Not Currently Bikeable

Whitestone (TBTA)

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Because the Whitestone no longer has a path, cyclists must either find other means of transport or ride 13 miles out of their way to the Triborough Bridge. The Transit Authority's Q44 bus, which crosses the bridge at frequent intervals, should be equipped with bike racks to transport bicycles across. Another option is the QBx1, run 24 hours a day by Queens Surface Corp. (See Chapter 9: Bicycles and Transit, for discussion of bikes on buses.)

Verrazano (TBTA)

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Cyclists and pedestrians have access to this bridge only twice a year, during the 5-Boro Bike Tour and the NYC Marathon. Otherwise, to travel between Brooklyn and Staten Island, cyclists and pedestrians must detour up to 12 miles to the Staten Island Ferry.

A bike-pedestrian path on the Verrazano would offer nonmotorized travelers a dramatic experience of New York Harbor and also make a powerful statement about the region's support of personal transportation alternatives to the auto. A path would also permit an intriguing coastal route from downtown Manhattan to South Brooklyn, via the Staten Island Ferry and Bay Street. New York-area transportation planner Steve Faust estimated in 1976 that a bike-pedestrian path could be installed by attaching prefabricated decking to the trusses of the main span, for a cost that translates to $9-10 million in 1992 dollars. [2]

A recent NYC Dept. of City Planning report identified a Verrazano bike-pedestrian link as a desirable goal for waterfront planning, and Brooklyn and Staten Island community newspapers have taken up the call. As of this writing, the TBTA has not responded to a query from Transportation Alternatives regarding the Dept. of City Planning recommendation. Pending a permanent bridge path, the Transit Authority should install bike racks on its S7 bus which traverses the Verrazano.

Throgs Neck (TBTA)

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There is no access for cyclists or pedestrians. To cross Long Island Sound a cyclist must detour up to 15 miles to the Triborough Bridge (a trip that would be shortened greatly if the Whitestone Bridge admitted bikes). No buses cross the bridge, and the TBTA has no plans to provide bike access.

Outerbridge Crossing (Port Authority)

Since this bridge's cyclist-pedestrian path was torn out, bicyclists traveling between Staten Island and New Jersey have been forced to ride up to 25 miles out of their way. There are no regularly scheduled buses over the bridge. The Port Authority should initiate a shuttle service or at least a “share a ride” area, where drivers could pick up and drop off both cyclists and pedestrians; such a policy operates unofficially in San Francisco, where drivers rendezvous with passengers to qualify for the speedy carpool lane of the Oakland Bay Bridge.

Manhattan (DoT)

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The City DoT has plans to remake the bike-pedestrian path on the Bridge's west side, linking Flatbush Avenue and Canal Street. While the bridge could be bike-accessible by the mid-1990s, traffic safety elements in the current rehabilitation scheme are still cause for concern. First, since the pathway is only 10 feet wide, heavy bike and pedestrian use could create user conflicts; the DoT should explore options for opening a second path on the eastern side if the path proves popular.

Second, the plan may force cyclists and walkers to face dangerous motor traffic when entering or exiting the path. On the Brooklyn side, no signaling provisions have been made for pedestrians and cyclists who will have to cross a wide, busy street to enter or exit the bridge. Similarly, drivers in Manhattan heading uptown along the Bowery may turn onto the bridge without having to stop, making bike and foot approaches to the bridge more complicated and potentially dangerous. The DoT needs to sit down with cyclist and pedestrian advocates to resolve these issues.

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