Northeast - NYC Road condition

Basically, what the title says. What do you guys think of the road condition at the moment? Is it ridable? I'm itching to ride tomorrow. Specifically, what I want to know is, what is the current condition in Prospect park, Central park, on the Manhattan bridge, and the bike path on the West Side High way? Also, do you guys think the condition is good enough for a road bike?

In general, the roads have definitely been damaged by this winter, but certainly not enough to be unrideable.

Every day the temperature rises above freezing the roads get a little better.

Last Saturday when I ran the greenway below Houston Street there were frozen snow drifts three to four feet high on either side. Not only do they decrease the width of the greenway but they also tend to diminish visibility particularly around turns and detours. It was above 40 degrees that day so it was sloppy. It can get quite messy if you don't have fenders. Also some of that melted snow will refreeze overnight so if you decide to ride, particularly in the morning or late at night, do so with caution.

Rode the West Side greenway from 66th to the GWB on Monday. It was sloppy, and narrowed by slush in spots and lots of puddles. One very messy ride. When I went to take a sip from my water bottle it tasted of road salt. Should be better this weekend as it gets into the 40's though I still expect things to be sloppy from the amount of snow that still needs to melt. FWIW driving (not riding) Riverside Drive, it is a mass of potholes.

Rode the West Side greenway from 66th to the GWB on Monday. It was sloppy, and narrowed by slush in spots and lots of puddles. One very messy ride. When I went to take a sip from my water bottle it tasted of road salt. Should be better this weekend as it gets into the 40's though I still expect things to be sloppy from the amount of snow that still needs to melt. FWIW driving (not riding) Riverside Drive, it is a mass of potholes.

What about before 66th street, is it any good? Mind telling me what type of bike you were using?

Got on and off at 66th with my road bike. Things were worst slush wise north of 135th St. Large puddles almost everywhere

Hope things gets better by tomorrow or Sunday morning. My friend couldn't join me for my ride because his family misplaced his helmet, lol. I'm just going to go to Prospect park instead and see how that goes.

Prospect Park is fine. The roads in the surrounding area are still a little narrow at places, and every once in a while, you'll have to cross a pile of snow from someone digging their car out - nothing for knobbies, but enough to warrant caution with road tires.

Yeah, did do some riding there today. It's really clean inside the park, but getting there is a bit annoying because of black ice and snow on the streets, but not unridable.

The paths in Queens still have snow on them today.

Just returned from a short ride across the GWB to Englwood Cliffs. There are still patches of ice on Riverside and some very large potholes. Bike lanes on Ft Washington Ave are still full of ice and debris. The GWB path was clear, but there's ice on the sidewalks on either side of the bridge. Hudson Terrace is pretty good all the way to Palisades Ave, an occasional pothole and some ice on the sides. But the damn wind sure made for a chilly ride this morning.

Yeah, rode in the morning there too. Around 9'ish 10, the ride was good, but then after that, the weather became unbearable because of the wind and lack of sun. Heck my bike was being blown away(some exaggeration here) because of the wind. I had to constantly lean against the wind. This is when we decided to just take the train instead of riding back. I started from Canal and rode all the way to 155th street(in terms of the west side highway bike path, actually started from Sunset Park brooklyn). That's where my friend slip on a piece of ice and busted his knee(this was just outside the bike path), which caused us to head back home. I do have to say that the bike path is pretty clean.

I rode last Sunday and it was fine. The usual wet bicycle paths due to the melting snow but it was a great ride. Went I got home, I washed all the sand and grit off the whole bicycle. Maybe cos I haven't riden since December................I'm hoping to ride this morning after my coffee..........

Rodes this morning were about the same as yesterday at 8am. Got on 92 for a bit, Some black ice in spots on the shoulder but pretty clear. I heard that River Road is now clear, though I'd be wary of ice in the early part of the day

I've been commuting on Manhattan pretty much every work day, 20" folding bike, from Penn Station up to 69th or 72nd, using the Central Park paths where appropriate. The worst problem --the only problem-- I've encountered is that people continue to shovel snow out into the roads, where it turns to slush. There's also a fair amount of dirt on the roads. So while conditions are not ideal by any means, there are comparatively few other bikes out there (I've seen one guy on a road bike in Central Park, so far, this year) which means you have plenty of room to maneuver. All in all, it's fine. Where I've been.

