Vancouver, BC
(1 Articles)
18 Apr 2003
Adam K.
(adam-k@shaw.ca )
Website: http://www.adamk.ca/Routes.htm
|
| KeyWords: Airports, Canada, FERRIES, Washington, state, Usa,west |
For anyone travelling to BC this year, I've added a page to my website that may be of interest: http://www.adamk.ca/Routes.htm
The page outlines how to negotiate/avoid some of the busier routes - for cyclists - from Vancouver airport, the main Vancouver ferry terminals, Vancouver Island - Sidney & Victoria - to the Washington State FERRIES, US
From Vancouver Airport it is just over 40 Kms to the Peace Arch (Douglas) border crossing.
Bicycles are prohibited to ride on Highway 99 (the freeway) from the Oak Street Bridge, in Vancouver, all the way south to the border crossing. Also, even taking the most direct alternate route, there is one tunnel (George Massey Tunnel) to negotiate on the ride from the airport, which cyclists are not allowed to ride through. There are two options to get through the tunnel though.
Option 1... Take the #404 Transit bus, which has a two bike rack, from the airport and alight at the first bus stop past the tunnel exit. Then after the tunnel, continue on by bicycle as outlined below in "Option 2"...
Or, stay on the #404 bus (ask the driver for a "transfer"), then at Ladner Exchange, transfer to the #351 Crescent Beach bus (which also has a two bike rack), then alight at the town of White Rock, which is located almost at the border. You can then ride your bike the short distance east on 8th Ave to the multiuse/bike path that runs south to the border and parallel to Highway 99.
Option 2... Ride from the airport - not too busy, but be prepared for a fair amount of traffic, depending on the time of day.
Route from the airport... From the terminal, take Grant McConachie Way east, turn right off Grant McConachie Way when possible, then left and continue east on Miller Road which will take you to Sea Island Way and Sea Island Bridge (if you get to the Arthur Laing Bridge, you've gone too far along Grant McConachie Way and are heading north).
After the Sea Island Bridge, continue on Sea Island Way for about .75 Km, then turn right (south) onto Garden City Road. Continue on for 5.5 Kms then turn left (east) onto Williams Road for just over 2 Kms, then right (south) onto #5 Road for 1.5 Kms, then left (east) onto Rice Mill Road almost to Highway 99, where there is a bicycle shuttle service to take you through the tunnel See: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/bchighways/massey/massey.htm The shuttle will drop you off outside the Town and Country Inn on 62nd B St.
From there you need to head north (not for long!) for a little less than 1 Km, then turn right (east) onto 60th Ave, then right (south) onto 64th St, which will turn into Burns Road and parallel Highway 99 for a little while until you reach 72nd St. (Benson Road). Turn right (south) onto 72nd St. and then left onto Highway 10 (Ladner Trunk Road). Just before 10 crosses over the freeway (Highway 99), turn right onto Hornby Drive, which parallels 99 for about 3.5 Kms, then left (north) onto 112th St., then right which will take you back onto Highway 10 ( which is also 58th Ave).
(Option - drop down with a right turn onto 56th Ave at 120th St. - Although 56th will rejoin and merge with 10 anyway at 140th St.)
From Highway 10, turn right (south) onto 152nd St. (Johnston Road) for about 8 Kms, then turn left (east) onto 16th Ave. until you reach Highway 99A. Turn right onto 99A which will take you to 8th Ave. From 8th Ave. there is a multiuse/bike path going south that parallels Highway 99 for the final short distance to the border crossing.
Although the above route may seem somewhat convoluted, it is a relatively easy and mostly flat ride, that does avoid a lot of main (read... "busy") roads.
Vancouver Island Option
Two other good alternatives also exist for Pacific Coast cycle tourers from Vancouver airport; both involve a ferry ride to Vancouver Island but are much more favourable/nicer routes for reaching the US Border. One of my previous ventures to the Oregon Coast was through Washington State, via mostly the Adventure Cycling Association's route. But I started in Sidney, BC and took the ferry to Anacortes, WA, then joined the ACA route at Deception Pass, which is located between Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands in Washington State. The ACA route is fairly mediocre in some areas of southern Washington State, and I feel that the Olympic Peninsula is a better routing choice for Pacific Coast bicycle touring.
To ride either the Olympic Peninsula route or pick up the ACA route from Deception Pass southwards, will require taking a ferry from Tsawwassen on the mainland to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. To get to the ferry terminal from the Vancouver airport, will still require having to negotiate the George Massey Tunnel, as described above.
If the #404 transit bus was taken from the airport; one can either alight at the first stop past the tunnel exit then ride south on Highway 17, which is a direct route to the ferry terminal. Or, to use bus transit all the way to the ferry terminal, stay on the #404 bus until Ladner Exchange (ask the driver for a "transfer"), then transfer to the #640 bus (also has 2 bike racks) to the ferry terminal.
To ride from the airport, and take the shuttle through the tunnel, continue by riding south on Highway 17 to the ferry terminal from the Town and Country Inn shuttle drop-off.
Once on Vancouver Island, choose your ferry route to either Port Angeles, WA (for the Olympic Peninsula) or Anacortes, WA (Fidalgo Island - ACA route). The Port Angeles ferry leaves from downtown Victoria (well worth the visit) which you can reach by either riding about 30 Kms south on Highway 17, or by taking the Lochside Trail, which is a multiuse, mostly paved trail all the way to Victoria. The Anacortes ferry leaves from Sidney, BC (also worth a visit - my home town!) which is only 5 Kms from the ferry terminal, also via either Highway 17 or the Lochside Trail. Accesses to Highway 17 and the Lochside Trail are well posted at the Swartz Bay ferry terminal.
Adam K.
Sidney, BC Canada
Website: www.adamk.ca |
|
