Greenpoint-Williamsburg-LES-Chinatown-Downtown Bk-Bk Navy Yard-Williamsburg-Greenpoint

Greenpoint-Williamsburg-LES-Chinatown-Downtown Bk-Bk Navy Yard-Williamsburg-Greenpoint

Route Map

Riders: Chris Sedita, Craig Tarr, Olivia Vien

Length of route: 10.1 mi.

Time: 1.5 hrs

Ease of following route: easy

Type of bike lane: varied from dedicated, to shared, to no bike lane (see photos)

Perceived safety: generally very safe

Continuity of bike lanes: >90% (est.)

We started our ride on McGuinness Blvd and Huron St. in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  The initial ride over to the bike route on Franklin St. contained no bike paths or lanes.  This particular part of Brooklyn doesn’t have traffic lights at every intersection, and it was quickly made clear that some drivers have little patience for cyclists with little room being given and a horn being utilized.

Once we reached Franklin St. and the bike route heading south, the ride became much more pleasant.  There was little traffic on the road, but when cars did pass it sometimes felt like there wasn’t a great deal of room.  However, once we reached Kent Ave. we reached a dedicated bike path, which was completely separated from the car traffic.  From here, it was a safe, relaxing ride down to the Williamsburg Bridge.

The entrance to the bridge itself is next to Continental Army Plaza, where pedestrians also have access to the bridge.  It was a little congested here and some cyclists dismounted to make it through the melee.  From here, we entered the path system to make the crossing.

Williamsburg Bridge, Manhattan side looking west: double bike lanes, two-way traffic, with pedestrian lane.

This path system is separated for most of the bridge, where the north side of the bridge is dedicated to bicyclists, and the south path is dedicated to pedestrians.  This is to keep both pedestrians and bicyclists safer by separating the two as well to accommodate more bike and pedestrian traffic.  The problem is that many pedestrians ignore this clear designation of paths and walk on the north side of the bridge dedicated for bicycle traffic.  This creates unsafe riding and walking conditions for everyone, as there is not much passing space especially during peak commuting hours.

Base of Williamsburg Bridge, Lower East Side.

At the bottom of this bridge, bicyclists are provided with paths that go in three directions: north, south, and east.  These bollards where placed at entry points for the bridge.  This restricts motorized vehicles from entering as well as encourages bicyclists to slow down as they either enter or exit the bridge.  Just a logistical complaint (or maybe we were just out of shape!) - the approach to the bridge is a fairly steep hill parallel to the bridge in the opposite direction, you are then forced to make a complete 180 and take the even steeper hill of the bridge deck from a near stop - great exercise, but a really tough ride for the uninitiated.

Chinatown: single one-way bike lane.

Upon reaching Chinatown, we encountered significant traffic.  Also, the bike lanes we encountered here (as shown above) are not as clearly marked as the painted green lanes found elsewhere.  These lanes are often found on narrower streets throughout the city.  The bicyclist is integrated into traffic alongside automobiles and pedestrians.  This part of the journey was a little tricky and unpredictable.  The rules of the road, and the determination as to who had the right of way, became somewhat vague.  The whole situation felt a little unsafe at times with the possibility of a car door opening suddenly or a pedestrian stepping out in front of you becoming very real.  Traffic was at a standstill at times, which actually made traversing the gridlock a safer prospect than when the traffic was moving, because cars were frequently firmly in the bike lanes.  

We made a quick stop before we made the trip back to Brooklyn.  We stopped at a store for refreshments, but found it difficult to find a safe or convenient place to lock up our bikes.  It was necessary to stack them up against a wall and to have someone wait with them.  This is probably a common problem around the city.  From here, we continued to the Manhattan Bridge.

Manhattan Bridge, Manhattan side looking east.  Double bike lanes, two-way traffic.

To our welcomed surprise, this bridge had a shallower slope compared to the Williamsburg Bridge!  There were also fewer pedestrians and cyclists in general, making it an altogether more pleasant ride in comparison.  Leaving the bridge and entering Dumbo we encountered an unusual stretch of roadway heading east on Sands St. 

Base of Manhattan Bridge, DUMBO. Double two-way bike lanes.

The unique aspect of this bikeway is that it acted as a separation between lanes accommodating two-way automobile traffic.  Unfortunately, there are very few of these in the city, it is a very safe way for cyclists to ride through heavily urbanized areas that incorporate highways.

Kent Avenue, Williamsburg/Greenpoint.  Double two-way bike lanes.

Once we reached Kent Ave. and the home stretch back to Greenpoint, we found ourselves on yet another type of bike lane.  These types of lanes are popping up more often throughout the city.  Street parking for automobiles are moved away from the curb and replaced by bike lanes.  This creates a buffer between automobile traffic and pedestrian/bike traffic.  However, automobiles turning left have a difficult time viewing bikers approaching intersections because the lane of parked cars can create a blind spot for drivers to see bicyclists.  Additionally, most pedestrians treat this lane as an expansion of the sidewalk and often walk out into the lanes without any awareness of oncoming bike traffic.

We arrived back in Greenpoint safely, and perhaps a little tired.  On looking at the time, we were surprised that we completed the route in such a short time.  A distance of approximately ten miles was covered in an hour and a half including a rest stop.  In addition, although the terrain was flat in most parts, some of the gradients we faced on the bridges were challenging at times.  On the whole, the experience was a positive one.