GWB Bike ramps started
09-27-19, 07:43 AM
#26
Senior Member
I took a look on Friday at the progress. I can't say that too much has really happened. The north side ramp was busily under construction, not fully connected yet, and the north side path on the bridge still has cable construction going on. On the NJ side I couldn't see anything happening. The ramp will come out at 180th and Cabrini, and I'm hoping that they'll clean up the approach and add bike lanes on the streets there since it will become the bike only side.
I rode across on the south side and other than the helix ramp supports there isn't much happening there. The path itself only appears to have gotten worse with loose plates at the towers.
And why are riders such jerks on that bridge? I slowed down when it appeared pedestrians in both directions and myself on the bike were going to converge, and a jerk in full kit comes blowing by me. Is it really necessary to be going all out over the bridge?
I rode across on the south side and other than the helix ramp supports there isn't much happening there. The path itself only appears to have gotten worse with loose plates at the towers.
And why are riders such jerks on that bridge? I slowed down when it appeared pedestrians in both directions and myself on the bike were going to converge, and a jerk in full kit comes blowing by me. Is it really necessary to be going all out over the bridge?
09-30-19, 03:54 PM
#27
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Given how busy this could become there should be a dedicated bi-directional lane from the pedestrian bridge and from Ft. Washington. I didn't look, but isn't the ride up 181st steep? I vaguely recall that.
10-01-19, 08:05 AM
#28
Senior Member
Yes, the ride up 181st is steep. I usually make a right off 181st on to Cabrini and left onto 180th to get to Ft Washington from the greenway and avoid the steeper climb on 181st. With the new north entrance being on 180th and Cabrini that will be easier than dealing with the traffic by the bridge and the bus terminal to get to the current south walkway from the greenway.
10-01-19, 09:10 AM
#29
Senior Member
Thread Starter
It'll be great that the bridge is easier to get to from the Greenway. I've been using the new bridge at around 150th, but before that opened I never knew how to go. There is the other bridge over the highway that leads to the tunnel under Riverside too? Always had a hard time figuring out where it all lead and only once was motivated enough to climb it.
Looking at streetview from the overpass at 181st through to the new bridge entrance and all surrounding streets, I'm not optimistic that it'll be marked well. 181st doesn't have room for a bike lane without removing parking (they could but they won't) and Cabrini is one way to 180th and could have a lane, and Cabrini is also one way the other way leading to the entrance coming from the south. Currently the only legal way to go from the new path onto the streets is to head east on 180th up to Ft Wash. It would make some sense to change that so you could head north on Cabrini to 181st and then down to the crossover to the greenway. We can rest assured that whatever would make sense to cyclists won't be done, and the police will be ready to ticket anybody that rides it in the sensible way.
Looking at streetview from the overpass at 181st through to the new bridge entrance and all surrounding streets, I'm not optimistic that it'll be marked well. 181st doesn't have room for a bike lane without removing parking (they could but they won't) and Cabrini is one way to 180th and could have a lane, and Cabrini is also one way the other way leading to the entrance coming from the south. Currently the only legal way to go from the new path onto the streets is to head east on 180th up to Ft Wash. It would make some sense to change that so you could head north on Cabrini to 181st and then down to the crossover to the greenway. We can rest assured that whatever would make sense to cyclists won't be done, and the police will be ready to ticket anybody that rides it in the sensible way.
10-01-19, 09:38 AM
#30
Senior Member
It'll be great that the bridge is easier to get to from the Greenway. I've been using the new bridge at around 150th, but before that opened I never knew how to go. There is the other bridge over the highway that leads to the tunnel under Riverside too? Always had a hard time figuring out where it all lead and only once was motivated enough to climb it.
