October-2001 reports

 
Westside Greenway Path 

 
Jim Zisfein on NYC.bicycles, October 29, 2001: 

Good news! The parks of Battery Park City are now open.  You can bike (or walk, or skate) from the North Meadow and sculpture garden (see photo http://home.nyc.rr.com/jzisfein/sculpturegarden.jpg taken Saturday 10/27), down the Esplanade to the WFC marina and Museum of Jewish Heritage, and into Historic Battery Park.  The portions of the Winter Garden and World Financial Center that I could see looked intact, except for some facade damage on the WFC above the WG (see http://home.nyc.rr.com/jzisfein/wintergarden.jpg also taken Saturday), and what looks like some missing glass and minor structural damage on the east end of the WG itself.  I would look for some of the shops and restaurants to reopen soon (like maybe my beloved Starbucks; I was looking forward to a Frappuccino). 

Entry to BPC is via Chambers St. The HRG is closed south of Pier 25 (about 3 blocks north of Chambers). You can get off the HRG and ride south on the traffic lanes of West St. to Chambers, or (depending on the mood of the police) you might get detoured a block east, then go south to Chambers, and west into BPC.

Jim Zisfein on NYC.bicycles, October 15 :  

More of the Hudson River Greenway is now accessible to bikes than at any time since 9/11, but there are still barriers. 

From the GWB lighthouse to 57th St., the HRG is open during the day. The section through the sewage treatment plant is closed at night; I'm not sure of the hours. The elevator to Riverbank Park was not operating yesterday 10/14.

From 57th St. to the Intrepid area (approx 47th St.), things are chopped up. Several heavy concrete barriers partially block the HRG at about 57th St., but you can go around them. The entire section through the Passenger Ship Terminal is blocked. Portions of 12th Av. are marked with cones, but I was told not to ride there; those lanes are for emergency vehicles only. Basically you have to ride on the opposite sidewalk, and cross 12th Av. twice. Does anyone know why they are doing this? 

From 47th St. to just north of Pier 25, 1/4 mile north of Chambers St., it's clear sailing. There were a lot of cars parked on the HRG near the Javits center last week; they're gone now. From Pier 25 south to Chambers, the HRG is blocked off and there's lots of heavy equipment, but you can take West St. instead which is closed to auto traffic. 

I was able to ride into Battery Park City on Saturday 10/13 without being asked for ID. I entered at Chambers St., rode on the Esplanade as far south as the NY Mercantile Exchange in the WFC. This area looks undamaged, as does the nearby Embassy Suites Hotel. A barrier just south of the Merc prevented me from checking out the Winter Garden or going into the southern part of Battery Park City.

Ed Ravin on NYC.bicycles:  

[ in reponse to:  
From the GWB lighthouse to 57th St., the HRG is open during the day. The section through the sewage treatment plant is closed at night; I'm not sure of the hours. The elevator to Riverbank Park was not operating yesterday 10/14.]

Since 9/11, the gate to that elevator has been chained up.  You can
probably get around it by going through the parking lot under the plant that's used by the state park employees, assuming the security guard there lets you through.

[ in reponse to: 
The entire section through the Passenger Ship Terminal is blocked. Portions of 12th Av. are marked with cones, but I was told not to ride there; those lanes are for emergency vehicles only. Basically you have to ride on the opposite sidewalk, and cross 12th Av. twice. Does anyone know why they are doing this?]

You don't have to ride on the sidewalk - you can use the right lane of West Street like any other vehicle.  When I ride going downtown, I take the next lane alongside the cones, and drive in the middle of the lane - for 10 blocks, the adjoining traffic can handle it.  It's no worse than on 6th Ave.  When I go uptown, I take the West St service road on the opposite side.

Jim Zisfein on NYC.bicycles: 

[in response to: 
You don't have to ride on the sidewalk - you can use the right lane of West Street like any other vehicle.  When I ride going downtown, I take the next lane alongside the cones, and drive in the middle of the lane - for 10 blocks, the adjoining traffic can handle it.  It's no worse than on 6th Ave.  When I go uptown, I take the West St service road on the opposite side.]

I tried that - but the traffic coming off the West Side Highway still thinks it's on an expressway, and I admit to getting a bit unnerved with big trucks barreling along behind me at 50 mph, coming within arm's length, blasting horns as they change lanes. I find 6th Avenue less intimidating; at least nobody is going that fast.

 
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