My New Commute

As some of you know, I started a new job this week down in German Village/The Brewery District (where does one end and the other begin down there?). I was fortunate to have the opportunity to do some searching around and find the best way to go during the previous week, and here's what I found (keeping in mind that I live in Clintonville, east side of High Street, between Weber and Arcadia.

Starting at home, I get onto Arcadia and take it out to Indianola. Once I get across Hudson, Indianola becomes a pretty solid route but it doesn't go too far. So I cut over to Summit at Wyandotte.

Summit's actually not a bad bike route. The right lanes are VERY wide and even if folks are parked there it's easy to stay out of the door zone. And there are plenty of lanes to the left that cagers can use to get past you if they're just that impatient.

Once you hit the area where the off- and on-ramps for I-670 come into play, however, things get a bit nervous. At this point, Summit's become 3rd Street, by the way. The right lane vanishes onto I-670 Westbound and you have to get over to the left. There are two lanes going over, and then there's an off-ramp to deal with as you get close to Chestnut. Hold your ground if you're riding through... the off-ramp lane is pretty long and there's plenty of room for drivers to get over.

Downtown, you just stay in the right lane almost the whole way. There are a couple places where it turns into a right-turn only lane, but keep your eyes open and you have plenty of time to signal to get over and it's not a problem.

I then take a right onto Fulton to avoid having to switch lanes into the mess where folks can go straight through, get onto I-70, I-71, etc. That's a mess that is best avoided by using Fulton. Fulton has two left-turn lanes that go over I-70. Stay in the right-most lane. Take a left onto S. High Street.

My office is just next to the Hi-Beck tavern (no, I haven't taken advantage of that yet, but I'm sure I will) and it's easy to get into.





On the way home, I prefer to cross High Street and get onto Front Street. Front is a pretty straight shot up past North Market, where I take a right onto Goodale and then take High Street up to Lane Ave. At Lane, the on-street construction on High Street gets REALLY bad, so I take a right, get back onto Indianola, and then simply reverse my trip from the morning.

A nice ride, all in all. I enjoy going through the Short North on the way home and seeing what's new in this popular area of town. Getting through the campus area can be a pain sometimes, but I did this when I worked at OSU so I'm used to it.

So, if you're looking for a good way to get downtown, try this route out!




Ride assertively, signal lane changes and turns regularly, and be courteous without being a shrinking violet and your rides this way will be fun and quick!
People, not speed.

Comments

  1. Hi Jamie. We must only live a few blocks apart. I like this route and use it often, despite not working downtown or in G. Village. The only thing I'd say is that I've found turning left at Hudson isn't nearly as horrible as I thought it'd be and find it easier to just turn there than deal with the shoddy pavement and narrow lanes on Indianola. High Street back is definitely better than Fourth though. Good call there.

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  2. True. I've taken Hudson at times when I'm headed to Crew Stadium for a game. I haven't found that Indianola is so horrible that I prefer Hudson, though. I like how lightly trafficked it is as compared to Hudson.

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  3. Don't you love how riding downtown gives you lots of different options for getting around?

    When I'm heading south from Clintonville on Indianola, I usually stay on Indianola through Hudson, and then cut down one of the side streets almost immediately after. At least during busier times.

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  4. I'm in the same area and also work downtown, but I avoid Summit like the plague: too fast, and the overpass is a nightmare. I take Indianola all the way to campus and then cut over to High (Link). High really isn't bad at all through the Short North, especially in the morning. You pretty much have the right lane all to yourself. I go to side streets downtown once I get to Nationwide. I've ridden High through downtown a couple times and it's pretty scary. You could probably cut over to
    Front at that point, or even go over to Grant like I do and take that all the way to German Village.

    There's also a way to wend your way through campus. It's longer and slower, but much less stress (Link).

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  5. I spend some time in the Brewery district when I was there for two World Cup qualifiers. We had quite a hoe down.

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  6. Rider - we were probably both in those pubs in the Brewery District for the first game. I was actually out of town for the second game, visiting my inlaws, so I missed that one.

    Don't worry, we'll piss on the Fire for you. :) Once we beat the Wizards, that is. No one is stopping the Crew this year!

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