_sky

On my club's mailing list, someone mentioned end of September being the date now listed on the sign by the Sawyer Camp trailhead.
Not looking forward to the detour

genejockey 

Tell me about it. Climbing Polhemus and the Ralston bike path/bridge just aren't the same. And I can't hit 40 mph coasting back down Polhemus like I can going under the Doran bridge!

Aylwin

Aww that's a bummer. I didn't even realize they were planning on doing this since I'm new to the Bay area. It's the only route I take going down to Woodside from SF.

uspspro

Do Parrot and Bunker Hill instead. Then you can still use 35/92 rather than the path

7bmwm3gtr

Bunker Hill is steeper than doing Ralston and Polhemus. Actually in the end of July I started biking Polhemus and Ralston, and now I do it all the time despite the fact that the dam/bridge isn't closed yet. It's far better than squeezing to the right and it gives me a few extra miles. At this point, I'm fine with Polhemus and I'd rather do Polhemus and Ralston over 35/92

BTW, Here's a tweet I got similiar to what deep_sky mentioned:

"Update: per San Mateo County DPW, the bridge atop Lower Crystal Springs Dam and the Vista Parking lot will not close until the end of Sept."

I actually follow their Twitter so I know in advanced when I shouldn't go South.

https://twitter.com/SawyerCampTrail

deep_sky

The Ralston overpass bridge can die in a fire. I've almost fallen over several times getting stuck behind people who can't make it up the 11% grade from the Canada Rd side, and just bail right and front of me with no warning.

pacificaslim

Was there today and as mentioned above, the date has changed to "late September":

uspspro

I know GeneJockey, and was merely messing around. We both live in San Mateo in nearby neighborhoods. Parrot is even steeper than bunker hill (one left hand turn near the crest hits well over 20% grade).

So, I was just joking around when telling him to take Parrot and Bunker Hill.... In all seriousness, Polhemus to the Ralston-Canada overpass is the quickest way (as you mentioned).

Continuing on the serious note...

Let's say you are descending 92 (eastbound) from Skyline, and don't want go all the way over to Canada and the trail to make it to lower Crystal Springs. Here's a good route:

-Left turn 35
- At the top, make a right on Bunker Hill, head up the little bump (overpass)
- Don't descent Bunker Hill is royally sucks due to the steepness combined with stop signs and cross-traffic!
- Instead make a right on Lexington
- Left on Ticonderoga, this is a much nicer descent than Bunker Hill and will drop you off on Polhemus, basically in between where the trail does and Bunker Hill.

genejockey 

Marco knows my lack of climbing prowess, from waiting at the top of Kings Mtn so long that his legs stiffened up and I had to pull him all the way back up Canada! Of course, I was in better shape then, and he was coming off a broken clavicle (IIRC)

BTW, from where I live, the fastest way back and forth would be to cut through Laurel Creek Park, De Anza to Polhemus and over the Ralston Trail. But I like Crystal Springs.

uspspro

no one has climbing prowess on Parrot

I forgot about the park cut through. I don't live as close to you anymore (moved to Sunnybrae/Hayward Park area, just south of downtown) so I will definitely miss Crystal Springs for a couple years

genejockey 

Yeah, funny thing about that - my wife and I were walking the dogs there, and what do I see but a sign saying that pedestrian and bicycle traffic through the park may be cut off during some construction they're doing there.

So I guess it's Polhemus and the Ralston Trail for me!

Aylwin

Hey everyone...looks like the bridge is finally going under construction. What's the best, as in shortest, detour to get around the bridge? The one they have set up adds about 3-4 miles + climbing depending on direction. Hoping to cut off some more time than that. Thanks!!

CriticalThought

I have been waiting sooooo long for this to be finished. I really miss being able to ride south from Hillsborough hills over the bridge and onward to Woodside and the 84 area without having to bypass the bridge. Current date to re-open is Winter 2017!

Crystal Springs Dam Bridge Replacement Project | Public Works

Crystal Springs Dam Bridge Replacement Project
OVERVIEW

Start Date: February 2016
End Date: Winter 2017

The work to be done consists, in general, of constructing a new replacement 626 foot long by 51.5 foot wide cast-in-place, post-tensioned concrete box girder bridge on top of the Lower Crystal Springs Dam. It will be installed approximately seven feet higher than the previous bridge due to the work completed by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) to raise the parapet wall on the dam. The previous bridge has been demolished and removed from site.

johnny99

I wonder if "Winter 2017" means January or December?

shotwellian

More like December, and the way these things tend to go, don't be surprised if it becomes 2018. On the plus side, when it does (eventually) reopen, a mile+ extension of the Sawyer Camp Trail will open with it, and the bridge itself will have a two-way separated bikeway.

UmneyDurak

So only 3+ years behind the schedule, and how many millions over budget?
On the website it says they just started this February. WTF has they been doing for the last three something years?

johnny99

There are rumors going around that the reopening is now scheduled for October 31, 2018. Has anyone seen anything official, like a press release?

marmac

current rumor has re-opening scheduled jan 11, 2019