We recently added Bake SB over the 405 on the Tuesday Ride #21 and the ride IS stressful…
We could avoid it, but the bridges at ICD and Lake Forest are just about as stressful...
Even though Bake is a Class II bikeway, Irvine and Caltrans have failed to paint any of the Complete Streets tools, and allows both right lanes to enter the freeway at two high speed entrances. The route has been improved by taking Rockfield to Bake, reducing the stressful distance on Bake to 6/10th of a mile. These details explain techniques that can be applied at many of our high speed freeway entrances across OC.
Even though posted at 50 MPH, motorists speed on Bake, and they accelerate as they merge into the high speed entrances, making it critical for cyclists to assert their lane position early to be seen and safely cross the freeway.
You can’t signal and hope to be let over by aggressive speeding motorists , you need to time your merge and be assertive to control YOUR lane.
Rockfield to Bake: (@Mile 19.7 on T21)
• Pause on Rockfield to regroup; several cyclists together have an advantage to be seen and control any lane. Pausing also lets you time the signal so less traffic is coming down Bake behind you as you merge into the road.
• Merge out of the narrowing #4 lane as soon as possible to control the #3 lane.
There is no room to ride the gutter & share the #4 lane with passing vehicles.
Clear the #4 RTOL: take & Control the #3 lane or take the sidewalk.
If you don’t feel safe merging over, use a driveway to get onto the sidewalk.
Bake to 405 NB entrance:
• If you are already controlling the #3 lane, motorists heading for the freeway will pass on the right in the #4 RTOL. Those going straight can merge and pass you in the #1 or #2 lanes on your left.
• If you try to control the #4 RTOL you will have speeding motorist passing and entering the freeway across you from the #3 combo lane, and will be unable to merge over to control the #3 lane. Just stay right and use the shoulder.
• If you make it to the shoulder or ride the sidewalk, watch out at the crosswalk. If one lane stops for you the second lane may not.
Controlling the #3 combo lane really is safest.
BAKE to 405 SB entrance:
• There is an unmarked bike lane over the bridge, but merge back out to control the #3 combo lane as early as possible, well before the bike lane ends for a RTOL.
• If you make it to the shoulder after the bike lane ends or ride the sidewalk, watch out at the crosswalk. If one lane stops for you the second lane may not.
• Past the exit, everyone can use the bike lane toward Research, ICD, San Diego Creek, or Lake Forest…
