Monday, August 1, 2011

West Ramp Bypass: Whoopie! Hang On Tight!

In a recent post, I mentioned the newly constructed bypass trail that runs from under the Little Rock end of the BDB to Jimerson Creek. The detour was built in preparation for construction of the west ramp of the BDB, and its design has proven to be a popular topic of conversation. I have been assured that the bridge engineers didn't design the detour, which enters and exits the trail steeply and at near 90-degree angles.
The east approach to the detour is not only sharply angled and steep, it's got its own speed bump! I'm curious at to whether that was given some thought or if the guy on the asphalt dump lever just had a sneezing fit.

All that I can say is that this is good advice.
This young lady, who asked not to be named (She actually asked me not to use her picture, but I'm certain that she was only kidding!), hesitated at the top of the ramp and decided to walk down.

This temporary trail is not an engineering marvel, but will suffice, and I do appreciate the fact that it is paved.  I saw quite a few folks approached it with uncertainty, so slow down and look out for those riders who may not be as confidant on the possibly puzzling approach. We'll all get used to it and the west ramp will make the Big Dam Bridge even more impressive. 


3 comments:

Cliff said...

What do people in the cycling community think about the west access ramp to the BDB? I was talking to some other cycling friends of mine and we're all thinking it's sort of a waste of money and that the money could be better spent elsewhere (e.g. put towards a trail behind Dillards or something). Yes, it makes the bridge a little easier to access to/from the west, but it seems sort of unnecessary. Just curious what other people thought.

Anonymous said...

I agree, I think highway style on/off ramps will also take away from the view and make it less peaceful.

JBar said...

The west ramp was part of the original design and was omitted for budgetary reasons, as I recall. While I can't disagree that the amount of money could have an impact elsewhere, I would not expect the county to use resources to fulfill the City of Little Rock's obligation to complete the trail along what I have come to call the "moronic mile". The new approach will relieve some of the congestion that now occurs at the foot of the bridge and make the approach to/from the direction of Two Rivers Bridge more safe for all.