I recently went from Prospect Park to the Manhattan Bridge. I took President St to Clinton St to Tillary St. I checked on Google Maps and it is about 7.2 miles roughly. I checked going down Flatbush Ave and it is about 6.8 miles. Flatbush Ave is really crazy and I don't want to bike through it, but do any of you guys now a faster way to get to the Manhattan Bridge from Prospect Park other than through Clinton St?

Daniel

The way you went, through Carroll gardens requires crossing the canal, so you didn't take President all the way. Either you cut over to Union and went against traffic, or you cut over to 3rd street and crossed there. Personally, I would just go down Flatbush all the way, or I would go Union, take it a couple of blocks against traffic to cross the canal, where it goes one way, then cut over to Sackett, and use Clinton street to get to either bridge.

6.8 miles? Nah.

Anyway, take Flatbush to Hanson Place, and Ashland Place/Navy St. Go left at the tow pound onto Sands St. That takes you to the entrance. The road is rough on Sands St from construction, but Navy/Ashland is pretty good. You miss the worst part of Flatbush without going too far out of your way.

The nice and easy way, half of it on bike lanes, starting off on your original street of choice:

President -> 5th Ave -> Bergen -> Smith which turns into Jay -> bridge.

The only hot spots are around the bridge entrance. Merging with the off ramp traffic can seem dicey, but keep a sharp eye, enter into the right lane smoothly, and you're there. Alternately you can cut across Tillary and hit the Brooklyn Bridge.

No speeding cars, no fuss, no muss.

flatbush is a deathwish. at least to this observer. what time of day would you be riding on that beast of a road? rush hour??

I hear that. Recently I found a better way. When you're at the start of the path for the Brooklyn Bridge, off to the east is a service road and then an apartment complex. That service road has a bike lane -- take it towards the river a few blocks. (If you've been to the Manhattan Bridge before, you'll know how far to go). It ducks around the corner, you ride a block and cross the street to the M. B. entrance.

I really don't want to bike on Flatbush so I think zacster route is out, I may try it out early morning on a weekend. jeebusaurousrex option going through smith st is pretty much similar to going through clinton st, but the advantage of clinton st is that it has fewer traffic.

Also, I've been biking over Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge has many more tourists, I just keep using the Manhattan. I use it mostly on weekends. You guys who ride the Brooklyn Bridge during the week are there tons of pedestrians also?

Daniel

Yeah, the light timing is much better on Clinton. I only get caught at one or two.

There are not quite as many tourists on weekdays, especially in the morning, but there are still enough to slow me down sometimes. There's always one or two who walk right in front of me, without fail.

Yep! This is the way I take all the time. No traffic at all.

The trip through Carroll Gardens/Boerum Hill is 5 miles of bike lanes in the door zone. You have to be really vigilant.

I found this to be the fastest, most direct route.
From the Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park, follow the roundabout to get yourself to Vanderbilt. (It's slightly hairy getting to Vanderbilt from the park; it's safest to stay in the outside lane of the traffic circle.) Take Vanderbilt (recently given a bike lane and traffic-calming makeover) down across Atlantic all the way to DeKalb. Make a left on DeKalb, which has a bike lane. Make a right on Ashland, also a bike lane. Take it past the BQE overpass and make a left onto Sands. Resist the urge of other cyclists to ride against traffic when the bike lane momentarily veers off to the right and away from the bridge entrance: this "shortcut" saves no time and can really land you in heavy traffic with little wiggle room.

I agree - i take this most days, Monday - Friday.

quite true.

Vanderbilt is a good alternative to Flatbush if you don't want to ride on Flatbush. You used to be able to take Carlton Place as well, a residential street with a bike lane, but the Atlantic Yards project is in the way now and you end up on Vanderbilt anyway

It has been 9 years since I posted this, and yet it is now part of a stickie.

I now always take Vanderbilt by exiting the park, crossing the traffic and going right and the counter-clockwise ride on the bike lanes to Plaza St to Vanderbilt. Take that all the way to the end at Flushing Ave/Navy Yard and take a left. Take that bike lane to the first right and then the next left onto the Budnick Bikeway which leads to the bridge. Keep your eyes open on that one block between Flushing and the bike lane on Navy St, there are a lot of turning cars. Other than that it keeps you out of the worst of the traffic as Vanderbilt isn't too bad. It is mostly downhill too. Of course it is uphill going back.