Over and Under: Biking the Bridge

Spurred by a recent comment about a lack of traffic on the >Sister City Friendship Bridge, my family set out to bike across this enticing expanse. Whizzing past in the car, I’ve always wanted to try it.

Ten years ago residents identified I-270 as a major barrier between Town Center and points west. No sidewalks, shoulders or crosswalks existed. The Sister City Friendship Bridge opened in October 2007 to remedy this situation. Now it connects the Fallsgrove neighborhood to our new Town Center. The name honors our 50-year friendship with Pinneberg, Germany. In February 2008, the One Less Car organization named it one of the most bicycle and pedestrian-friendly projects in Maryland.

At 0.75 miles in length, the bridge turns out to be two bridges meandering through the loud roar of I-270. Although it was the middle of the day, we met a man biking and a woman jogging, so people are using the bridge. The only dangerous part was crossing the street-level entrance and exit ramps for I-270 on the eastern side. One car almost didn’t stop for the red light before deciding to turn right. Once on the bridges, you can safely enjoy the view — of all the traffic. Our only disappointment was that the Bridge wasn’t longer.

Our excursion lasted about one hour and included a trip through the tunnel under Maryland Avenue by Monument Park. When biking with kids, tunnels and bridges are certainly the safest way to go. Now that we’ve tried it, I think we will regularly bike to visit our friends in Fallsgrove. In just one trip the Bridge has gone from a special destination to an ordinary necessity.

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