Best route: Midtown to Prospect Park

[FixdGearHead]

I'm riding from the Bryant Park area to my Sis-in-Law's place near Prospect Park...assuming heading over to the Pathway by the FDR and take that all the way down to the Brooklyn Br. is the best route?

[Air]

Actually, I'd go down the East Side, when you get under the Manhattan Bridge go onto the road, follow signs for the bridge. When you get off take Flatbush all the way to PP:

You can see it better here, though when you get off the path you'll probably have to orient yourself on a map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Manhattan+Bridge,+NYC&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=50.956929,66.796875&ie=UTF8&ll=40.69385,-73.975925&spn=0.048092,0.065231&z=14&iwloc=addr&om=1)

[FixdGearHead]

Clarification (obviously, I'm a Manhattanite and spend my time in NJ/NY): prospect park is 'near' her place, but I guess she's technically in Caroll Gardens.

This was the route I was looking at after reviewing the bike map at Transalt.org:

- 40th Street to 2nd Ave

- 2nd Ave to 38th St

- South on Eastside greenway

- Access Brooklyn Bridge

- Tillary St

- Right on to Cadman Plaza West

- Left on to Henry St

- Left on to Union St (from there I'm all set)

[Air]

That'll work - but take 2nd Ave to 36th, not 38th. Go on the sidewalk once you cross 1st Ave on the south side of the street, carefully hug the sidewalk (it's the FDR service road after 1st), go down to 35th. Cross with the light and watch your ass. Now go south on the greenway. You'll have to feel your way the first time, some parts seem to get lost and then you're back on.

The spot on 38th is sometimes closed (actually a gate under the FDR), and you have to scoot across traffic on one side, really dangerous.

[FixdGearHead]

Thanks bro - yeah, looking at the satellite image on Google Maps, I lose the greenway path several times...seems to disappear and reappear. Oh well, as long as the east river is on my left ;)

Follow up: is it easy to get on the Brooklyn br from that greenway?

[cparekh]

Either Manhattn or Brooklyn Bridge is fine. I live right where you are going, and I prefer the Manhattan Bridge because ther BK Bridge is chocked full of wandering tourists that are going to kill someone very, very soon. Manhattan bridge is empty, safe, and probably a bit shorter.

When you get off the Manhattan bridge, just take a right on Tillary and follow it to Cadman Plaza. There is a bike lane, and you can follow the signs to go down Henry to Union.

You're route is good too.

[FixdGearHead]

Cool - Might consider Manhattan Br.

What's the process of getting on that bridge from the greenway?

[Air]

It's pretty easy - once you get under the Manhattan Bridge cross the street and you should see the bike lane pick up, then just follow signs. The bike path is closed but the pedestrian is on the other side - you should see people coming and going from there.

[FixdGearHead]

Alright - thanks guys, heading out soon. Appreciate the advice.

[superslomo]

+1 to Henry/Clinton streets, I normally do Dean/Bergen to cross over to 5th Ave., and then take that to 2nd/3rd streets to go up to the park. I would not want to ride on Flatbush personally... it's a hectic even in a car, IMHO.

[FixdGearHead]

Thanks all for the advice - ride was pretty simple; man gotta say I've got it real easy in the Upper West Side...easy traffic and relatively smooth roads on Riverside Dr all the way up to the GWB.

East side sucks a**...not so much in terms of traffic, but it bike routes/lanes. Much of that 'greenway' seemed better suited for a cyclocross bike than my danty road rims. Wish I would've taken my fixed gear (beefier tires).

Air: foolishly didn't listen to your advice and attempted to access the greenway via 38th st (thinking: well, there's the sign for it, screw it, that must mean it's open.)...lesson learned.

Glad I took the Manhattan Br instead of Brooklyn...I could see the ped traffic on the Brooklyn Br.

[Bklyn]

Glad you made it OK. Having just ridden it, would you recommend the East Side MUP? I'm always looking for novel ways from Midtown to Park Slope, but it's really hard to beat just bombing down Broadway....



Edit: It's not hard to be bombing down Broadway. In fact, it's irresistible.

[Air]

I ride the East Side most of the time. The thing I like is that there is less traffic and more space than on the West Side (which is admittingly paved better). Annoying that it 'breaks' at 36th up through the 60's.

Though could really pave near the East River Park - really rough.

[FixdGearHead]

Yeah - I actually rarely ride on the Westide pathway (unless I'm riding into work)...it's way too crowded for a ride....but, in terms of overall traffic and ease of getting off the island, hands down Upper West Side is best (in my biased, humble opinion of course).

Bklyn: Yeah, I'd recommend the East side mup...especially during certain parts of the day/week when street traffic in Midtown/Lower Manhattan is a b*tch. Coming down from 35th St to Manhattan Br, my only complaint was the stretches of crappy pavement, which weren't all that bad - just don't like subjecting my road rims to it vs my beater fixd gear.