Day 5

Bikeability Assessment

Today we biked from Mercersberg, PA to Bedford, PA (approximately 52 miles).

On a scale of 1-5, please rank the following factors in integer form given the below scale:
(1-very poor, 2-poor, 3-fair, 4-good, 5-very good)

1. The amount of motor vehicle traffic given the amount of through lanes.
2. The physical road conditions taking into account factors including pavement attributes, curb presence, railway crossings, storm drain grates, debris, etc.
3. Your comfort with biking given the speed limit and proximity of motor vehicles.
4. The level of sight and amount of curves of the road.
5. The size of the bike lane or shoulder if present (please circle which one). Bike Lane Shoulder Neither

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Pennsylvania Highway 16 (1.5 miles outside of Mercersburg, PA, 6 AM)
1. 4
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
5. 3 foot wide shoulder that was not in good condition

Pennsylvania Highway 16 (7 miles outside of Mercersburg, PA, 7:15 AM)
1. 3
2. 3 (some shoulder erosion)
3. 4 (large shoulder)
4. 3
5. Approximately 4 foot, eroding shoulder on mountainous road


Pennsylvania Highway 30 Westbound (13 miles outside Mercersburg, PA, 8:20 AM)
1. 5
2. 3 (shoulder erosion)
3. 4
4. 4
5. Approximately 5 foot shoulder




Lear Road (Township Road 414, 5 miles after Harrisonville, PA, 11 AM)
1. 3
2. 3
3. 1
4. 1
5. No shoulder or bike lane present


The Old Pennsylvania Turnpike (check out piketobike.org for information, 12:30 PM)
1.5
2.1
3.5
4.3
5. The entire old highway is a 4 lane bike lane that is in very bad condition with many potholes and eroding portions of the road. Additionally, there are two large tunnels under mountain passes that require some form of lighting. Finally, getting onto and off of the road is very tedious as it requires the bicyclists to wheel his bicycle up a steep dirt path.

This road could be an excellent bike path if proper paving of the road and lighting of the tunnel occurred. Also, better signs directing patrons to the road would be helpful as well.



Highway 30 Westbound (10 miles before Bedford, PA, 3:15 PM)
1. 3
2. 4
3. 4
4. 4
5. 7 foot wide shoulder