Bikes in the OR side of the Gorge? (was: Eagle Creek exit closure)

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wildcat
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Bikes in the OR side of the Gorge? (was: Eagle Creek exit closure)

Post by wildcat » April 14th, 2022, 9:15 am

Forked from: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=30266
There is a bike slot on the stairs that makes it not particularly onerous to walk a normal bike down (ie, no trailer etc). I know there have been ADA challenges and they've worked up proposals to replace the stairs, but I don't know that it's at the point of actionable plans. Here's the most recent thing I found with a quick google
https://bikeportland.org/2021/01/05/odo ... ath-324465
What is a "bike slot"? I've never heard of such a thing. Is it like a narrow ramp that you guide your bike down while you walk down the stairs, or something else? I don't think we have those kind of things in the Vancouver area, at least not that I've ever seen. Usually if there's a stairway in a public area (like a park or a campus) there's a full-width ramp adjacent or somewhere nearby. Closest thing I could find on a Web search is this, from Florida: https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/con ... utput=html, which doesn't really sound like something you'd find in the Gorge.
Obviously they're not going to bore out the tunnel to add a bike lane to an interstate, especially when there's a designated bike route that goes literally right over the top.
They'd have to narrow the traffic lanes slightly to increase shoulder-channel bandwidth since boring out the tunnel obviously isn't an option, neither is removing the footing on the right shoulder. But I don't think narrowbanding is doable either under federal highway standards, they're already kind of at their safe limit as it is, but who knows.
Last edited by wildcat on April 14th, 2022, 12:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Bikes in the OR side of the Gorge? (was: Eagle Creek exit closure)

Post by adamschneider » April 14th, 2022, 9:49 am

wildcat wrote:
April 14th, 2022, 9:15 am
What is a "bike slot"? I've never heard of such a thing. Is it like a narrow ramp that you guide your bike down while you walk down the stairs?
Exactly.

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Re: Bikes in the OR side of the Gorge? (was: Eagle Creek exit closure)

Post by wildcat » April 14th, 2022, 10:09 am

Thanks; so that's what that thing at the MAX station is. I had always thought they were rain gutters. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bicy ... PR0278.png

Is this the sort of arrangement they have at Toothrock?
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Re: Bikes in the OR side of the Gorge? (was: Eagle Creek exit closure)

Post by adamschneider » April 14th, 2022, 10:39 am

wildcat wrote:
April 14th, 2022, 10:09 am
Thanks; so that's what that thing at the MAX station is. I had always thought they were rain gutters. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bicy ... PR0278.png

Is this the sort of arrangement they have at Toothrock?
Apparently.

Image

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Re: Bikes in the OR side of the Gorge? (was: Eagle Creek exit closure)

Post by wildcat » April 14th, 2022, 11:16 am

It'll be interesting to see how they handle a mountain bike with dirt bike fenders and handguards that stick out!

Actually the handguards should probably clear the fence and rails since they're mounted on a BMX handlebar, because I'm almost 7' tall.
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Re: Bikes in the OR side of the Gorge? (was: Eagle Creek exit closure)

Post by adamschneider » April 14th, 2022, 11:21 am

wildcat wrote:
April 14th, 2022, 11:16 am
It'll be interesting to see how they handle a mountain bike with dirt bike fenders and handguards that stick out!
When I've used bike slots/ramps, I usually held my bike at an angle to keep the handlebars clear. On a short set of steps, just carrying it ends up being easier, especially downhill.

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Re: Bikes in the OR side of the Gorge? (was: Eagle Creek exit closure)

Post by wildcat » April 14th, 2022, 1:00 pm

deleted - reply covered elsewhere (viewtopic.php?f=14&t=30199&p=222672#p222672)
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Re: Bikes in the OR side of the Gorge? (was: Eagle Creek exit closure)

Post by wildcat » April 19th, 2022, 10:37 am

Okay, explain this to me, somebody. Since I've never had chance to use a bike slot (and I've been riding most of my life), how would you pass another rider when traffic is going the same direction on both channels as is shown in the above photograph?

Assuming right-hand traffic flow, say you're heading uphill on the right channel and somebody's going downhill on it (their left). Do you just hope the oncoming wrong-way rider sees you and gets off at the nearest landing to let you pass, or vice versa? Or is there no specific procedure or rule of etiquette for bike slots and it's every man for himself?
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