Access to Trailways from New York City -- reports in 2004

Tours combining roads with the Westchester County Trailways 

I skated between 242nd & Broadway subway station and South County Trailway and back, then came back another day to try some alternative streets.  Seemed like one tricky section was getting thru Yonkers with the hills and traffic.  Here's what I liked so far this time for my skating style:

North-bound

from Broadway at 242nd St subway (North-bound):

1. Manhattan College Parkway (generally west-bound, up a hill long with big curves, but not real steep)
2. Right on Fieldston Rd
3. continue on bridge over Henry Hudson Parkway to a short moderate-steep downhill into traffic-light intersection
4. cross Mosholu Av, continue on Fieldston Rd to end
5. Right on 262nd St a block
6. Left on Spencer Av (North-bound) (becomes Leighton Av?), continue to end.
7. Right on Valentine Lane to end
   (or to continue north on Hawthorne Av or Riverdale Av, here instead turn Left on Valentine Av)
8. Left on Broadway
   (Variation:  after a couple of blocks on Broadway could try some quieter streets like Elliot Ave by turning west on Radford St, then come back east to Broadway)
9. bear Right onto New Main for a very short ways (where Broadway curves left)
10. quick Right on Herriot St one block
11. Left on School St one block
12. Right on Park Hill (up steep hill) one block
13. Left on Waverly St to end
14. Right on Nepperhan Ave (east, up a long hill)
15. bear Left to continue on Nepperhan as it curves north -- tricky traffic crossing the exit bearing right for the start of Yonkers Ave -- but after that this section of Nepperhan has a wide roadway and a sidewalk [in decent condition as of June 2004].
16. cross Ashburton Ave, continue Straight north on Nepperhan a ways
17. Bear Left up mod-steep hill to continue on Nepperhan Ave
18. Right on Hearst St (East-bound)
19. cross Saw Mill River Parkway
20. immediate Left and go North one block (on unsigned ? Gray Oaks Ave ?)
21. Right on unsigned Barney St
22. immediate Left onto South County Trailway

Distance total around 7.5 miles

alternative routes I tried:

• continue on Manhattan College Parkway up to Parkway service road (North-bound) to Riverdale Av -- but this section of Riverdale Av going North-bound has at least two moderate-steep downhills into traffic-light intersections.
• from Riverdale Av (North-bound), Right on Nepperhan Ave -- but this section of Nepperhan (East-bound) had a moderately-steep downhill into its traffic light with New Main.
• continuing North on New Main St, Right on Nepperhan Ave -- but this had high traffic volume and lots of parked cars on New Main St.

South-bound

from south end of South County Trailway:

1. Right on unsigned Barney St (East-bound)
2. Left on unsigned street for one block (? Gray Oaks Ave ?)
3. Right at end and cross Saw Mill River Parkway to continue Straight on Hearst St (East-bound)
4. Left on Nepperhan Ave (South-bound)
5. just after passing by Roberts Ave, moderately-steep downhill to continue on Nepperhan Ave a ways further south
6. cross Ashburton Ave, and Nepperhan Ave curves West, climbs a hill, then start down a long hill which gets steeper.
7. continue down past Elm St into a moderately-steep downhill to a traffic light.  (This downhill is not worse than the "GWB-to-Nyack skate" unless one or more vehicles cut in front of you in the right-turn lane and stop suddenly -- so be prepared)
8. Right on School St (sign may be obscured -- it's the next Right after Elm St)
9. first Left on unsigned John St a block to end
10. Right on James St a block
11. Left on Palisade Ave a block (on sidewalk? one-way traffic goes north-bound the other way)
12. Right on Main St
    (Side trip: visit Yonkers waterfront along Hudson River, by continuing to the end of Main St) 
    (Yonkers Metro North train station is here for those who want to finish early.)
13. Left on Buena Vista (South-bound) -- starts up moderately-steep hill.
14. Left on unsigned Herriot St (next street south from Vark, just before Dead End sign)
15. Right on Hawthorne Ave (South-bound)
16. Left on Valentine Ave
17. Right on Riverdale Ave
18. Bear Right onto South-bound service road beside Henry Hudson Parkway
19. Left on 246th St on bridge over Parkway
20. Right on Fieldston Rd
21. Left on Manhattan College Parkway -- long downhill with big curves.  
    - - > to finish at 242nd St subway station: continue down all the way to bottom at Broadway.
    To continue further south to Broadway Bridge and Manhattan . . .
22. in the midst of the long downhill on MCP, immediately after Waldo Av, turn Right across concrete sidewalk into parking lot or paved path going South down hill -- to corner of Irwin Av and 240th St.
23. continue straight South on Irwin Av
24. Left on 232nd St one block
25. Right on Tibbett Av
26. Left on 230th St
27. Right at light on Kingsbridge Av / Marble Hill Av
28. Left at light on 228th St to end
29. Right on Broadway, south to the bridge to Manhattan

alternate routes I tried:

• from Nepperhan Av, turn Right on Elm St down moderately-steep hill, Left on Palisades Ave, Right on Main St -- but this requires going downhill against one-way traffic direction on Elm St, then more distance against one-way traffic direction on Palisades Ave.
• from Nepperhan Av, continue past School St and turn Right on New Main St -- but the pavement on New Main was pretty rough [as of May 2004]
• from Nepperhan Av, continue past School St and turn Left on New Main St --  but this had high traffic volume and lots of parked cars on New Main St.
• on service road beside Henry Hudson Parkway, continue further south, then Left around 239th St across Parkway onto Riverdale Av to 230th St -- but Riverdale Av going South-bound here has a long steep downhill.
   

 
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