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November 18, 2009· scvtalk.com · WordPress (SCVTalk 3.0) · Wayback capture

Cross Valley Connector will help cyclists too

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I’m sure the City, Canyon Country residents and just about anyone who drives regularly from one end of the valley to the other is excited about next year’s completion of the long-awaited Cross Valley Connector.

The last segment of the road is a bridge spanning the Santa Clara River connecting to Golden Valley road and ultimately linking up to Highway 14 & Sierra Highway. Once complete, a man can drive from Highway 126 all the way to Highway 14 without touching Soledad or Railroad, which should take some pressure off Soledad & Bouquet.

Incidentally, it will also make cyclists’ lives easier because the the entire route will have a Class I separated bike path from Highway 126 to Sierra Highway:

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The dotted red line represents a to-be-completed portion of the Class 1 bike path.

Currently, the Golden Valley bike path dead-ends near the Santa Clarita Athletic park and riders are forced to either navigate the crowded & narrow side-road next to Soledad or cross Soledad in order to get back on the main east-west Soledad bike path. Neither of these options are very good for all but the heartiest of cyclists.

But once the CVC is done, it looks like we’ll be able to continue right on over the CVC bridge and into the Newhall Ranch Road & the Industrial Center area, where existing Class 1 bike lanes already exist.

This could open up bicycling as a commuting option for residents in the Via Princessa & Golden Valley neighborhoods, allowing them a car-free commute from their homes to work centers in the Industrial Center area. Or, for pleasure, a bike rider from those neighborhoods can easily jet over to Best Buy, Trader Joe’s, the Bridgeport shopping area, Central Park and even Wal Mart.

Of course getting back home is a challenge (Golden Valley is quite steep) but the topography can’t be avoided, and besides, a good climb is good for your health!

I’ve often criticized our City’s bike infrastructure as really nice, but incomplete, so it’s exciting to see some pieces finally fall into place. The CVC is a good example of where cycling and motoring can coexist and yield benefits to the community.

Now if we could just extend these nice bike paths down Highway 126!

 

Comments (11)

  1. Need for Involved CitizenryNovember 18, 2009 at 2:28 pm
    Don’t believe the City hype that the bridge over the river is the last segment to the Cross Valley Connector. The last segment is the widening of the bridge over SR 14. Right now, it is 3 lanes with no room for bikes. This is a Caltrans project and will get done in __________? Don’t know if Caltrans is envisioning bike lanes on it.
  2. Timothy MyersNovember 18, 2009 at 3:18 pm
    Need: Technically you are right but the primary concern is the ability of folks in Northbridge, Northbridge Pointe and Northpark to blow over to Rattlers in a hurry. Mission accomplished!!!
  3. FredNovember 18, 2009 at 4:45 pm
    This could open up bicycling as a commuting option for residents in the Via Princessa & Golden Valley neighborhoods, allowing them a car-free commute from their homes to work centers in the Industrial Center area. Oh Yeah. Most definitely… Good luck with instilling that vision…
  4. JaneNovember 18, 2009 at 4:48 pm
    Once complete, a man can drive from Highway 126…. Sheesh, how about “…a person…”
  5. JeffNovember 18, 2009 at 4:51 pm
    Oh Yeah. Most definitely… Good luck with instilling that vision… It was only 16 months ago that gas peaked at $4.50/gallon here.
  6. mikeNovember 18, 2009 at 8:45 pm
    If you live along the CVC and are reasonably fit, commuting by bike on most days wouldn’t be too difficult. I would if I did.
  7. Fred ButlerNovember 19, 2009 at 7:35 am
    It was only 16 months ago that gas peaked at $4.50/gallon here. That’s when I started taking the bus. One of the best decisions of my life. I have read through a ton of books and do a lot of my primary blogging prep on those rides. I love riding my bike, and do it at least 3 times a week to work and back, but let’s face it, we bike riders are a unique clique. People understandably love their cars, and will stay with them even when gas is high. Additionally, SCV soccer moms who have to lug around babies and groceries need a minivan.
  8. cashNovember 19, 2009 at 11:09 am
    Fred is pretty passionate about his bike!
  9. cashNovember 19, 2009 at 2:00 pm
    Count the biker riders during the work week commute Jeff. You will be able to use all of your fingers and maybe a toe or two. The benefits do not justify the cost. But keep dreaming, dreaming is good for you.
  10. spineflower2November 20, 2009 at 10:27 am
    When I drove EB on NRR at Bouquet, I see signs stating no through traffic. So it is open or closed? The City website has a years-old map claiming future sections will be built… which are already built! So can I drive it or not? How far? Nothing on their website answers the question. The City slogan should not be: “THINK SANTA CLARITA” …but rather: “THINK, SANTA CLARITA!”
  11. BrianNovember 22, 2009 at 10:31 am
    What’s that blue stuff all over the map? Wishful thinking?

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