Finally! Relieved cyclists are at long last returning to the west sidewalk of the Golden Gate Bridge, thanks to its much-anticipated and very necessary reopening this week. This of course comes just in time for the iconic landmark’s big 75th anniversary celebration this weekend, while not a moment too soon– as I’ve said before— for us cyclists simply tired of having to navigate the narrow and overcrowded east walkway. For months the bridge’s east side has been nothing more than a maddening pedestrian obstacle course. Now, happily enough, the madness is all over, at least for now if not– fingers crossed– for good.
Finally a reality once again, thankfully so!
This lengthy and unfortunate cycling inconvenience came about, as you may very well know, thanks to south-end construction of the new Golden Gate Bridge entry plaza and Bridge Pavilion, which has now finished up right on schedule with this weekend’s anniversary festivities. Not only did the work wipe away existing pathway access to the west sidewalk, but bridge officials apparently decided not to let cyclists pass through the service area or alongside the toll booths, which would have been perfectly fine with me. Instead we waited– and suffered– until now, as finally the time has come for cyclists to “go west” once again.
Happy 75th, Golden Gate. I’m looking forward to my first west-side crossing in far too long. Plus, seeing as the new pathway from the plaza to the west sidewalk is much improved over the previous, wider and smoother that is, in the end it looks like we cyclists have been rewarded!
Ryan R. Sanderson 