September - October 2005

NYC Greenways

Selected Web Resources and Reading

by Alfredo Garcia

One of my very first 5BBC rides, in 1992, was a Beach Bum trip. The route then involved going on the Bay Shore Parkway recreation area. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, it was also my first ride on a greenway. The blue sky and sunshine views made for great and breathtaking views, particularly of the “Narrows” and Verrazano Bridge, and gave me tranquility. One of the trippers on the ride was aptly named Gail Green.

Greenways have opened up a whole new world for NYC cyclists (photo: Alfredo Garcia.)

So, what is a greenway, really? According to a gardenvisit.com web page, greenways are defined as a linear open space, which is green in the environmental sense and serves as a route. The latter definition could be expanded to a passage used by pedestrians and cyclists. In Charles E. Little’s book, “Greenways for America,” there are five different types of greenways: a) urban riverside; b) recreational; c) ecological; d) scenic and historical; and e) comprehensive.

Nowadays, every New York City borough has greenways to bike, run, walk, and roller blade, as well as a place to pause. Although greenways are closed to motor traffic, you still have to be alert while riding them. Greenways are recreational places, which means you’re not only exercising to reach a destination, but also taking the time to appreciate your surroundings. Some intersections are connected to roads, so you have to watch out for moving cars. On the path itself, it helps to be patient. Vary your riding pace, because you will encounter pedestrians with young children, rollerbladers and cyclists of different speeds, in every direction. When greenways are busy – usually during weekends and good weather days – you may as well forget about riding fast.

To find out more about greenways, the Internet has several useful resources:

• Brooklyn Greenway Initiative. This organization is devoted to planning and creating greenways in the Borough of Churches, especially along its waterfront and the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway. They publish a greenway planning primer and are always looking for people to lead bike rides. www.brooklyngreenway.org.

• East Coast Greenway. Devoted to the bigger picture of greenway planning, the organization looks at everything going on from Maine to the Florida Keys www.greenway.org.

• Forgotten New York. Phil Goldberg introduced me to this, and what a discovery it is! Created by Kevin Welsh, this website uses words and photographs to document places you may not be aware of, and some of it are on greenways. www.forgotten-ny.com/.

• Friends of Hudson River Park. This is an organization that supports development of the park on the west side of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, from 59th St. to Chambers St. www.fohrp.org.

• GORP Biking the Big Apple. GORP is an information network of outdoor activities throughout the United States. gorp.away.com/gorp/location/ny/bik_gree.htm.

• Gantry State Park. The “Gantry” is a serene area in Queens that faces the United Nations on the East River. Hopefully, a greenway will soon reach it. The “Gantry” refers to an inactive rail bridge that once linked freight cars from disembarking ships to the area’s railroad track. Besides leisure, the Park hosts jazz music festivals. www.queenswest.com/gantrypark/pictures/.

• Great Saunter. This annual walking event happens every May. It challenges hikers to walk the 32-mile Manhattan perimeter, which includes the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, in one day. www.shorewalkers.org.

• Harlem River Speedway. On the site, you’ll see past historic postcard photographs that show how it has segued to this now present part of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway. www.coffeedrome.com/bobspeed.html.

• Manhattan Waterfront Greenway. This is the New York City government’s official website on for the greenway, covering its past, present and future. www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/mwg/mwghome.html.

• Manhattan Waterfront Greenway – Reports on Trips and Conditions. Ken Roberts has a great website on cycling the Hudson Valley; some of his travels also cover Manhattan’s Greenways. www.roberts-1.com/bikehudson/v/nyc/mwg/reports/index.htm.

• NYC.bicycles. This is an online discussion newsgroup that focuses on cycling in the Big Apple, with very frequent talk about greenways. Go to nyc.bicycles.

• New York City Department of City Planning (Bicycle Development Network). On this site, City Planning details what it has researched and implemented for cycling. www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/bike/home.html.

• New York City Department of City Planning (Bike Maps). This is the online version of the ubiquitous maps. You can get a print copy at just about any local bike shop or cycling event. www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/bike/bm.html.

• New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. A good number of our city parks are connected to greenways. See the” Bicycling and Greenways” section. www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/facilities/af_bike_paths.html.

• Staten Island North Shore Greenway / Kill van Kull Waterfront. Created by the Waterfront Park Coalition and developed through the League of Conservation Voters, this site covers multi-use, green plans for developing the north side of Staten Island. www.nylcv.org/Programs/WPC/blueprint/boroughs/staten_island/pages/2_kill_van_kull/.

• Tour de Bronx. This free annual bike event is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 23, 2005. The comprehensive borough ride includes miles of Bronx greenways, and is not to be missed. www.tourdebronx.org.

• Transportation Alternatives. TA is the leading bike and pedestrian advocacy organization. They have extensively written related articles on greenways (e.g. “NYC’s Greenways Fuel Surge in Cycling.”). TA’s annual NYC Century Tour, scheduled for September 11, 2005, utilizes various greenways (except Staten Island), is recommended for strong and curious riders with guts. www.transalt.org.

In addition to the above websites, my recommended reading includes “Greenways for America,” by Charles E. Little (John Hopkins Press: 1990). From Brooklyn to Big Sur, Little covers what greenways are all about: their origins, histories, and many benefits.

If you want to ask me more about greenways or find out more about upcoming rides, feel free to contact me at cyclistxxiii@yahoo.com.

Alfredo Garcia