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wearyotter81, yeah, you're better off just taking that route for a full test drive to see if it actually suits you. Maybe even hit it over a weekend to get a feel for how it looks when things aren't totally slammed...
That whole section near the ExxonMobil station is just... another absolute masterpiece of traffic engineering in this country 🙂
As for everything else... well, to each their own. Personally, I actually prefer the route this time—it lets me bypass all that downtown congestion. Those stoplights are absolutely killing me; it's just constant stop-and-go, start-and-stop... you just set a steady pace (maybe pick it up a notch here or there) and cruise along smoothly.
Personally, I found my route much more enjoyable than anything near Main Avenue. To start with, commuting from Philadelphia all the way to Main Avenue is an absolute nightmare... cars are parked on the sidewalk everywhere you look, and there's hardly a single driveway left unobstructed... Basically, I was forced to stay in the flow of traffic through constant congestion where drivers were constantly trying to squeeze me out—honestly, I don't think I've ever encountered such insane drivers on any other road in the country.
And Main Avenue just didn't sit right with me either... sure, they have a bike lane, which is a nice touch, but it’s nothing but stoplights every few yards... plus, the riding experience itself isn't particularly pleasant.
The stretch through the Industrial District felt significantly better. You’re driving through the heart of the Residential Suburb—and mind you, don't try walking on the sidewalk there, it's too narrow and every house has a curb cut for their driveway... but generally, the traffic isn't heavy and there aren't any issues. I never once dealt with aggressive drivers there. From the General Electric area over to the Local Center, you can stick to the sidewalk for most of it; you only really have to ride in the street under the tracks, which is maybe 200 or 300 meters total. Then, once you hit the Industrial District and pass the Nike area, you can pretty much ride through the parking lots. Just watch your head on the ramps 🙂 They're actually quite high—I don't think any of them came close to hitting me—but I found myself instinctively ducking at every single one.
After that, everything else has a sidewalk, and the roads themselves are relatively quiet. The only slightly tricky part is when you pass through the Worker's District and head uphill, where you have to ride against traffic for about 100 meters or so. But honestly, that's not a big deal.
The underpasses have stairs, but it's no biggie to carry your bike up a couple of steps... if you're feeling adventurous, you could even slide down the rails 😉
Essentially, you bypass the city, the lights, and the gridlock... while riding through the Residential Suburb, you can actually hear the birds singing in the morning.
It took me about 20 to 30 minutes to get to the Industrial District (I used to work in the building by the local firm, right at the edge of the district). On a good day, it was less than 20, but those were days when we were really flying—back when a few of us would ride to work together and try to race each other. 🙂
That was back during the time I was aggressively saving up cash for a trip to the coast.
But, the downside was arriving at work completely soaked, so we'd grab a coffee to warm up, change clothes, and so on...
@wearyotter81/">@
@wearyotter81I have no idea which part of Philadelphia you're starting from. Generally speaking, though—you head toward the Walmart (they just finished that bike path near the new development too)—hit that traffic light and go straight, then take a right at the intersection. From there, you just follow the main road through the outskirts until you hit the Industrial District near General Electric. It’s a bit of a pain because a certain stretch of the road in the Industrial District—just before you reach the Mall of America—forces you to stay on the main thoroughfare. You pass by the Home Depot, following that service road all the way to the lights near the overpass over the Worker's District. Don't turn at those lights; instead, keep going straight past Whirlpool and Honeywell, cross over the Worker's District, continue straight past Pfizer, and eventually, you'll hit Main Street. Head toward Broadway, cross over (there are two underpasses there), and you'll find yourself in Highland. From there, just follow the Midwestern route toward the Library of Congress, and you'll be in the Suburban District...
Man, this guide is a total mess—I should probably put "Don't Panic" on the front cover 🙂
If you really need it, I can map out the route on a digital map and send it over to you.
We’re all in this together... 🙂
For me, I mostly bike to work—though my commute is pretty short these days (just from Brooklyn over to Broadway). If I’m not feeling the bike, I’ll just walk; the main thing is staying active...
sheeva, if you're commuting from Aurora, your best bet is to ride out toward Walmart, cut through Queens, head through the Industrial District, then hit Broadway, Savannah, and finally Midtown. There is way less interference—no traffic lights or sidewalk hopping—and honestly, in Queens during the morning, you can actually hear the birds singing... It's an incredible route, easily a hundred times better than cutting through Oakland and hitting Times Square and all that mess...
I used to live in Aurora and worked out in the Industrial District, so I was on my bike almost every single day. It was such a beautiful route—a perfect way to wake up in the morning and decompress in the afternoon... Especially during the summer, when you can just cruise along next to that endless, agonizing line of people trapped in their cars, cursing everything under the sun 😁