Looking at streetview from the overpass at 181st through to the new bridge entrance and all surrounding streets, I'm not optimistic that it'll be marked well. 181st doesn't have room for a bike lane without removing parking (they could but they won't) and Cabrini is one way to 180th and could have a lane, and Cabrini is also one way the other way leading to the entrance coming from the south. Currently the only legal way to go from the new path onto the streets is to head east on 180th up to Ft Wash. It would make some sense to change that so you could head north on Cabrini to 181st and then down to the crossover to the greenway. We can rest assured that whatever would make sense to cyclists won't be done, and the police will be ready to ticket anybody that rides it in the sensible way.
Looking at streetview from the overpass at 181st through to the new bridge entrance and all surrounding streets, I'm not optimistic that it'll be marked well. 181st doesn't have room for a bike lane without removing parking (they could but they won't) and Cabrini is one way to 180th and could have a lane, and Cabrini is also one way the other way leading to the entrance coming from the south. Currently the only legal way to go from the new path onto the streets is to head east on 180th up to Ft Wash. It would make some sense to change that so you could head north on Cabrini to 181st and then down to the crossover to the greenway. We can rest assured that whatever would make sense to cyclists won't be done, and the police will be ready to ticket anybody that rides it in the sensible way.
10-03-19, 11:46 AM
#31
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I rode up from the Greenway to the new ramp yesterday using the overpass to 181st. I was surprised to see that 181st isn't as steep as I expected so that isn't a problem. Looking at Cabrini, I was thinking they could just mark the sidewalk, but then I saw that there is a playground too, so that won't happen, but they could still make a 2 way bike lane if they eliminated car parking on one side. But if you go east on 180th one short block to Pinehurst it is one way going back to 181st, so maybe that's OK too. Pinehurst faces a staircase there, and I remember that staircase from the 1950s when I had an uncle that lived in the building on the corner!
The worst grade though is on the greenway itself. That first climb is 12%, and the hairpin is also something like 10%. It actually makes using the new arch bridge a better proposition. I almost always end up walking the hairpin because I've either lost momentum or there is someone else already there, also walking.
I just hope that whatever they do they'll account for the volume of cyclists that will use this. The existing entrance is always jammed up, but that is very narrow.
The worst grade though is on the greenway itself. That first climb is 12%, and the hairpin is also something like 10%. It actually makes using the new arch bridge a better proposition. I almost always end up walking the hairpin because I've either lost momentum or there is someone else already there, also walking.
I just hope that whatever they do they'll account for the volume of cyclists that will use this. The existing entrance is always jammed up, but that is very narrow.
10-03-19, 12:30 PM
#32
Senior Member
I rode up from the Greenway to the new ramp yesterday using the overpass to 181st. I was surprised to see that 181st isn't as steep as I expected so that isn't a problem. Looking at Cabrini, I was thinking they could just mark the sidewalk, but then I saw that there is a playground too, so that won't happen, but they could still make a 2 way bike lane if they eliminated car parking on one side. But if you go east on 180th one short block to Pinehurst it is one way going back to 181st, so maybe that's OK too. Pinehurst faces a staircase there, and I remember that staircase from the 1950s when I had an uncle that lived in the building on the corner!
The worst grade though is on the greenway itself. That first climb is 12%, and the hairpin is also something like 10%. It actually makes using the new arch bridge a better proposition. I almost always end up walking the hairpin because I've either lost momentum or there is someone else already there, also walking.
I just hope that whatever they do they'll account for the volume of cyclists that will use this. The existing entrance is always jammed up, but that is very narrow.
The worst grade though is on the greenway itself. That first climb is 12%, and the hairpin is also something like 10%. It actually makes using the new arch bridge a better proposition. I almost always end up walking the hairpin because I've either lost momentum or there is someone else already there, also walking.
I just hope that whatever they do they'll account for the volume of cyclists that will use this. The existing entrance is always jammed up, but that is very narrow.
01-12-20, 03:30 PM
#33
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Drove across the upper level after coming back from a job interview in the city. The northbound ramps all look good. They're all connected to that new park entrance on the NYC side. Very wide. Pathway on the bridge however I don't see actually opening any time soon with all the cable work being done on the north side. The corner add on's at the towers aren't even started yet either.
