The shared bike/pedestrian path in Central Park (photo by Kate Hinds)
In the past, bicyclists wanting to cross Central Park had two legal choices: ride a couple of extra miles around the loop, or use the more direct — but narrow and often dangerous — transverses used by vehicles.
Until now.
(photo by Kate Hinds)
Shortly before New Year’s, the New York City Parks Department and the Central Park Conservancy began a six-month pilot program permitting bicyclists to share a pedestrian path south of the 97th Street transverse. According to a Parks Department spokesperson, the path will be monitored to see if it should continue — or possibly even be expanded.
(photo by Kate Hinds)
When the shared path program was first announced last June, there were supposed to be two. Parks wouldn’t comment on why the number of paths in the trial program had been reduced to one. But the lanes were not exactly welcomed by Community Board 8 — the board representing the east side. And last year, Central Park seemed to become center stage for a bike ticketing crackdown.
But earlier this week, when TN checked out the path, all was quiet. The park was relatively uncrowded at 10:30 in the morning on the west side.
(photo by Kate Hinds)
Earlier reports indicted that there might be posted speed limits for cyclists, but the signs currently in place tell bicyclists to “ride slowly.” Other rules: yield to pedestrians, ride in single file, and no bicycle groups over four people.
(photo by Kate Hinds)
If you’re looking for it, the path is just south of the 97th Street transverse and passes just north of the tennis courts on the West Side. (For a map of Central Park, go here.)
Have you used the path yet? Let us know your experience, and comment below!
Related stories
When this sharing of a footpath with bicycles occurred in the section off the PCH in Santa Monica, CA. it resulted in many serious accidents. Bicycles can cause terrible accidents when they run over pedestrians. Eventually, the pedestrians started carrying sticks to protect themselves. Sticks in the spokes resulted.
Fortunately, New Yorkers are more civilized than Santa Monicans!
I think most bicyclists are civilized but what about the car traffic on the pedestrian pathways. The vehicles take up the entire pathway and the pedestrians have to walk on the grass…this is outrageous (police, EMT, parks, etc). We need to remove non emergency vehicles from the pedestrians pathways.
But this makes no sense. There is already a road for emergency motor vehicles across 103rd St. that, I believe, bikes are allowed to use. (Certainly the police are in the habit of allowing it.)
The shared path needs to happen further south.
Bravo. This is a great idea. Nearly all bikers on the paths bike responsibly – unlike the frequent speeders with the racing bikes on the paved roads. When this program proves to be safe, would like to see other paths open to bikes as well. To make sure program suceeds, speed limits or warnings should be posted freely and park police should ticket speeders and recklass bikers on paths.
Living and biking in Santa Monica I can tell you guys that the stick story is urban legend for the gullible.
It’s crowded near the pier, yes. There are peds on the bike path (maybe even from NYC!) who don’t see the walking path next to it. On July 4th there were so many cyclists on the path that the lifeguards declared a “Sigalert” due to traffic congestion – just like the 405 freeway, and advised people to “take an alternate route”.
No people with sticks attacking the castle, nor cyclists on the bike path. Might be a movie plot in there somewhere?
I think it’s a great idea to use the transverse. Though I hope signage/instructions will be clear about cyclists leaving the path and re-entering the drives. It’s amazing to me how rarely people look for oncoming traffic.
I think it’s a great idea to use the pedestrian path south of the transverse. Though I hope signage/instructions will be clear about cyclists leaving the path and re-entering the drives. It’s amazing to me how rarely people look for oncoming traffic.