Hello,
I am planning to commute to work by bike from the Upper West Side to Manhattan.
Is there anybody that can help me with coming up with a good route?
Any help appreciated...
Thanks,
Riccardo
Commute from UWS to Larchmont, NY
Tue, 03/27/2007 - 6:57pm
Wed, 03/28/2007 - 9:44am
#1
Upper West Side to Larchmont
Here's a route that avoids heavy traffic, while not going too far out of the direct way:
North on Riverside Dr
R 165th St
L Fort Washington Ave
R 181st St
L Broadway
R Nagle Ave ---> 10th Ave
R 207th St over University Heights Bridge (on sidewalk)
Continue straight on W Fordham Rd ---> E Fordham Rd
L Southern Blvd / Dr Kazimiroff Blvd
Continue on bike path (right after Botanical Garden Metro-North station and Mosholu Parkway)
Bear right twice to continue on the Pelham Parkway bike path
Continue on Shore Rd bike path
Continue on Pelham Rd (to end)
BL Echo Ave ---> River St (cross Boston Post Rd / Rte 1)
BR Palmer Ave into Larchmont
Get yourself a New York Cycling Map (available at many bike shops) if you don't already have one. It will clarify for you the bike paths in the Bronx.
Wed, 03/28/2007 - 10:15am
#2
I will be riding this route with Riccardo. I am using your directions and looking at Google Maps. Basically you are suggesting getting on Rt. 1/Boston Post Road somewhere in the Bronx.
I follow your directions out of Manhattan to the Botanical Garden Metro North stop but that's where I start getting lost. I can see Rt. 1 is across Bronx Park. So there is bike path that allows us to cross the Park?
Overall, is Rt 1/Boston Post Road cycle-able?
Thanks,
Wed, 03/28/2007 - 10:30am
#3
No, my route doesn't use Rte 1 at all
"It only crosses Rte 1 in New Rochelle. As I said, you need the New York Cycling Map to follow my route. Here's a link to the online map: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/bike/mapfront.pdf.
The bike path I'm talking about runs along Kazimiroff Blvd, then south along the Bronx River Parkway, then east along Pelham Parkway. The bike path then continues along Shore Rd, past City Island and Orchard Beach.
I know this sounds complicated, but once you've done it, it really isn't.
I've ridden Rte 1 on weekends, and it's not too bad, but I think that it would be better to avoid it during rush hour (even on a reverse commute). Of course, you might want to try Rte 1 too, to see if you like it."
Wed, 03/28/2007 - 12:00pm
#4
Thanks. Makes more sense now.
Wed, 03/28/2007 - 12:43pm
#5
There's one part that can be confusing
It's where the Pelham Parkway path ends and you cross Stillwell Ave, then you cross the Hutchinson River Parkway and the New England Thruway. You may be confused at first when trying to find the continuation of the path on Shore Rd. Once you find it, the path is on a wide sidewalk until it narrows on a bridge, then after the bridge you cross over to the other side of Shore Rd to the path.
I'm a person who generally prefers the streets to off-road bike paths; I ride on the West Side Greenway two or three times a year. But if I were commuting to Larchmont, I'd probably prefer this route to Rte 1.
Thu, 03/29/2007 - 8:11am
#6
ps
"After the freeways on the Pelham Pkwy bike path, there is a wide but often not busy street. Crossing over the street & to the left will lead you back to the bike path.
After the bridge on this path, & then re-crossing over to the continuation of the bike path on the other side of Shore Rd (after the following intersection),
the bike path diverges from Shore Rd
about 1/2 mile to 1 mile north of the Club House for the Public Golf Course. (You'll notice the Club House & its parking lot.) If you stay on the path it'll drop you off in a residential neighborhood to the west of Shore Rd from which it may not be obvious how to return to Shore Rd.
To avoid this, look for the ""gate"" (a bunch of Wooden bollards/stumps near some guard-rails ) that lets you out from the paved bike path back onto Shore Road.
Also be wary of some metal/plastic bollards/stumps in the middle of the path near some driveways. They are meant to prevent autos from entering the trail, but some of them may stick up an inch or two and you don't want to run into them on a bike."
Thu, 03/29/2007 - 10:38am
#7
Fordham Rd / Pelham Parkway
Be forewarned: Fordham Rd./ Pelham Parkway is not a great route, but is pretty direct. Fordham Rd's pavement is in terrible shape. The lanes are pretty narrow, and it's one of the Bronx's main business strips, so it's pretty crowded. There's a downhill stretch where traffic likes to pass then cut you off as they veer right onto some side street. East of the Botanical Garden, where it crosses over the Bronx River Parkway, it becomes a high-speed race track, because there are no traffic lights between Southern Blvd and Boston Road, plus there are the on/off ramps for the parkway. There are less direct routes to the Pelham Park Bike path (that are also more scenic) using some bike paths, so it depends on your willingness to go out of your way vs. your tolerance for a few miles of pretty bike-unfriendly road.
Rich
Thu, 03/29/2007 - 12:45pm
#8
Fordham Rd
I would certainly avoid Fordham Rd between Southern Blvd and Pelham Parkway, which is why I said to make a left on Southern.
Of course, if you're willing to take a more indirect route, you can avoid traffic even more, e.g., make a left from Fordham Rd to Sedgwick Ave, and take that up to the Mosholu bike path. The NY Cycling Map is available free at many bike shops and can be a big help in planning a safe and pleasant commute.
Since I live on the Lower East Side, I'd take 1st Ave to the Willis Ave Bridge, St Ann's Ave, 149th St, Prospect Ave, Crotona Ave, Southern Blvd, then the bike path.
