What is the best Avenue (route) to take from 90 street west side to Lower east side right in middle of evening rush hour? By best I mean surface, traffic or any other benchmark. Thanks for your help!
Jason
Commuter Question: Best Ave ride downtown in Eve rush hour?
Wed, 04/19/2006 - 7:45am
Wed, 04/19/2006 - 11:03am
#1
Take the long way home ... West Side bike path.
Or if you really need to make time ... cpw or park drive south ... get over to Park ... under the GCT/MetLife ... then south to below 23rd ... left to Lexington-Gramercy Park-Irving Place ... left on 14th ... right on 3rd Avenue ...
Wed, 04/19/2006 - 3:39pm
#2
"Stay off the ""spine"""
I like Park Ave. both directions, from UES to GCT.
The viaduct around GCT is cool. Going south, when you take off at the light you get a nice acceleration up that little rise. The corner is sharp enough that (most) cars slow down for it, so you can take the whole lane to the straightaway without anyone getting bent out of shape.
South of 34th St. I prefer Lexington, heading to Third Ave. at 24th/23rd. Going north I take Third Ave.
Park Ave. South has way too much trendy-restaurant-cab-hailing traffic, like it's stuck in a Sex & the City trailer. That and potholes require maximum caution.
Fri, 04/21/2006 - 6:43am
#3
I approve
I ride from AMNH to East Village every day and I alternate between going down Park ave and Broadway.
There are fewer peds on Park ave and going over GCT is fun.
Times Sq and herald Sq are full of clueless tourists and Broadway gets real sketchy between Herald and Madison sq, but sometimes I can hit all the lights between 42nd and 14th, and that's pretty sweet.
Fri, 04/21/2006 - 6:44am
#4
I also think Lex going south is a pothole infested mountain bike trail more than an avenue. I would suggest 2nd Ave after 34th.
Going North, 1st ave all the way!
Wed, 04/19/2006 - 11:39am
#5
Central Park to Columbus Circle, then Broadway - head east below 14th Street - avoid all two-way east/west bound streets and all two-way Avenues - On Broadway stay to left side to avoid busses, and to transit major intersections (Times Square, Herald Square, Madison Square; at Union Square transit via Park Ave South.)
Wed, 04/19/2006 - 6:21pm
#6
I'd test West Side Bike path to Houston, too. I don't think it's fastest, but if traffic is really jammy, it could work.
Thu, 04/20/2006 - 9:37am
#7
try them out
There aren't that many avenues; why don't you just try them? My recommendation would be to go through the park, exit at Seventh or Fifth, and then go east to Second. The left side of Second south of the QBB is not too terrible, save a little jam-up by the tunnel in the 30s. But as you can see, other people prefer other avenues, so it's best to try for yourself and choose the least horrible option. It's a fine distinction, because they're all pretty horrible (except the greenway, but then you have horrible Houston instead).
Hannah
Fri, 04/21/2006 - 6:46am
#8
Watch out on the northern tip of 7th. Between the Park and Times Sq, 7th is really crap-tastic.
Fri, 04/21/2006 - 9:30am
#9
Broadway
I live on the L.E.S. Riding uptown I take 1st Ave. and turn west in the 50's. Downtown I take Broadway straight down to 17th St., continue around Union Square and back to Broadway at 14th, and turn east on 10th or St. Marks or 4th.
Broadway is more spacious than 2nd or Lexington or 5th, and its pavement is far from the worst.
The West Side Path is nice when you're in no hurry and have plenty of time.
Fri, 04/21/2006 - 10:01am
#10
best route least anxiety
Hudson River Greenway, anywhere on the Upper West downtown, is the best route by far. For cross town, I'd cross at tenth Street -- little traffic from West Street to Sixth Avenue, where it turns into a bike lane all the way to Avenue A. This is my commute route, during rush, from Harlem to the Lower East. It has the least potholes and pothead drivers.
