Northbound Los Alamos Canyon Bridge Sidepath Bike Diversion Finished

That bit of sidewalk connecting the sidewalk to West Road 
in the center  of the photo may encourage people to merge 
into traffic and cross to get on the northbound bike lane. 
In theory, anyway.

  As mentioned to me by several bicyclists, Public Works put in the bit of sidewalk/sidepath that will enable bicyclists headed northbound on the bridge sidewalk to merge with West Road traffic and get onto the northbound bike lanes on Diamond Drive. This is preferable to riding into the crosswalk and dodging motor traffic. It is also preferable to riding contraflow on the sidewalk or worse yet, swimming salmon in the southbound bike lane for extended distances (I've seen all three). Let's hope people use it. When you use it, please send your comments this way. We (since I am on the T-Board, I'll make this plural) would like to know how it works out.

Many thanks to DPW director Philo Shelton and his staff for pushing on this. As I have said, the devils are in the details as far as bike infrastructure. At least two people have been nailed here when riding into the crosswalk, and maybe this will add a bit of safety to the northbound cyclist.

Final note. I rode over the bridge sidewalk on my way back from a Sunday ride to check whether the traffic light triggered for me (there were no motorists on West Road or exiting from the Med Center).. It did. Secondly, I could coast northbound on the bridge sidewalk, with that nice downhill slope, at over 25 mph, admittedly on Vittoria Open Pros. That is too fast to ride on a 7 foot wide bidirectional sidepath where there is no exit strategy while on the bridge. Please keep the speed reasonable and prudent when there are other users around.My personal rule of thumb is 10 mph.