Do you travel to or from the Eastside? You gotta give biking the 520 Bridge a try

Biking across the 520 Bridge during a sunny evening commute this week, I was floored by the sheer number of people biking across Lake Washington. I knew demand for a biking connection on this bridge was going to be big, but seeing it in action is still inspiring.

In fact, as more and more people discover the bike trip possibilities this new connection opens, it's not so hard to imagine a commute-hour pattern with more people biking, walking and taking transit across 520 (especially if you include people on employee shuttles).

That's where you come in, person who regularly travels across Lake Washington. The 520 Bridge just brought a lot of jobs and homes into bike range for the first time. That may include yours.

Biking from downtown Kirkland or Bellevue to the University of Washington is now a 7-mile bike ride, which takes about 40 minutes at a casual pace. Without traffic, that's not much longer than taking the bus. During heavy traffic, it could be faster.

But more than that, it's also a lot of fun. Instead of fuming in traffic, you could experience the freedom of being outside in the middle of Lake Washington. The bridge trail includes cut outs along the way where you can pull over, sit on a bench and take a few moments in awe at the beauty of the place we live.

It's better for the environment, better on your budget, better for your health, and better for your soul.

Below are a few maps from WSDOT showing some bike connections to the trail. They're not perfect, but it sure beats stop-and-go traffic.

Redmond area.

Eastside bridge connections.

Seattle bridge connections.

Has the 520 Bridge Trail changed your travel habits? Let us know how in the comments below.