hanktrefethen

Anybody commuting to Manhattan from Mt Vernon or anywhere else in westchester?

I'm thinking about getting a place in Mt Vernon. Is it reasonable to make that commute in an hour or less?

shubonker

You've got plenty of bike lane and route choices it would appear and depending on where you have to go in the city, its about 14 miles each way. I say its very possible.

rumrunn6

that's 14 miles full of metro hazards. I do 13 miles through our suburbs with very little metro hazards. where metro hazards are parked cars where some will open doors or pull out unexpectedly. also lots of traffic intersections to deal with. be careful and wear hi-viz stuff and use bright strobes - but still that's a lot of miles of metro hazards. are there still any elevated trains?

AdamDZ

I'm not 100% sure but you'll be passing some not-so-safe hoods along the way through northern parts of Manhattan and possibly Bronx, so depending on the time of the day it might be unpleasant. That's the only thing I can think of. Other than that it shouldn't be a big deal. If you have a car or can get a friend to drive, scout the route before attempting to ride a bike.

Adam

QNSplanner

I have taken trips up to this neck of the woods using Bronx River Road, E. 233 St, Jerome Ave, Gun Hill Rd, Sedgewick Ave, Van Cort Park South, and Broadway (via Broadway Bridge in Inwood). No "not-so-safe hoods" to speak of. "Metro hazards," otoh, are par for the course. A total commute time of under one hour is possible but you would have to ride pretty aggressively.

rumrunn6

yeah, like Joey in New Orleans!

AdamDZ

Yeah, if you want to commute between NYC Boroughs, or even within one, the metro hazards are an avoidable part of it.

Adam

rumrunn6

when I was a kid I used to ride my stingray from Yonkers to the Bronx Zoo along the Bronx River on a bike path. it was a nice safe ride. I even walked it a few times

AdamDZ

I've been told that the So County Trailway doesn't get plowed all too often in Winter so don't count on that too much.

It looks like I will need to move in couple of years too and I'm considering Westchester too. So it's still within reasonable bike commute but far enough from NYC so I don't have to ride or drive over bunch of crowded bridges to get away on weekends.

Adam

hanktrefethen

thanks for all the responses. I'll have to ride the route one of these days to see what it's like.

I do ride fairly aggressively and find myself being more comfortable in traffic than a street where one or two cars pass every few minutes at 50+mph. Can't tell you how many times I've been nearly missed by a vehicle only to look up and see the driver's silhouette including a cell phone stuck to their ear. ARRGH!!

Metro hazards are metro hazards, and yeah, they are par for the course.

AdamDZ

Please post an update after you do the ride.

A.

hanktrefethen

will do

rumrunn6

anybody know anything about the paved trail I saw along the Saw Mill Parkway heading North from Yonkers? it seemed to go on forever but had lots of trees down. man if that trail was clean it would be one sweet long ride!

hanktrefethen

UPDATE**

I ended up getting a a place in Woodside (Queens) and may not make the trek from Westchester to midtown any time soon. I've been commuting to work for a little over a month(first month from Williamsburg) and it seems that a 5 mile ride takes me about 25min and the 4 mi ride from Woodside is about 20 min. If I hit hit green/yellow/orange or empty red lit intersections I can make better time, but I think the biggest time suck are the red lights.

Riding in Manhattan is a blast, makes up for being so far from singletrack. I feel about 1000x's safer in Manhattan than I ever did in Atlanta, Salt Lake, Cleveland. Given the time of year it seems like there are almost as many bikes as there are cars on the road. What that translates to me is a higher consciousness regarding bikes and safer streets.

my two cents

If /when I make the journey up to Westchester, I'll update again.

arbythree

Hello, all. Long-time reader, first-time poster. Recent SF to NY transplant commuting from New Rochelle to lower Manhattan a few times a week, and hoping to resurrect this thread.

Can anyone here speak to the relative safety of the West Side path and Old Putnam through Van Cortland during the darker months? Assuming adequate lighting, it should be technically simple. Just worried about bogeymen, especially on Old Put. And I think I read about bad guys jacking bikers near Riverside a while back.

If it's not safe, anyone have a good alternate?

Thoughts? Thanks!

1nterceptor

West side path/Hudson greenway - used to work 4pm-12am; so I've gone this way many times at night.
Lighting is not the best; but never felt in danger for the most part. Lots of folks in warmer months even
at night; gets desolate in colder months/rainy days. Another issue is the delay in clearing up after a snowstorm:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Paku...IoDLA&index=86

Van Cortland park - some paths are dirt; a bit tricky after a rainstorm. Can't comment on safety; not my usual way.
No lighting at night on most parts I think.

Van Cortland Park, da Bronx by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

greg3rd48 

@1nterceptor The path in Van Cortlandt has some puddles after a rain but it is ridable. At night you definitely need lighting because it is pitch black. However it is very safe and you really would never have any problems with anyone. I ride it all the time heading from my neighborhood to the West Side Greenway.