With a globally recognizable skyline and wildly diverse neighborhoods, New York City offers visitors a whirlwind experience of cycling and biking. Whether you want to hammer out a ten-mile workout in Central Park or lace up for an extra adventurous ride to Nyack Beach State Park, there are routes for all levels.
Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway
When it comes to New York City’s cycling infrastructure, the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway is the crown jewel. It’s a 26-mile landscaped corridor that increases public access to the waterfront, connects neighborhoods, parks and open spaces, and supports sustainable transportation and recreational activities.
In addition to facilitating the safe movement of pedestrians, cyclists and public transit riders, the Greenway also serves as an ecosystem for plants and wildlife, and it offers spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn Bridge and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
It’s a popular biking destination for local residents and visitors from all around the world. The Greenway connects many of the city’s most dynamic and historic neighborhoods including Williamsburg, DUMBO, Greenpoint, Red Hook, Brooklyn Heights and Bay Ridge.
The Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway has been a project of the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) since 1999 and it is approximately 70% complete. The borough’s 2,65 million residents and 1.1 million workers are all served by the pathway, and the project is on track to be completed by 2021.
NYC DOT’s goal is to provide all Brooklyn residents and workers with an opportunity to cycle safely to work, school, home and other destinations. Towards this end, the agency has installed the city’s first wider bike lanes on some streets and is working to implement more. It has also launched a street activity sensor pilot program to quickly and efficiently gather data on traffic conditions, initiated the New York Twist public awareness campaign to prevent dooring of cyclists, and continued to develop ongoing greenway initiatives.
While a few short sections of protected bicycle paths already existed in southern Brooklyn, such as the Ocean Parkway bike lane in Marine Park and the segment that runs from the 69th Street Pier to Caesar’s Bay in Bay Ridge, most of the borough lacked a dedicated path. In response, the DOT envisioned a 14-mile route that would run from Greenpoint to Red Hook and create new connections to neighborhood parks and open spaces.
We will be riding on part of this path on the BBG tour, as well as visiting a few of the neighborhoods it runs through. The tour will include a discussion of the planning, design and implementation of the Greenway, along with issues such as recreational versus transportation corridors, urban separated bike paths in a rezoning context, temporary versus long-term paths, effective relationships with community organizations, and the role of non-profits in advancing the vision for the greenway.
Hudson River Greenway
The Hudson River Greenway on Manhattan’s west side is a fabulous, multi-use pathway for walking, running and cycling. It offers fantastic views of the river and New Jersey skyline while passing through some of the city’s most iconic downtown points of interest from the Battery to the GW Bridge. The most populated stretch of the Greenway starts at Battery Park and runs south toward Lower Manhattan, then north to the George Washington Bridge. The path is always busy with throngs of bicycle commuters, recreational runners and bikers and a mix of locals and visitors.
The section from the Battery to West 59th Street is especially popular with runners and walkers who want to avoid traffic in the area’s busiest streets. It also features a number of fun attractions such as the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, Chelsea Piers and more. This is also where the path becomes more crowded with commuters on their way to work or after-work recreationists heading out for a run or jog. The pathway is very well maintained with separate paths for cyclists and pedestrians and the city maintains a robust system of signage to help everyone safely coexist.
At the north end of this segment is one of the city’s most unique attractions, Pier I. This historic pier extends into the Hudson River and hosts a variety of outdoor events as well as a cafe with some of the most breathtaking water views in the entire city. The area is also home to several other restaurants and bars, making it a great place for families to enjoy the outdoors with kids or couples looking for a relaxing dinner along the water.
There is a critical gap in the Greenway uptown between the W. 181st Street pedestrian bridge and Dyckman Street that is causing some concern for cyclists. The city’s contractor is closing the 1.4-mile stretch for four months for repairs to sinkhole-laden pavement. Cyclists are concerned that they will be sent onto crash-prone neighborhood streets to get around this area of the city.
Citi Bike is available at many Greenway entrances in downtown Manhattan, but there are no Citi Bike terminals north of 125th Street in Harlem. You can rent bikes from private bike companies in the area, which carry more options than Citi Bike, such as tandem bikes, kids’ bikes, more robust adult bikes (like 24-speed), hand cycles and child seats.
State Bicycle Route 9
New York City may be famous for its restaurants, museums, and theater, but the Big Apple is also home to a host of spectacular cycling routes. With Citi Bikes and dedicated bike lanes making it easier than ever to get around, there are endless opportunities for visiting cyclists to experience the city on two wheels.
From the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway to the Prospect Park bike paths, New York City’s scenic routes offer a fresh and calming contrast from the hustle and bustle of the Manhattan streets. The city’s most visited landmarks are just a few pedal strokes away, offering a fun way to explore a new corner of the city and see a different side of its many neighborhoods.
The best part about these cycling routes is that they are accessible to everyone, regardless of age or fitness level. In addition, a bike ride can easily be broken up into shorter segments for visitors who want to take their time and stop to enjoy the sights.
Unlike the traffic jams and yellow taxis that give New York City its bad reputation, these paths are quiet and safe for cyclists to enjoy, providing a beautiful escape from the frantic pace of the city’s streets. With plenty of flat and rolling hills to make the ride interesting, visitors will feel refreshed after taking a breather on these bike paths.
Starting at The Battery and winding down along the Hudson River, this route takes visitors beneath the George Washington Bridge to the northern tip of Manhattan Island. This 11- to 13-mile trek offers a picturesque view of the city’s iconic bridges and many parks and waterfronts.
Tracing the west side of Manhattan Island from Battery Park to Inwood, the Hudson River Greenway escorts cyclists past the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum before reaching the borough’s northwestern edge in the Bronx. Cyclists will then pass the Marble Hill and Kingsbridge neighborhoods of The Bronx before crossing over the Broadway Bridge to enter Queens.
The bike paths in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park are car-free during the week and offer a relaxing way to enjoy a 3.35 mile loop through the park’s interior perimeter. The path offers a great opportunity to experience the many unique neighborhoods of Brooklyn before making your way to Coney Island on the oceanfront boardwalk.
Prospect Park
New York City has no shortage of iconic attractions and Prospect Park is one of them. The 585-acre green space designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux (the team behind Central Park in Manhattan) is a beloved destination for Brooklynites and visitors from across the country. It’s home to a zoo, the first urban-area Audubon Center, an ice skating rink and a historic carousel along with countless other facilities and dozens of events each year.
Although it’s less crowded than Manhattan’s Central Park, Prospect Park is still full of fun activities and beautiful scenery to see. The park is a local favorite for sports, outdoor exercise, picnicking, and casual strolls. It also has some of the best restaurants in Brooklyn, a large library and plenty of other museums to explore.
The most well-known attraction in the park is the Brooklyn Museum, which is a great place for a museum date or a family outing. It has tons of popular exhibits including American Art, Egyptian Art, Arts of Africa, and Arts of the Pacific Islands. There are also collections of work by many famous artists like Norman Rockwell, Edgar Degas and Georgia O’Keeffe.
If you’re looking to experience the beauty of the park on a bike, there are CitiBike stations throughout the grounds for easy access to the park. There are some hills in Prospect Park, so be ready to get a thigh-burning workout! There are also plenty of benches scattered around the park, so if you’re bringing the kids you can rest or let them run off some energy.
Prospect Park is an urban oasis where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the busy city streets. Its wide-open spaces are a perfect spot for concerts, sporting events and relaxing walks in the shade. Whether you’re visiting Prospect Park for the first time or are a regular visitor, there are always new discoveries to be made!
