Northeast - Best Route to NYBG from Manhattan's East Side?

Rode up to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx the other week, trying to follow the biking directions on Google Maps. Unfortunately the route they suggested did not quite work out-- the Willis Avenue Bridge is currently under construction and the side lanes are closed to pedestrians /bicycles. I didn't want to chance it in the car lane because of the metal grill surface, which I find hazardous even on my Honda. That left me with the Third Avenue Bridge, which was just as well as I eventually ended up on Melrose Avenue anyway, though I did have to carry my Fuji Del Rey down a flight of stairs. I think there is another walkway on the other side of the bridge, does anyone here know whether there are stairs there as well? Thanks for any tips or alternative routes.

I tried plugging the locations into my iPhone app, SpokesNYC which also suggested the Willis Avenue Bridge, to Melrose, to 168th, to Boston Post Rd. I think I've usually used the South side of the 138th Street Bridge to get to the Bronx and I've never encountered any stairs.

Have you tried Ride the City? (http://www.ridethecity.com) They offer three routes one of which uses the 138th Street (Madison Avenue) Bridge.

Thanks Stacy. I tried your link, but the result it returned using the 138th St Bridge entailed riding on the path on Manhattan's west side, which takes me about four miles out of my way. (I came back home that way via the B'Way Bridge and it was fun, but I'd prefer not to make a habit of it.) What I am mostly trying to avoid are the icky avenues in the Bronx that are full of commercial traffic and are not shaded by any trees. Next time I'll try the leg of Google's route through Crotona Park, I can still get there pretty easily from either the 138th Street or the Third Avenue Bridge, just have to track back east a bit.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4523440402_a71168889c.jpg

Will report back.

Thanks Stacy. I tried your link, but the result it returned using the 138th St Bridge entailed riding on the path on Manhattan's west side, which takes me about four miles out of my way. (I came back home that way via the B'Way Bridge and it was fun, but I'd prefer not to make a habit of it.) What I am mostly trying to avoid are the icky avenues in the Bronx that are full of commercial traffic and are not shaded by any trees. Next time I'll try the leg of Google's route through Crotona Park, I can still get there pretty easily from either the 138th Street or the Third Avenue Bridge, just have to track back east a bit.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4522763861_b281a4fdb3.jpg

Will report back.

What I am mostly trying to avoid are the icky avenues in the Bronx that are full of commercial traffic and are not shaded by any trees.

So essentially you want to get to the New York Botanical Gardens without riding through the Bronx?

Hmm... How about going over the Triboro Bridge bike paths? You can use that to get into the Bronx and onto St. Ann's Avenue, which can take you all the way to Fordham Road near the Zoo and NYBG.

So essentially you want to get to the New York Botanical Gardens without riding through the Bronx?

Hot diggity dog, that would be great! :p All kidding aside though, if you avoid central Bronx there is some nice riding up there. Returning from the NYBG via Mosholu Pkwy and Sedgwick Avenue makes for a swell trip, just that it ends up on Manhattan's west side.


Hmm... How about going over the Triboro Bridge bike paths? You can use that to get into the Bronx and onto St. Ann's Avenue, which can take you all the way to Fordham Road near the Zoo and NYBG.

That sounds like a good idea; in fact, it was among the alternative routes that Google displayed the other week, but they must have changed something because it is no longer showing up as an option. Guess if I take the Ward's Island Bridge then I can stay on the east side all the way up there. Then I'll return on the west, just so as to have made a complete loop. :)

Look at the NYC Transportation Alternatives site for NYC Bridge crossings

ed

Rode up to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx the other week, trying to follow the biking directions on Google Maps. Unfortunately the route they suggested did not quite work out-- the Willis Avenue Bridge is currently under construction and the side lanes are closed to pedestrians /bicycles. I didn't want to chance it in the car lane because of the metal grill surface, which I find hazardous even on my Honda. That left me with the Third Avenue Bridge, which was just as well as I eventually ended up on Melrose Avenue anyway, though I did have to carry my Fuji Del Rey down a flight of stairs. I think there is another walkway on the other side of the bridge, does anyone here know whether there are stairs there as well? Thanks for any tips or alternative routes.

I've found the Google Maps suggestions to be unreliable. I tried the route they suggested to Nyack last weekend and hated it; it was complicated, had lots of traffic, and it offered no improvements over the straight 9W route.

Try these two routes into the Bronx: http://www.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&num=200&start=21&msa=0&msid=101133561933783931258.00047392ee07233c577c8&ll=40.839528,-73.910866&spn=0.185193,0.445976&z=12 It's the Bronx leg of the 2009 TA NYC Century. I rode it and loved it. I was amazed at how bike-friendly the route through the Bronx was. Central Queens was harder!

Wow that is one circuitous route, NightHawkHat! Gotta try it when I have a lot of time for the ride, thanks.

Yeah the Google bike directions are still very beta, I'd be afraid to rely on them without verification.

Wow that is one circuitous route, NightHawkHat! Gotta try it when I have a lot of time for the ride, thanks.

Yeah the Google bike directions are still very beta, I'd be afraid to rely on them without verification.

It's a long loop, but I was thinking the right-hand side of it might fit your bill. You could bike across the bridge to Randall's and start that leg from the Triboro. If you skip the Sound View Park leg it's reasonably direct to the Botanical Gardens.

If you skip the Sound View Park leg it's reasonably direct to the Botanical Gardens.

That's what I was thinking. :)

manhattan is only 2 miles wide, whats the big deal about being on the westside of it?

I live in Alphabet Town on the Lower East Side. Taking the west side adds about six unlovely miles to the ride, and I generally spend about four hours traipsing around the grounds once I get there, so... the more direct the better.

Got there, via Ward's Island Bridge! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/38426223@N05/sets/72157623785852735/detail/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2762/4542626635_b9d65ffea8.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4542615679_c974acd458.jpg

Thanks for all your valuable suggestions, everybody. :D