Dahon.Steve

There are no direct crossing from Hudson County to Newark. The Goethals bridge used to be an option but they closed the walkway several years ago. The only way to bike to Newark would be crossing the Hendricks Causway in Ridgefield. This used to be a Trolley route 100 years ago and it's very safe. I use the sidewalk on on the Bergen Turnpike section because the cars go through there like theres no tomorrow!

The only problem with that route is that it's going to add another 20-30 miles to reach Newark! Also, going west is fine because there is a massive drop when going to Newark but it would be impossible to climb that hill going back to the city.

I really can't wait to the day they open the new Goethals bridge.

Ferdinand NYC

I just noticed that the East Coast Greenway has this route for the entry to Newark:

https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=...NJ.kml&ie=UTF8

Notice that it takes you on the south side of the Kearny-to-Newark bridge onto Doremus Ave., rather than on the north side, as we have been discussing here.

But, more significantly, it says that there is a sidewalk route from Doremus to the start of Raymond Blvd., amidst all the entry and exit ramps of the Turnpike and 1/9.

Has anyone ever tried this?

noglider 

Ferdinand, that's the route my wife and I took on the 4th of July in 2012. There is supposed to be a bike lane along that whole route, but we ended up having to mix in with the trucks. It takes good nerves to do this. It was also a very hot day.

zacster

What's the matter with you guys, why don't you just ride the Skyway?

Just kidding. Although, with a new skyway in the works, maybe an added pedestrian/bike lane wouldn't be a bad idea.

Dahon.Steve

I've seen that route and there are just too many ramps where cars will be flying through. The sidewalk ends and you must take the ramp. No way! Trust me, it's safter to ride on Doremus Avenue because at least you have the shoulder for protection. I don't see much savings unless you wanted to ride over to Kearny.

Dahon.Steve

I was thinking that the other day about how much fun it would be. I could probably hit 40 mph going downhill into Jersey City. I would pay $300.00 dollars right now to be able to bike the Skyway. Seriously!

Dahon.Steve

By the way, sand is collecting alot on the sidewalk going west. It is a problem so I'm using the east bound path because it has less sand overall. It seems they destroyed the stairs for some strange reason. I'm really upset about this!

zacster

They close the BQE/Gowanus for the 5bbt, why not the Skyway for a similar event?

indyfabz

The west side was sandy when I rode last year. Nearly fell a couple of times, and my GF sucked up a plastic bag into her RD. We'll be riding New Hope to to Brooklyn again the Sunday before Labor Day. We'll stick to the road like we have done in the past.

Perhaps the dirt stairs were destroyed by Sandy or some other rain event.

Dahon.Steve

All you have to do is dismount and walk about 20 feet where the sand is located. There's no need to ride on that road at all. A couple of months ago, I saw a young man ride his bike on that road! He was not going fast at all and let me tell you, I stopped in my tracks and watched as cars were going around him, doing their best not to kill the poor guy! When a truck passed him at 40 mph, I had to watch because it really looked like he was going to be killed. I didn't stop watching him until the guy was out of sight.

Bottom line. There should be no shame in walking the sandy areas. In fact, I think there are only two such locations. Better to be safe.

indyfabz

We ride on the Sunday before Labor Day. I have done so nearly every year since '97. Traffic is light. Everyone has lived to tell about. Prior to we ride Corbin and Doremus. The port is empty that day.

zacster

Don't try any rides through there this weekend. The Pulaski Skyway will be closed, creating a traffic nightmare everywhere else. Maybe as an alternative you'll get your chance to ride the skyway!!

indyfabz

I am hoping you meant the weekend that just passed and not Labor Day weekend. I ride up there once a year--for this event only.

zacster

It was this past weekend.

zowie

Why not use Rt 7? There is a hairy 1/4 mile where it crosses into Jersey City, but the rest is eminently rideable.

Ferdinand NYC

Please explain this in some more detail.

