New Bike & Route question for Boston folks...

So I just got a sweet new commuter bike, the Jamis Commuter 3.0, and it rules. I rode it a bunch over the weekend, did some errands, did a 12 mile out & back that was pretty fun. I am in love with my yet-to-be-named bike, and will ride it to work on the days I'm not carpooling.

That said, if you had to choose one of these 2 routes, which would you pick? I've put the Boston-specific info in parentheses in case anyone here commutes on this same route.

1) 8.5 mile route that is mostly on bike paths, but with a few really dicey areas where traffic is downright scary, involving a crazy intersection/bridge crossing. (West Roxbury via VFW Parkway, to Centre St, to Jamaica Pond/Emerald Necklace bike path, to Park Dr, across Comm Ave, to BU Bridge, to Charles River bike path, to Harvard Sq)

2) 8.5 - 9 mile route that is mostly on city streets but with decidedly fewer scary intersections, few left turns, etc. (West Roxbury to Grove/Newton St/Lee St/Chestnut Hill Ave/Market St/Charles River bike path to Harvard Sq)

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Originally Posted by anaphase

So I just got a sweet new commuter bike, the Jamis Commuter 3.0, and it rules. I rode it a bunch over the weekend, did some errands, did a 12 mile out & back that was pretty fun. I am in love with my yet-to-be-named bike, and will ride it to work on the days I'm not carpooling.

That said, if you had to choose one of these 2 routes, which would you pick? I've put the Boston-specific info in parentheses in case anyone here commutes on this same route.

1) 8.5 mile route that is mostly on bike paths, but with a few really dicey areas where traffic is downright scary, involving a crazy intersection/bridge crossing. (West Roxbury via VFW Parkway, to Centre St, to Jamaica Pond/Emerald Necklace bike path, to Park Dr, across Comm Ave, to BU Bridge, to Charles River bike path, to Harvard Sq)

2) 8.5 - 9 mile route that is mostly on city streets but with decidedly fewer scary intersections, few left turns, etc. (West Roxbury to Grove/Newton St/Lee St/Chestnut Hill Ave/Market St/Charles River bike path to Harvard Sq)

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Congrats on the new bike! Not knowing your exact route, but parts of it, I would choose option 2. Traffic in Boston is not only scary, but also unpredictable. Choose the LEAST scary option, and ride safe!

SheFly

Is the crazy intersection/bridge you're talking about the BU bridge, or is there another bridge on #1? I lived near the BU bridge 30 years ago, and it was heavily traveled by bikes and not considered scary or out-of-the-ordinary for city commuters. Guess it's a matter of what you're used to, but all the BU, MIT, and Harvard students bike through there all the time, so you certainly wouldn't be alone. At that intersection, it's safer to stay to the right and make a left by crossing the intersection twice with the light, then stay on the sidewalk over the bridge.

Your #2 route is through pretty areas with lots of hills as I recall, and the rush hour traffic will be moving fast. If the shoulder is adequate that should be a nice ride, but if no shoulder and a curb it could be scary.

Do what you feel safe and comfortable doing, but I can guarantee that your comfort level will change over time. Just see what the other cyclist are doing and go with the flow.

Yes, it's the BU Bridge - that Montford St, over the Mass Pike, left on Comm Ave, right over the bridge stretch where a lot of people get right up on the sidewalk. :) And you're right, there are a lot of other bikes there, so it's not out of the ordinary to see bikes (as a driver) and watch for them.

I'm thinking that option 1 is probably better given that, mile for mile, it's less time dealing with cars.

I'm definitely not one to ride in those areas, but I would also choose #1. You can always get off and walk across a scary intersection as a pedestrian, and as others said, there are tons of commuting cyclists on part of that route.
You will get to know the traffic flow, etc pretty quickly. My son, who is not really a cyclist had some car issues last week and his boss gave him a bike to ride to work. He lives in JP and rode to Cleveland Circle and also around Boston, Cambridge. He found out he really likes riding, so now I guess we're a 4 person cycling family! But, he quickly found out what intersections were scary and how to by-pass them. Be careful, but enjoy!

Congrats on the new bike Anaphase! I too have just started commuting to work on some of the same streets you are talking about and others I'm VERY familiar with (I used to live in JP and commute to my job in Central Square). Now I live in E. Arlington and ride to my new job just outside of Central on Mem Drive.

Both routes don't seem too bad. The bike paths are definitely a plus, and you really see a lot of cyclists at the inersection of Comm Ave and the BU bridge, but it's still pretty hairy (and scary) driving it, I can't imagine biking it. I would almost choose #2, as long as Market St isn't too bad in the morning, becuase then it'd just be a straight shot once you get on the Charles River bike path.

I have two suggestions:

1. Try both of them on the weekend.
2. Figure out a way home...sometimes it's not feasible to ride the same way home as you did to work in the morning (a problem with my commute).

Also, it says you live in Lowell, did you just move to West Roxbury? And it sounds like you work really close to me in Harvard Square and judging by your screenname, I'm guessing you work for a biotech too. Just curious which one.

good luck!

Emily

Very good suggestions, ladies. I will try to ride each route on the weekend and see how it goes, probably early in the morning, too.

And yes, Emily, I moved to W. Roxbury last summer. I work in software, not biotech, although I used to work in Kendall Sq where all those biotech companies are. I love living back close to the city. Commuting from Lowell really sucked. :)