I'm looking for a nice, minimal traffic route fo a metric century on long island, NY. Anybody know of any good ones? Please help. Thanks.

Without additional info., such as: Are you on LI now ?, are you looking for something local ?, are you planning to drive/bike to a "start" location".

Without that kind of info. the best I can offer is the LIE service road from Little Neck Parkway to however far east you want to go. It's 16.5 miles from LNP, to Round Swamp Road at the Nassau/Suffolk border, then an additional 24 out to exit 63. N Ocean Ave.

There's a bit of side road detouring around Syosett, where the LIE meets the Seaford OBY Expressway, as well as the Wicks Rd/Crooked Hill/Suffolk Community College detour around the Sagtikos Prkwy.

I have detailed route descriptions w/ mileage for both Nassau and Suffolk LIE service road sections if you want.

Another idea is to check out the Bike LI website - http://www.bicyclelongisland.org/
Search around the assorted club sites, they all have cue sheets.

SB

Without additional info., such as: Are you on LI now ?, are you looking for something local ?, are you planning to drive/bike to a "start" location".

Without that kind of info. the best I can offer is the LIE service road from Little Neck Parkway to however far east you want to go. It's 16.5 miles from LNP, to Round Swamp Road at the Nassau/Suffolk border, then an additional 24 out to exit 63. N Ocean Ave.

There's a bit of side road detouring around Syosett, where the LIE meets the Seaford OBY Expressway, as well as the Wicks Rd/Crooked Hill/Suffolk Community College detour around the Sagtikos Prkwy.

I have detailed route descriptions w/ mileage for both Nassau and Suffolk LIE service road sections if you want.

Another idea is to check out the Bike LI website - http://www.bicyclelongisland.org/
Search around the assorted club sites, they all have cue sheets.

SB

Steve:

I'd love those route descriptions forthe LIE service road if you don't mind. I actually got lost there once trying to ride out to Farmingdale.

Long Island Expressway Service Road (LIE) - Nassau County

The starting location in the west is at Little Neck Parkway, the Nassau County portion ends at Round Swamp Road at the Nassau/Suffolk county(s) border.

There is one major detour near the intersection of Woodbury Rd. at the Seaford- Oyster Bay Expressway (hereafter being referred to as the S.O.B.). Care should be taken here to follow the route description, note also that for westbound users, the route is different then for eastbound users.

This is in standard cue sheet format with the first column containing the direction (X = Cross, L = left, etc..).

R = Right EL = go to END then Left
L = Left BR = Bear Right – Left etc..
S = Straight QL = Quick Left – Right etc..
X = Cross

Direction - Map Marker – Distance – Road


Start 0 Little Neck Parkway

X .95 Lakeville Rd.

X 1.2 Community Drive

X 2.0 New Hyde Park Rd.

X 3.0 Shelter Rock Rd.

X 3.7 Searingtown Rd.

X 4.5 Willis Ave.

X 5.0 Roslyn Rd.

X 5.2 Locust Lane

X 5.8 Glen Cove Rd. (Guinea Woods Rd.)

X 6.3 Red Ground Lane (to left)

X 6.7 Weatley Rd. (to left)

X 6.9 Old Westbury Rd.
X 7.75 Post Ave.

X 8.1 Steele Hill Rd.

X 8.5 Powell Lane

X 9.6 Jericho Turnpike

X 10.8 Broadway - Routes 106 &107

X 12.2 Robbins Lane
* Note that Robbins Lane is only accessible to westbound users.

X 12.7 So. Oyster Bay Rd.

EL 13.5 Woodbury Rd.

X 13.5 Under S.O.B.

X 13.6 Under L.I.E.

X 13.6 Mannetto Hill Rd. (on right)

R 13.7 Sunnyside Blvd.
* Westbound users see note below

BR 14.7 Sunnyside heads south

X 14.8 Northern Parkway

L 15.0 LIE Service Rd.

End 16.5 Round Swamp Rd.

* Note for westbound users: The westbound detour at Woodbury Rd. / Sunnyside Blvd.

