unterhausen

So I had to find a new route. My fair city is hosting and "Arts Fest," which involves shutting down a lot of streets. I decided to go down the main drag in protest. Interestingly, it turned out not to be that bad. There is a rarely-used center turn lane which allows easy passing. I usually go another route during Arts Fest, which involves a 2 lane one way street that should allow easy passing, but it never works out that way. I'm trying to decide how to get home, and having a hard time of it.

pdlamb

We have a couple of events (plus graduation!) that narrow my favorite street to one lane home-bound for 3-4 work days at a time. I've got another route I use if I remember about them that adds about 2 miles to the trip. Otherwise I have to go a block out of my way.

Note that my normal route involves going down the main thoroughfare downtown. Most of the traffic is on the interstate or another limited access road.

The Quiet One

Here is Wisconsin, there are two seasons winter and construction. All the less traveled routes I take are closed for construction. It's making cycling more difficult and nerve wracking. It looks like some of them may be opening back up soon. I'm hoping the rest of the summer will be better.

Marcus_Ti

Around here the City is trying, and succeeding, to make it impossible to get around. Not only wrecking major streets but also bike path.

Found out today that what I thought was a highly inventive (I was half lost in residentials) detour I was making up....ended up already having Strava segments with "detour" in the names

unterhausen

thanks for sharing your frustrations, makes me feel better. Turns out that the way home is easier, although the tendency of people around here to use side streets no matter what makes the traffic a little annoying. When they find out they are going through a maze, they speed up, no matter how inappropriate.

wilfried

Just cause I feel the need to kvetch, last Saturday they decided to close the pedestrian/cycle routes on all bridges for the 4th of July. I crossed from Manhattan to Brooklyn, saw a bunch of cops on the other side, and found out that there was no way back. There was no warning, no signs, nothing, until after I crossed. Later, I tried anyway and sure enough they wouldn't let me cross the Manhattan Bridge. But the cop said, "The Williamsburg should be open." I didn't believe him, but went up there anyway, and sure enough, it was closed too. Why do cops feel the need to make s*#t up? So then it was off to find the subway.

ItsJustMe

I've been "forced" onto the longer, less traveled and more scenic route this summer, by construction. I think I'll cope somehow

esmith2039

LOL Sounds like KC! The only worry I have is the metal plates. They're going to bite me someday.

rhm

My usual commute involves a couple obstacles that can be crossed at only a few spots. I have many route options, but all of them go over the same bridge at approx. the halfway point. And if they're doing work anywhere on the road that bridge is on, they close the whole section of road, even though there is usually nothing wrong with the bridge.

My solution is to get off the bike, and to walk up to the guy manning the roadblock (assuming there is such a guy) and ask if a bicyclist (or pedestrian) can get through as far as that bridge (where I can get on the canal path if the road is not an option). So far, they've always let me. Sometimes they give specific instructions-- one time they had me walk behind a certain building where wires had blown down in front of the building.

rhm

But he was right. It should have been open. You could have replied, "yes, and this one should be open too!" but of course that wouldn't have done any good. Policemen have no sense of humor.

jfowler85

Around here it isn't construction, but the damn flooding which is starting to wash out the MUP. A large chunk has fallen off one section which is comprised of a 10 foot drop off to a creek's bank...that took out about 1/4 of the trail. It's grown slightly this week as well. Also, a nice size oak was down across the trail this morning, and many of the side channels are pretty much full. Another day of hard rain (supposedly tomorrow) and I'll get back on the roads.

unterhausen

found a fairly direct route which uses an alley for the last three blocks. I'm happy to report that it has started to pour on the "artists" in their tents just outside my window. Does that make me a bad person?

Daniel4

My city, Toronto, is hosting the PanAm Games and there will road closures and congestions. Luckily, it won't affect where I commute.

rhm

Your call! I suggest you enjoy what happiness comes your way and not worry about it.

Is German the only language that has its own word for this (Schadenfreude)?

tarwheel 

Our city has had an on-going procession of sewer-line projects that have closed various streets that I commute on from time to time. Fortunately, there have always decent alternative routes. I don't mind the occasional closures for parades, street festivals, concerts and art shows. Those sort of things are what make life in the city more colorful and enjoyable. I have ridden downtown with friends on the weekends sometimes when we didn't realize there was some sort of festival going on, with many streets closed and our usual coffee shops packed with people. I can put up with that.

PaulRivers

If it's not a pay event, you can usually just get off your bike and walk through it as well...

rmfnla

We have lots of events on the West Side (of L.A.) that close off streets but mostly on weekends so my commute is rarely effected.

Still, it upsets my wife on our Sunday morning rides; she's not good with changes in her routine...

no motor?

My regular route to work involves a couple of bottlenecks, and the one with ad pavement was having the pavement removed as I rode to work this morning. This could make for an interesting ride home.

EGUNWT

The cops here are pretty cool about letting me go through stuff like art festivals and whatnot being set up. It's a different story after they open, but during setup it's not a big deal here. I just stop next to it, ask if I can ride through carefully, and they wave me on. No big thing.

alan s 

They have regular flagmen on the MUP here at a sewer construction site. It's a bit ridiculous having two people dedicated to bike traffic. Stopped me this morning on the way in for a minute or so. Sucks having to stop abruptly when it's hot out. 85F and 1000% humidity at 8:30 am.

mconlonx

For a few months, they were rebuilding a bridge which was the only passage across a river on my south, then west commute. Alternate commute was west, then south, a route I hadn't done before, and it turned out to be the same mileage and a tad more charming than my regular route. I thought it would be longer and had not anticipated the beauty of some of the secondary streets. Closed roads are an excellent avenue to an open mind...