Suggested route across Long Island?

Question

I am contemplating riding from New Jersey, across the George Washington Bridge, across Manhattan, into Queens and on to work in Long Island. I am already spending up to 2 hours on the drive due to traffic, and I think it will take me about 2.5 to 3 hours on the bike. I am considering doing it one way.

My concern is possible routes across Long Island. I only need to get out to Bethpage, between the Northern State/Southern State highways.

Looking at maps, it seems that my best option is Queensboro bridge (Aka 59th St, aka Koch bridge) to Queens Boulevard, and then stay on 25A which changes names, pretty much the whole way out there.

My concern is whether this is a rideable road. Last summer I was lucky enough to be able to ride 30+ miles to Parsipanny, NJ, and riding along Rt 46 where it has a paved shoulder was a dream come true! The trucks and cars zipping by just dragged me along. A pleasure.

But I have never even driven Queens Blvd, and do not really have time to try it.

Google Maps, selecting bike routing has a convoluted, complicated, longer route, trying to hit parks and bike paths as best it can.

So to make this more relevant, I am looking for a good bike route, out of Manhattan and across Long Island.

Answer 1

I live in Astoria and bike over the Queensboro bridge to work in Manhattan, and back, every weekday. I've also biked all over the general area. Personally, I would not take Queens Boulevard. It's mostly a four-lane situation, and is not pleasant for cycling. It's complex and constantly changing situation that will have you going quite slow to watch out for cars coming from every which way. Not to mention some cars park paralell, and some in other directions. You have to watch for doors, and also getting backed into. If you have to cross from one side to the other at any point, good luck. I had to do that a few times when biking to Maspeth, and I just gave up and walked it at a crosswalk.

Bethpage is really far considering you are all the way in NJ. Biking in in the morning and using some other mode of transportation to get home is a good idea. Going both ways every day would be too much for most people.

I would suggest listening to Google Maps. Their cycling directions have done well for me, and the path it charts from 59th street to Bethpage looks good. You have to remember complicated directions, but the tradeoff is you avoid really complicated traffic patterns and traffic itself. You'll also avoid lots of traffic lights making you stop all the time.

Maybe I'll see you on the bridge. Good luck.