vol

Today I rode on the bike path along the Hudson River from downtown to uptown, hoping to find somewhere between 42nd and 60's streets to cross over to the Eastside. I thought it's no problem, that I could turn at any street (this is the first time I rode there). Well, this might be true for only up to maybe the 50's. Then as I went on it became clear to me that there was no crossing starting from God knows where--perhaps the 60's? The whole bike path seemed to be blocked from the eastern side, so all I could do is to follow the path and go on and on, without knowing where I was (it was dark in the evening, too!)--until, finally, I was at the river again, where I saw some people fishing there. I asked them what street it was. It's the 72nd st. I had thought I was already above the 100's!! So from there I turned east and finally was back to "civilization"

Does anyone know where the last street is where one can make "exit" from the Hudson bike path to turn east to cross the city? I think it's in the 50's or 60's, because the last street sign I noticed was the 50th.

cappuccino911

You can get off at 59th street at the sanitation pier. There is definitely a place to get on or off roughly every 10 blocks till you get tothe 100s then you have to go up to.125th.

bktourer1

go to a local bike shop or get it online the FREE NYC bike map.
also chek nyc transportation alternatives site

vol

Oh I remember that sanitation pier! When I realized I was in the midst of the garbage trucks I held my breath and sped through that area, so this must have caused my missing the exit!

I do have the map, but it just shows all green bike path along the Hudson, no indication where one can turn to leave the path.

cappuccino911

yeah the road your turn onto there is REALLY BEAT UP but you can exit there

Stacy

There's a ramp that goes up to Riverside Blvd at Pier I at 68th St. There's a staircase that leads up to the Eleanor Roosevelt Statue and 72nd Street right after that, and several park paths that circle around the men's room that also lead up to that entrance.

You can go through or around the rotunda at the 79th Street Boat Basin, climb that hill and catch the 79th Street traffic circle, or take the long ramp around 82nd, on the other side of the tunnel, just before Riverwalk. Then there's another tunnel just after Riverwalk. In fact, just about any path leading away from the river will eventually lead up to Riverside Drive.

vol

Thanks for the information.

That must be the one I took--I went uphill to a small bridge-like tunnel, after coming out from that it was the 72nd street.

Is there an exit not uphill? I guess after 72nd it's all Riverside Park so all uphill? What about before that?

Stacy

42nd Street and 125th Street are relatively flat, river to river. Any street in between involves going uphill, whether it's inside the park or in the streets. The nice part is, if you go back the same way, you get to ride downhill.

iManda

Normally I only travel the Greenway as far as 46th Street, and I met with the same frustration as you, vol, when going up to 103rd last weekend. I did eventually find routes on and off, with some searching. Stacy, I saw the people dining in the rotunda but never found the Greenway from there! I am sure that after doing it once or twice you get the hang of it. But a nice addition to the path would be some signs marking the major cross streets, just for reference.

iManda

By the way, if you map your ride, it will tell you where to exit although the directions don't always fully explain. I knew to get off at 95th Street, but the path circled up a small hill so steep I didn't even try to bike it. In that area of Manhattan, the drop down to the Hudson River is steep.

Stacy

It was probably a bit easier before they opened Riverwalk, the new section that goes over the Hudson, and you could just follow everyone through the tunnel and up the hill. Just before Riverwalk, around 82nd Street, there's a tunnel that takes you under the Henry Hudson Parkway. From there the path leads up to Serpentine Promenade which gives you access to various paths and circles to Riverside Drive.

There's a similar tunnel and path at the north end of Riverwalk that goes up to the promenade but the hill is much steeper.

Here's a map that's still marked with the older bike route.
https://www.riversideparkfund.org/vis...ap/?c=Park-Map

There are several ways around the Rotunda. One is to simply ride up a short steep hill just south of the restaurant which will take you to to the 79th Street traffic circle. There are often Parks Dept vehicles parked there. Another is to use the steps around the restaurant. I suspect you can also slip through the garage at the Rotunda's base. A couple of years ago they repaved the hill leading up to the Promenade so everyone had to find alternate routes up from the river.

vol

Thanks for the great information. I was hesitating whether to turn on 42nd st, but thought the traffic must be very bad. Maybe it's not as bad when it was evening after dark? I prefer flat to either uphill or downhill.

iManda

What a beautiful map. I used to live up by Grant's Tomb and must have really underutilized Riverside Park because I had no idea half that stuff was there. Thanks for the directions around the Rotunda. Vol, 45th and 46th Streets are better than 42nd for going across town, once you get past the jaywalking theater-goers (of which I am often one).

iManda

Does anyone have any experience with riding the Greenway after dark? Night is slowly creeping up on the time that I leave work, and I'm already using lights as the sun falls. Is the Greenway well-lit and safe to ride after dark? My stretch is Chambers Street to W. 46th.

vol

I rode that stretch twice, one was yesterday, around 6:30-7:30pm, daylight just began to fade. Some people started turning on the bike lights. The Greenway path was lit but not "well lit" in my view, so bike lights help more to be seen than to see (unless you have a powerful headlight). Most bikes I saw during this time didn't have the light on. The other day, when I was at 50's - 70's, it was completely dark and the road was very dark, especially along the area with some sort of big blockade or bridge-like thing overhead (felt like a tunnel). Before yesterday, I thought only the taillight is important, but yesterday while on a bridge some bikers came from the opposite direction without headlight (neither had I) at late dusk time, we could easily hit each other as the path was very very narrow. Bottomline, you lose nothing by turning on both lights a little sooner than later.

