(05-26-2019, 05:44 PM)Acitta Wrote: The MUT on Courtland from Mill to Hayward is paved.
I did my first bike commute of the year, and took advantage of the opportunity to use this trail. It's cramped under the Expressway bridge (maybe in future they can hang a boardwalk on the other side of the bridge supports to separate directions), but they did paint a guideline to ensure you don't misjudge the distance from the end of your handlebars to the supports so hopefully no one nicks one and finds themselves suddenly turned into the creek. What sucks however is that when you get to Hayward, you're basically dumped out with nowhere to go. Infrastructure fail #1.
Last year I did this same route and continued on Courtland to Manitou in a traffic lane, but for whatever reason my level of personal risk acceptance has changed this year and it just felt too crazy to attempt. I turned right onto Hayward where the trail (fortunately!) continues, and a little after the tracks it appeared there was a trail through the Peter Hallman Ball Yard to continue southeast so I took it. Unfortunately it doesn't go very far and you have to turn right over a creek bridge to get onto a trail on the opposite side that parallels Lennox Lewis Way. It's a very narrow bridge however, and there was a flood of ball players coming from the Activa Sportsplex parking lot, so I had to wait a long while for a chance to cross it. Infrastructure fail #2.
The trail continues under Block Line Rd as though it goes somewhere, and I had always wondered where so I was happy to take it. For whatever reason however it just ends after ducking under Block Line. There's a nearby catch pond access trail that runs up to Block Line, but they never saw fit to connect the two! I had to push my bike up a tiny overgrown demand path that was quite steep. Infrastructure fail #3.
I know the trail from Block Line to Shelley Dr is currently closed for no apparent good reason, so I took Fallowfield to Bleams instead to get back to the poorly roll-curb protected (although better than nothing) bike lanes on Manitou.
Does anyone know if there are plans in place to address this gap? For those in the Doon Area, an MUT connector from Block Line to the Balzer Creek Trail and alongside the rail corridor to Bleams would be a godsend! Another gap that really needs filling is Courtland from Hayward to Block Line...
...K