Alt. Rte.
By Pat Lafleur, FortThomasMatters.com City Beat
It's no secret that
Greater Cincinnati/Northern KY is a region driven almost exclusively by the
automobile. But, there is another way! Many other ways! Alt. Rte. is a
new, recurring feature on FTM that will explore what it means to live in and commute
through Northern Kentucky car-free. What are the best ways to explore
NKY by foot, by pedal, or by public transit? What do you find along the way?
What do you see that you might not have seen if you'd been driving instead? Pat
LaFleur, FTM contributor and author of Alt. Rte., has now logged 4
car-free months living and commuting in NKY. He may never go back to owning a
car again. This column aims to chronicle this on-going journey, and the hidden
commutes throughout NKY.
I began commuting
primarily by pedal almost two years ago, when I moved from Ft. Thomas to
Newport, down into the cradle of the river valley. Terrain is much flatter
there than in Ft. Thomas, and this was especially important to me given that my
bicycle runs on a single-gear and a coaster-brake (that is, you push back on
the pedal to engage the braking mechanism).
The climb back into Ft.
Thomas after work (at the time, in Newport) was always exhausting, if not
impossible with one speed. I'm sad to say that, while a Ft. Thomas resident, I
ended up driving more than I care to admit: the ride to work was always
a breeze, but the ride back…
Once I moved to Newport,
my bike was easily my primary means of transportation. I worked in Newport, my
social circles were based in Newport or Covington. Biking down by the river is
fairly straightforward. Now I live in Covington (Mainstrasse Village) -- also
quite bike-friendly, relative to other areas in the city.
So, I thought it only
appropriate to begin this series with some riding instructions for a route I
now take very much on the regular:
BIKE* ROUTE: From Ft.
Thomas to Mainstrasse Village
*These instructions are
only meant for those who feel comfortable riding a bike on the road with auto
traffic (as the law requires), and who take proper safety precautions
(including helmet, and lights if at night). The notes and ratings for the route
are intended for those with little in the way of gear or gadgets.
FROM CENTRAL/SOUTH FT.
THOMAS
1. Take Highland Ave.
west toward Grand.
2. Make a right
onto Grand Ave., heading north toward Newport.
3. Pass under I-471
overpass.
4. Make right into
Newport Pavilion. Take the roadway (or CAREFULLY ride through the
shopping center parking lots) toward the 10th St. exit.
5. Make left onto 10th
St.
6. From 10th St., make right
onto Washington Ave.
7. Make left onto 4th
St.
8. Follow 4th St. to the 4th
St. Bridge, crossing the Licking River.
9. Cross over the 4th
St. Bridge.
10. Continue onto 4th
St. in Covington.
11. Make left onto
Main St. in Covington.
(ALT. Start: FROM NORTH
FT. THOMAS
1a. Take Memorial Pkwy.
north toward Newport.
2a. Cross over I-471
overpass.
3a. Continue onto 10th
St. in Newport.
4a. Skip to Step 6.)
Bike-Friendliness
Breakdown
GREEN:
• The
ride down Highland Ave. to Grand is simple. Watch for cars parked along
the curbs, but don't worry about traffic (except around PM rush hour). Cars
hold around 25-30 mph, and are usually light in density. Tolerance of
bicyclists on the road is high, although Highland does collect a bit of debris
and is in need of repaving.
• The
same is true in the Newport Pavilion, although beware of parking lot
(i.e. erratic) driving patterns. Take the road for a more straight-forward,
better paved, and finished thoroughfare.
• Riding
through Newport is easy-going, especially on Washington Ave. until
the 4th St. bridge. The gridded layout of one-ways allows for predictable
traffic patterns, and traffic on Washington is usually light. You will also
probably see fellow bikers through Newport.
• This
goes for the whole of the ride through Covington, although Covington's
4th street has an extra lane. On both of these stretches, watch the road in
front of you for potholes and large cracks.
YELLOW:
• The
ride down Grand Ave. into Newport can feel more intimidating than necessary
because of its downhill angle. You'll want to finesse your brakes down this
hill, while still being mindful not to obstruct traffic. Cars will be moving
between 40-50 mph here, especially north of the I-471 overpass. Debris
density and pavement roughness are more intense here. Keep a balanced watch on
traffic and road hazards.
• Much
the same for Memorial Pkwy. There is a sidewalk, but remember: bicycles
are legally classified as street vehicles. Speeds are higher, and there are a
number of bends and turns, with blind corners. The final stretch of Memorial
Pkwy into Newport can be especially treacherous for your average bike commuter
(detailed below, under RED). I recommend taking Grand Ave. into Newport
whenever possible.
• Up
10th St. from Newport Pavilion to Washington Ave. is deceptively steep,
so shift accordingly (as your bike will allow) right out of the shopping
center. There is also very little shoulder.
• Crossing
the 4th St. Bridge isn't the most treacherous but it is the most
exhausting part of the ride. By this point you've had some moderate inclines,
and this bridge is a bit longer than it looks from afar. Do yourself a favor,
and coast down 4th St. to the bridge. Downshift if possible, and just be
patient. Cars will pass, and some will honk (mistakenly thinking that riding
your bike on the bridge is illegal). Just keep pedaling.
RED:
• The
only red-rated stretch is part of the alternate starting route, via Memorial
Pkwy. As you approach the I-471 underpass, street parking appears on Memorial,
and the density of debris skyrockets. Not to mention the underpass: if you have
anything closely resembling vertigo, take the primary route, down Grand Ave.
Bike lanes on Memorial Parkway would be a great thing. I hate trying to get through the 471 exit ramps on Memorial PKWY & Grand Ave. My favorite road in and out of Ft Thomas is Covert Run.
ReplyDeleteI also find Ft Thomas drivers the worst in NKY around cyclists. Lots of huge SUVs with football mom driving not paying any attention at all.
Covert Run is a great alternative that I have yet to try! I'll be sure to next time I'm up on the hill.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right about drivers not looking for bicyclists. Unfortunately, that's still true all around Greater Cincinnati.
Thanks for the comment!
What a great idea for a column! Hope it leads to more cyclists and fewer cars. If there's one thing I would change about my backyard in Fort Thomas it would be the sound of traffic.
ReplyDelete