Northeast - Cycling along the Westside Hwy

I was wondering if coming here during the week to ride this bike path, where do you park? I know their are parking garages, but since it is during the week, would they be filled and are any close enough to the path. The side streets leading to the Hwy at least where I work are a very bumpy cobblestone that I would rather not ride on with a road bike.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks Much!

you can find parking on the upper westside not too far from the bike path, midtown will be harder to find parking and parking lots are expensive also.

On weekend mornings I've parked on Riverside, in front of Riverside Church at 122nd street. Far enough away from the apartment buildings to not stay filled up overnight, so plenty of spaces (until the church crowd arrives. Short ride down to 72nd street to a good greenway connection.
Don't know how it is on weekdays.

I've also used Fort Lee. Free parking at the historic park or on Hudson Terrace.

NYC has a quaint custom known as alternate side of the street parking (to allow for street cleaning). This occurs on the upper west side on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for an hour and a half on one side of the street or the other. You could time your arrival with the end of the parking restrictions and find it fairly easy to park as people are jockying their cars to new parking spots. Think of this as an automotive game of musical chairs with the losers having to pay for a garage. The parking times vary by neighborhood. On Riverside Drive below 79th to 73rd street it runs 11am to 12:30pm so if you got there around 11:45 it should be easy to find a spot though you will have to wait with the car till the spot turns legal at 12:30. Also if the street sweeper comes while you are parked you will have to move and then re-park.

Thank you for all the good suggestions. As the weather is now changing this might have to wait until next year. I work just a couple blocks from the path (more downtown) and walk their for lunch. I am was always thinking what a real nice place to do a fun ride. We ride the Westchester (I think it is called the Putnam Rails to Trails Path) a few times during the season so the WSH will just make for another pleasant alternative. My husband works weekends and is off on Thursday only so we do not have too much flexability.

Again, thank you for your suggestions.

One more possibility for weekday parking. Most garages have early bird specials which end by 10am, but allow up to 12 hours parking or parking to 6pm for less than $16. Also the closer you get to the river (the exception being near the Intrepid or the convention center, the cheaper parking becomes, So if you plan on an early start, garage parking might not be unreasonable and chaper than dealing with a parking ticket, as NYC parking regulations can be very confusing.

That is very interesting info on parking garages. We will look into that. I commute by train from LI for work and when coming for pleasure we usually take the train, but with bikes I think that is just more of a hassle. There are very few LIRR trains that people can take the bike on for what I understand.

Thanks again!!!

If you plan to ride "downtown" then try Pier 40 (http://www.pier40parking.com/) at West Houston Street.

Park in Jersey, you got bike babe....
I park in Fort Lee and cross using the
George Washington Bridge.

If you plan to ride "downtown" then try Pier 40 (http://www.pier40parking.com/) at West Houston Street.


Perfect!!!! I know exactly where that is. I didn't reailize their was parking garage there.

May your wheels never touch a cobblestone :p
Here's a map http://www.nyc.gov/html/edc/pdf/greenway_mapside.pdf

May your wheels never touch a cobblestone :p
Here's a map http://www.nyc.gov/html/edc/pdf/greenway_mapside.pdf
Great map Stacy, Thanks!!!

Take the Ferry from NJ. Drops you right on the WSH.

Take the Ferry from NJ. Drops you right on the WSH.
I think she's coming from Long Island.

But now that the south side pathway is open on the GWB she could ride across to NJ and back if she felt like it!

I commute by train from LI for work and when coming for pleasure we usually take the train, but with bikes I think that is just more of a hassle. There are very few LIRR trains that people can take the bike on for what I understand.As long as you have a bike permit from the LIRR you should be able to get on almost any train. Bikes are not allowed during during rush hours, but that should be it. (Other than the rest of the the fine print...)