How do you get on Rt. 7 in Jersey City? From Duffield Ave? What do you do in Kearny? Do you break off onto Belleville Tpke? On the map and in the pictures this all seems like highway hell. But if I understood the precise route better, maybe I'd give it a shot.

zowie

I only went Newark > Jersey City. Once you cross into Jersey City, you bear right onto 644. I'm not sure how or if you can do it going the other way. Rt 7 is called Belleville Turnpike in Kearny. West of the swamps you have a lot of streets you can ride south on into central of Newark, especially if you cross into Belleville first.

Most of Belleville Turnpike has a big shoulder, if some rough payment, and can be a fun. You've just got to be brave to deal with the quarter or half mile or so right before Jersey City: some well-shouldered but highway-like conditions as you approach the bridge into Jersey City and then no shoulder on the bridge itself. (The crazy thing is that the bridge has a walkway over the span but it's blocked by the guard rail.)

Dahon.Steve

You are right but it's more like a full 1 mile where the shoulder vanishes. I'm sorry but I still prefer US 1-9 truck any day of the week. However Route 7 used to be a trolly road that was safe at one time. Not anymore.

What's so ideal about Route 7 is that it connects with the Bevllle Turnpike leaving you all the way to North Arlington! However, this is a truck route folks and only the slow drivers are doing 50 mph!

Dahon.Steve

I checked the status of the earthen stairs and they were destroyed. A wooden banister that was constructed was also removed. I don't know why the stairs were destroyed but I guess this forum had something to do with it. I still go down the dirt hill but very very slowly. It's sad they spent so much money constructing the greenway but they forgot to add stairs on the last bridge. Incredible.

Ferdinand NYC

I am sorry to learn that the stairs and the wooden handrail have been destroyed. This weak link in the bike accessibility of that area is definitely very annoying.

But I am not sure that I am understanding you right; why are you saying that the destruction of these things has something to do with this forum?

indyfabz

My money is on the intense rain events we have experienced. Occam's Razor. Erosion is a hell of a thing.

Dahon.Steve

I'm fairly certain the handrail was removed once a number of people discovered people were using it to exit. I find getting back on the road using the ramp to be very dangerous. It's a blind corner and the cars and trucks are doing 35 miles per hour or more. If the weather destroyed the stairs, they would be on the ground but there is nothing there. Those stairs were destroyed by a machine and not the weather.

indyfabz

O.k. I am lost. You wrote that the earthen stairs were destroyed. I once used those stairs. I remember then as nothing more than stairs "carved" into the hill. How would they be "on the ground" if they were washed away. Seems like the dirt would be washed away/dispersed. Or maybe you are referring to a different set of stairs.

Dahon.Steve

They were not washed away. A tractor leveled the stairs and you can see where a machine put a crack in the stairs on purpose to make it unusable. Regardless, I'm going to continue to complain about these stairs.

elsquid

I just did this today, and it was great. Took the north (westbound) sidewalks all the way across both rivers in both directions. There were some challenges, but nothing my hardtail MTB with hybrid tires couldn't handle; I never even put a foot down.

The easterly bridge sidewalk had some overgrown bushes impinging on it, but I just pushed through it. There were no hard branches or thorns or stickers, just leaves that gave when I pushed through. Coming up the surface sidewalk approaching the westerly bridge, I started to run into sand, large gravel, and some trash. This got worse after I got inside the rather narrow space between the railings on the bridge proper, and more vegetation impinged. For about 50 feet I would say that very skinny slick tires would have some issue; they still might make it through but one might have to walk a road bike for a minute or so. Then it cleared right up, and the majority of the sidewalk on the westerly bridge proper was nice and clear. The former stairway is still a ruin, so I exited by just riding down the ramp with traffic. It was fine and shot me right onto Doremus.

Took the industrial roads into the Ironbound: Doremus, Roanoake, Foundry, P, Roanoake, Hawkins(?) Rome. Watched soccer and drank sangria and ate great food outside at Catas on Market Street. Rode home the same way, portaged up the ruined stairway (actually rolled the bike up the flat dirt next to it). Returned to JC watching the sunset color 1 WTC orange and then red. Great day!