So while conditions are not ideal by any means, there are comparatively few other bikes out there (I've seen one guy on a road bike in Central Park, so far, this year) which means you have plenty of room to maneuver. All in all, it's fine. Where I've been.

Probably because they've been ticketing for running red lights in Central Park.

Probably because they've been ticketing for running red lights in Central Park.
I'd heard that they might start doing this - are they really?

I did ride the greenway up to 57th st.............. Central park was nice! Came down 7th Ave. ............Took some photos around 25th st...............rode down 9th ave...........nice bicycle lane.............cop turned from road while his light was red and mine was green............I should have gave him a ticket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Watch out wherever you ride...Going to wash my bicycle down now............

i did ride the greenway up to 57th st.............. Central park was nice! Came down 7th ave. ............took some photos around 25th st...............rode down 9th ave...........nice bicycle lane.............cop turned from road while his light was red and mine was green............i should have gave him a ticket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Watch out wherever you ride...going to wash my bicycle down now............

:lol:

Rideable, but yeah, they took a lot of damage from plows so you really need to pay attention. In particular after dark. Foot deep potholes are not uncommon :(

Yeah, NYPD and DOT are starting the campaign to get cyclists to follow traffic laws a bit more. Which is overdue IMHO.

Yeah, NYPD and DOT are starting the campaign to get cyclists to follow traffic laws a bit more. Which is overdue IMHO.

Good to know. Should be interesting, though! I mean, both NYPD and MTA are somewhat better at obeying traffic laws than your average bicyclist, but not by a wide margin.

Well everything's melting big time. The west side greenway was a sloppy mess this afternoon. I had planned on crossing the bridge to ride River Road, but the wind coming up from the river almost brought me to a standstill. I rode north to the bridge no problem, but the return trip south was like riding uphill with a steady 25-30mph headwind. No way was I going to cross the bridge. The way the wind was blowing out of the west it would have been the perfect day for a ride to Montaulk. It's supposed to get cold again tonight, so I'd be wary of the surface water freezing.

Anyone know the condition of the West Side trail from 52nd St to Dyckman now that it's been warm for a couple of days? And/or conditions in Inwood Park?

Anyone know the condition of the West Side trail from 52nd St to Dyckman now that it's been warm for a couple of days? And/or conditions in Inwood Park?

From 66th to the footbridge across the highway it's pretty clear, but lots of wet surface from the continuing melt. Don't know what its like north of there to Dykeman. I've been riding across the GWB to river road, taking the greenway to avoid the potholes on Riverside

As of 1 hour ago the West Side greenway from 96th st to Stuvyesant high school was pretty clear but a little wet in some areas(from melting snow), still nothing I would consider a puddle. Very nice and relaxing ride with 0 wind. OH and IF YOU RIDE AT NIGHT USE A LIGHT! I saw no less than 10 cyclists without one. God help you if you crash into me.

Oh I forgot to add, they are giving $270 tickets for running red lights in Central Park to cyclists, not automobiles.

I rode from Dyckman St to 52nd on the West Side greenway today and it was clear and very rideable, though if you don't have fenders you'll get a wet butt. Virtually no snow on the trail, and lots of bikers. For those who care, the Henry Hudson bridge sidwalk was closed (gated off and inaccessible) today, I don't know why. I took the picturesque Broadway Bridge.

It was broad daylight when I rode, but I'm still very glad I didn't crash into noobpone.

Probably because of the high winds.


For those who care, the Henry Hudson bridge sidwalk was closed (gated off and inaccessible) today, I don't know why. I took the picturesque Broadway Bridge.

It was broad daylight when I rode, but I'm still very glad I didn't crash into noobpone.