It seems there is a bit of a roadblock in the “trade route” around the south end of Lake Washington. A few days ago I was doing a clockwise loop around the south end of the Lake, but was stopped by a Renton Police officer when I got to the bridge that connects the multi-use path with Perimeter Rd.–the frontage road that surrounds the Renton Municipal Airport.
When I arrived a bicycle commuter was arguing with the officer about his rights to use public streets, as the officer cited the law limiting access chapter and verse. We were instructed to use a path to the east, although the officer wasn’t quite sure which one bikes could use. We returned to the path to the east of the Cedar River, but my riding companion thought it might be for pedestrians only. Even though bikes use it all the time. The signs along the path are a bit confusing.
There is another place to cross–just to the south of the Boeing bridge on Logan Ave.–though it is a very narrow pedestrian bridge.
It must have been a slow day for the Renton Police. I can’t imagine how they can consistently enforce whatever right of way is apparently on the books. I can see staying clear of the area when planes are moving back and forth, but on a day with no plane traffic (most of the time, as far as I can tell), this doesn’t seem logical to me.
At any rate, don’t be surprised if you encounter one of Renton’s finest telling you to take another route the next time you navigate around the Renton Airport.