When heading west from Round Swamp Rd. and wishing to continue west on the LIE service road, when the service road ends at Sunnyside Blvd., make a right onto Sunnyside, go up hill, crossing the Northern Parkway and bear left down hill to end (of Sunnyside Blvd.). Make a left onto Woodbury Rd., then just before the LIE overpass, make a right onto Angel Way. Take Angel to the end (.5 miles) and proceed left under the SOB overpass, loop around to the south and stay straight, now heading west on the LIE Service Rd.

 2002, Stephen Bailey

Long Island Expressway Service Road (LIE) – Suffolk County

This is the eastern half of the Long Island Expressway Service Road, from Round Swamp Road at the Nassau/Suffolk county line to Exit 63 - Ocean Ave., which is as far as the service road is currently completed as of the summer of 2003

It is complete in its entirety, and is a route with no turns except recommended detours around the Sagtikos Parkway / LIE interchange. A comment however, that the section at mile 21.9 - Nicolls Rd. / County Rd. 97 is a very busy and hazardous interchange (see below), thus riders using this portion of the LIE as a loop may want to turn back before reaching this point

This is in standard cue sheet format with the first column containing the direction (X = Cross, L = left, etc..).

R = Right EL = go to END then Left
L = Left BR = Bear Right – Left etc..
S = Straight QL = Quick Left – Right etc..
X = Cross


Start 0 Round Swamp Road

X 1.1 Whitman Road

X 1.4 Rt. 110

X 2.0 Pinelawn Rd.

X 2.7 Half Hollow Hills Rd.

X 4.0 Bagatelle Rd.

X 5.0 Half Hollow Hills Rd.

X 5.6 Deer Park Ave.

X 6.9 Carls Straight Path

X 8.2 Commack Rd.
(To bypass the service road interchange with the Parkway, proceed straight to Crooked Hill and follow the cue sheet)

ER 8.6 Crooked Hill Rd. (south)

X 9.3 Sagtikos Parkway

L 9.6 College Rd.
(The 2nd light past the Sagtikos. Do not enter into college parking lot, continue on to College Rd. - it's marked as such)

EL 10.2 Wicks Rd.

R 10.8 Service Rd.

X 11.9 Washington Ave.

X 12.6 (Vanderbuilt) Motor Parkway

X 13.4 Rt. 111

X 14.7 Vanderbuilt Motor Parkway

X 15.2 Veterans Hwy.

X 16.3 Old Nicolls Rd.

X 17.1 Terry Rd.

X 18.4 Ocean Ave.

X 18.7 Pond Rd.

X 19.2 Ronkonkhoma Rd.

X 19.4 Hawkins Ave.

X 20.7 County Rd. 19 (no signeage)

X 20.9 Holbrook Rd.

Caution at mile 21.6 - stay to left and take the middle lane at sign indicating right lane for Morris Ave.


X 21.9 County Rd. 97 - Nicolls Rd.
Care must be taken at this interchange as it's a limited access style interchange with high speed traffic exiting and entering the service road.

X 22.4 Waverly Ave.

X 23.2 Blue Point Rd.

END 24.0 Ocean Ave.

Note for westbound users - Detour information around the Service RD. and Sagtikos Parkway interchange. This route uses Vanderbuilt Motor Parkway and Commack Rd. to avoid the dangerous (for bicycles) interchange at the Sagtikos/Service Rd. The alternative to the Vanderbuilt detour is to go left on Wicks, then re-trace the eastbound detour on College Rd. and Crooked Hill Rd. Distance is approx. the same.

At mile 13.2 West from Ocean Ave., take Exit Only for Wicks Rd.

EL 13.3 Motor Parkway

X 13.4 Wicks Rd. (on left)
Moreland Rd. (on right)

X 14.8 Sagtikos Parkway

L 15.2 Commack Rd.
Connection here straight on Vanderbuilt Parkway West

R 16.0 Service Rd. West

Copyright 2002, Stephen Bailey

Steve, thanks a ton.

I grew up off Mannetto Hill Rd. Isn't there a traffic light at every one of those road crossings on the service road? I can't imagine riding having to stop at a light every mile or less. There has to be a route that has less traffic and lights somewhere on LI. I've been away too long to think of one though.

