bagel007

How can I access GWB from the New Jersey side? Where to park?

I undestand that the access is from the Hudson Terrace in Fort Lee. Is it possible to park in the Fort Lee Historic park and ride from there to the bridge?

Thanks in advance!

cc_rider

As long as the Historic Park is open you can leave your car there. I've done it a couple of times, using their rest rooms to change into my bike gear.
You can also park along Hudson Terrace, just north of the bridge.

Hudson Terrace passes under the bridge, and there is access to the north and south paths. Take the south if it's open. The north path has lots of steps.

KitN

Funny, I rode all the way up to the GBW (on the Manhattan side), rode around the block 4 times and still couldn't find the entrance.

Does anyone know how to get on the GWB from the MANHATTAN side too?

Thanks.

Tubby

If you're going up Fort Washington, left onto 177th, right onto cabrini. The entrance to the ramp is on the left up the sidewalk at the end of the block.

Johannes

there are two walkways across the bridge. one on the north side mostly open during weekdays (it has stairs and is a pain) and one on the south side which is open usually on friday, saturday, and sunday. this changes based on the constellation of the stars it seems. no idea why that is.

you can check ahead which one is open here:
https://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTrave...#gwb_sidewalks

i'm not sure about parking (i bike over from brooklyn. no car needed). i see a lot of people unload their bikes and leaving their cars behind along the east side of hudson terrace.

these are the entrances:

bagel007

Thanks!

Are there any steps accessing the south path???

Johannes

no steps on the south path

roadiejorge 

There are no steps when accessing the south path either on the NJ or NY side, however the south path is closed on weekdays until July but it is open on the weekends.

bagel007

Is it here (just before the I-95 overpass) where I have to make a right turn to access the south path?

(I'm not sure how well marked is the south path access for peds and cyclists from Hudson Terrace....)

roadiejorge 

The North path access point is on 179th so if you're coming up Ft Washington make a left on 179th onto Cabrini Blvd and you'll see the steps to access the path, there are a few flights to go up to the walkway on the ramp then more to get on the actual bridge walkway. The more dangerous option is to get on the vehicular on ramp (bearing right on the wide shoulder of course) and getting on to the ramp walkway to spare yourself the first batch of stairs.

The south path access point is off 178th and Cabrini Blvd and just has a ramp with a hairpin turn. This is always the best option but as I mentioned in the previous post, it is closed on weekdays until July.

roadiejorge 

Yep that's it and the north access point is just a bit further north from that point. The bridge is the best marker for where to look for the paths, fortunately it's pretty easy for this one.

bagel007

If I'm not mistaken, just a bit over 1/2 mile ride from the Fort Lee Historic Park -- and I'm on the GWB:

https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2910326

Now, the question is -- how to get back? As I see it (google maps) the street that connects Hudson Terrace to the south path is one-way street. Or isn't? It's hard to see, as the google "street view" snapshot was taken in the GWB direction with the sun blinding the camera view.

dendawg

Parking on Hudson Terrace shouldn't be a problem on weekends, but check the parking regulations on weekdays.

roadiejorge 

It isn't a street but an access path for authorized vehicles so there's no active traffic on it; riding back to the park you can ride on the sidewalk until you get to the park's entrance.

bagel007

Now that I'm pretty sure I understand how to get to the GWB south path and back from the NJ side (many thanks, roadiejorge!), it's still not clear to me where is the ramp to the south path from the Manhattan side.

Here is the google street view of 178 Street and Cabrini and I cannot see any access ramp to the bridge.

bagel007

Oh, one more question (I cannot promise it's going to be the last one though ) -- once on the GWB south path, how do I get to the Hudson River Greenway in Manhattan?

TIA!

Trueblood

straight ahead on that google street view - ride on the sidewalk on the left past the two orange signs and then there is a path to the left that switches back and takes you up on to the bridge. You can get to the greenway at the foot of 181st street, don't know if there is closer access.

roadiejorge 

When you're on 178th and Cabrini Blvd on your left you'll see a sidewalk so make that left on the sidewalk and it will lead you right to the south walkway.

The closest access point for the Greenway is on 181st and Riverside Drive; to get there turn left on Ft Washington from 178th and go straight until 181st (there will be a Starbucks on the corner) where you'll make a left. Ride down the hill until you get to the wall (Riverside Dr) and make a right where you'll see a bridge that will take you to the Greenway.

Tubby

Just go ride. You'll figure it out. If you get lost follow the other spandex-clad cyclists.

Stacy

Odd thing is, I've done the GWB more times than I can count, and it seems quite obvious when I'm there, but I can't make any sense of these Google Street views.

Here are a couple of diagrams from the NYC Cycling map.



Or you could just do it the low-tech old fashion way and just follow the cyclists. There are usually plenty of them crossing the bridge in both directions.

Stacy

Access to the Greenway is at W 181 st. Just go as far west as you can on 181, turn left, and take the pedestrian bridge over the Henry Hudson Parkway. That'll put you southbound on the Greenway. Watch out for the steep downhill just beyond the bollards

bagel007

Thanks, Stacy! The first diagram clearly shows the access ramp (the green-colored loop) that I was looking for in all the google maps.

It's strange that even the google-maps satelite view is not showing the access ramp.

bagel007

Thanks!

Then I believe this is the route:
https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2911341

dendawg

Pretty close. You'll need to make a right on Riverside, and at the end of a short block a left onto a pedestrian footbridge that crosses the parkway. When you come off that footbridge you'll be on the greenway. You can continue south for about 12 miles to Battery Park, or north for a mile to Dyckman St.

bagel007

Here we go -- the "final touch":

https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2911609

Thanks!