Hey guys,
Pardon the newbie bike question - I don't even know if this is a big deal!
Found this site a few months ago and have been loving it ever since. It's partly what has motivated me to find a new job that is now 3.5 miles from my house. I'd like to start biking to work, but the most direct route contains a mile-long stretch of road where the speed limit is 50 mph. There is a paved or gravel shoulder for most of the stretch, but it does contain a two-lane bridge that doesn't have a shoulder, so I would have to merge back on to the road before the bridge. Coming the opposite direction, the bridge does have a shoulder, so going home should be fine. This is really the only point in the route that I'm concerned about. I still have to figure out how heavily trafficked the road is during rush hour. From what I remember when interviewing, the traffic had spurts of density, but there should be times I can safely walk across the road.
I should mention that the river bisects my home and workplace and prevents a lot of alternative routes. The most workable one I found was about 7.8 miles with no roads greater than 35 mph and a lot of bike trails.
Do you think the first option is too dangerous and I should stick with the much longer, but safer route? What is your risk tolerance as you bike to work and has it changed since starting? Thanks!