When I got off the Greenway at 48th street and crossed town on 48th, I found the 48th very bumpy! Also had to bike through the crowds at Times Square. I'll look for a better crossing point next time.

Incidentally, on the Greenway yesterday a pedestrian was standing in the middle of the road at an intersection, with her companions talking on the sidewalk. I rang bell perhaps ten times until I was where she was, she didn't make the slightest move, then after I passed her closely, she "woke up", and said: "Sorry," still not moving.

iManda

Thanks, vol, that confirms what I guessed, that it gets pretty dark over there. I'm thinking of getting a more powerful "to see by" head light to augment my "to be seen" one. Already have a rear blinkie plus one on the back of my helmet. Like you, I've been noticing the risk of collision is as much from the front as from behind.

Twice in the last week, I've come to a dead stop behind pedestrians engaged in conversation, oblivious to my ringing my bell and practically shouting "Excuse me!" Today a guy followed me over the Brooklyn Bridge with a much more effective technique: an ear-splitting whistle and banshee scream. I felt like hiring him to trail (or precede) me everywhere.

Stacy

I guess it all depends on your definition of dark. Riverside South, the stretch from 59th to about 70th Street where the path runs under the highway, is much better lit now than it was several years ago. Back when the area was under construction there were no lights at all and there was fabric lined chain link fencing on both sides.

Cherry Walk, going north, after dark, between 103rd and 125th is pretty much unrideable because there's too much headlight glare from southbound traffic on the highway. Most people use Riverside Drive above 103rd if they have to travel north after dark. I don't mind traveling south in Cherry Walk at night but I also used to do a lot of darkroom work. It really depends on how comfortable you are in the dark.

Either way, good bike lights are highly recommended.

The Greenway is probably as safe as any other place in the City. There was some talk about vandals leaving boulders in the path around 70th Street, near Pier I where it gets particularly dark, but I've never heard of anything actually arising out of that. Maybe it was just a prank.

I've ridden the section below 59th Street as late as 2 am without incident. The best part about riding the greenway late at night or in the winter is that there are very few pedestrians.

vol

This part seems to me to be the best part to ride. Unfortunately it's too short to enjoy enough. I rode from the East river bike path passing 34th st., lower eastside, south street seaport, battery park, then finally getting on this stretch to feel relaxed at last! Not just without crowds and cars, but also no bumpy road like the east river bike path. Too short!

Isn't the fencing still there? That's what I meant where I felt like a tunnel, about 60~70th streets, big fencing on your right hand side if you ride northward. I didn't know what it was, just felt stranger, completely separated from the city.

Stacy

I think the chain link fencing is only on one side. It used to be on both sides, covered with fabric, with absolutely no lights on either side. It was so dark I remember hearing bikes pass me but the most I could see was a silhouette. That's what convinced me to get blinkies and stay to the right. Even if I couldn't see others I figured they could see me.

NY1 did a story a year ago about lack of lighting just north of the pier. It really has gotten better since but you have to be careful of inexperienced cyclists, especially just after dusk, who may not have lights and sometimes ride all over the path.

iManda

Less pedestrians sounds good. Now I'm looking forward to evening rides. Night is usually my favorite time to ride but I was going to be bummed to have to skip the Greenway. Thanks for all the good info.

BTW, I'd like to amend something I said earlier about going across town in the 40's. Recently I got bike parking (yay!) at 44th and 6th so I've been crossing over on 42nd Street. It's excellent. Traffic is relatively light and moves fast. At least between the West Side Highway and 8th Avenue, that is. Then it starts to get hairy, especially around Port Authority. If I can avoid that block, I think it will be a better commute than 46th Street.

vol

What time of the day?

Port Authority area is around Time Square, nightmare for riding a bike. Maybe detour to 40th or 39th.

P.S. As good as the west side Greenway is, I wish it were directly adjacent to the river so that we can see the river view and the other side of the river while riding. There is no view, so all I can see is in front of me.

cappuccino911

my issue with the westside greenway is they need a better rollerblading sign. It looks too much like a person running. I got so tired of people running and walking in the bike lane when the pedestrian/running lane is RIGHT NEXT TO IT. I pulled up behind someone and bellowed, "Its a bikeway, not a runway!" and nodded my head over to the running path where others were running.

As for how well it's lit, I'm not sure, i don't ride over there at night but the quality of the road is SOOOOOO much better. I would never ride the east river path at night, your guaranteed to get destroyed by potholes.

iManda

Around 9:30 am. Perhaps the worst of rush hour is over, but so far it has been an improvement because it's wide, fast-moving and relatively light in traffic at least until it's......NOT!

Someone I know recently commented that the Greenway is "boring" compared to the streets. But since it's only about a third of my commute, and the rest is either downtown Brooklyn or Chambers Street (how 'bout that construction!!?) I really enjoy the respite from traffic.

Tomorrow will be my first all-moonlight return trip and I'm looking forward to trying it out.

soundtweakers

And I was chased down by a couple of teenagers on electric scooters shouting "give me your bike, mother******"

vol

Hoho. Which part of the road? What would you do if they catch you?