Various cue sheets for Suffolk.

http://www.sbraweb.org/cue-sheets/

Certainly areas of Suffolk, especially the Calverton/Manorville area, as well as either the north or south forks have longer stretches with fewer lights.

But without knowing where Scorer75 lives and/or wants to ride, this seemed the best suggestion as a straight ride with few turns - @ 62 miles.

That's the key, sticking to roads where you won't get lost if you don't know the area and don't want to carry a cue sheet AND map. At that point you're stopping to get oriented as much as you would be riding in Queens and waiting for lights !.

FWIW, the LIE service road is generally not that bad in terms of lights, as not all intersections have lights, you don't get stopped at every one of them, plus there are long'ish (For Nassau and western Suffolk) sections with no intersections. This is one reason there are hundreds of cyclists out here on the weekends.

SB

I grew up off Mannetto Hill Rd. Isn't there a traffic light at every one of those road crossings on the service road? I can't imagine riding having to stop at a light every mile or less. There has to be a route that has less traffic and lights somewhere on LI. I've been away too long to think of one though.

I've done the Nassau portion before but asked for the cue sheet because I've gotten lost doing it.

The lights are no big deal. You make quite a few of them and the one's you don't make, you see far enough in advance so you can adjust your speed and make it to the intersection when the light has changed.

In my experience, on a quite Sunday morning, there is no nicer ride in the area.

Here's 2 Google map links:

LIE - Nassau

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=101514891686191291584.000435b22823372aa126f&ll=40.783592,-73.584473&spn=0.157794,0.289078&z=12&om=1


LIE - Suffolk

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&ll=40.81212,-73.288035&spn=0.019716,0.036135&z=15&om=1&msid=101514891686191291584.000435b8d27178b6bd572

SB

Kudos to all for overcoming some of these anti LIE hysterics you hear around of the local clubs.
I'd suggest a couple of loops to add some variety:
1. starting at Round Swamp Road, exit 48:
L. Round Swamp Road
BR becomes Old Country Road
x Route 110
BL Foxhurst Rd
R. Dix Hills Rd.
L. Caledonia Rd.
X Deer Park Rd.
BEC Hunting Hill Rd.
R DeForest Rd.
X Vanderbilt Pkwy
BEC Carll's Straight Path
R. L.I.E. Service Road
go home

2. Starting at Long Island Motor Pkwy, where you have ridden east to exit 55 (also gets you around lack of service road in this area)
L. L.I. Motor Pkwy
BEC Vanderbilt Pkwy
R. Half Hollow Rd.
R. L.I.E. Servie Road
go home

Spend some time with a Hagstrom Atlas, you can find numerous scenic loops to add in the area east of exit 50 that will add variety on relatively quiet roads.

BR becomes Old Country Road
x Route 110
BL Foxhurst Rd
R. Dix Hills Rd.
L. Caledonia Rd.
X Deer Park Rd.
BEC Hunting Hill Rd.
R DeForest Rd.
X Vanderbilt Pkwy
BEC Carll's Straight Path
R. L.I.E. Service Road

So someone else knows the area. Not surprising as this is the stomping grounds of the MPBC, the HBC and LIBC.

The route DSchlichting describes is actually a favorite I do in in reverse.

For those in the know, Vanderbuilt Motor Parkway, between Commack Rd. in the east and Half Hollow Hills Rd. in the west, is a great road for some hill work, especially heading west, with a set of non-stop rollers.

A good loop can be found using Old Cntry east to Jericho, go right up 25 to a left at Warmer, then a right at the end onto Ellwood, then L on Eldorado, cross Rt 25 onto Daly to a right on Commack Rd. then another right in a 1/2 mile gets you on to the start of the Vanderbuilt hill sections.

FYI, Old Cntry to Manor Hill, to any of the loops using Clay Pitts, Burr Lane, Cuba Hill or Little Plains and Town Line or Ellwood yields some nice flat sections which can then be mixed in with the Dix Hills area. Endless stuff out here, including routes down to Kings Park using Townline, Bread and Cheese, Sunken Meadow, Dock Lane, Old Commack Rd, Scholar Lane, etc...

The following site lets you measure out distances (It's easier to use then Google Maps) - http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

SB