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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.

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  • The Long Island Expressway service road and the Queensboro bridge are both good bike roads, although I'm couldn't find a good route from one to the other. (Also, I hope you mean bike 25a, which is not the same road as highway 25a.) Jul 28, 2011 at 20:23
  • And I thought I was hardcore when I had a 25 KM commute to work for most of 1 summer.
    – Kibbee
    Jul 28, 2011 at 20:53
  • I used to do Ironman races, and training for that meant finding long silly rides to do. As part of the commute, even better. So I like long rides. Though I am not in shape to do that anymore, but would love an excuse to get back into shape to do it!
    – geoffc
    Jul 29, 2011 at 13:13
  • @Neil Fein Which is which, in regards to 25A? I see it on the map, but not sure of teh difference.
    – geoffc
    Jul 29, 2011 at 13:14
  • 25A that you'd see on a regular map is inappropriate for bikes. Bike route 25A is an on-road signed route, I think you can get it from the Long Island Bike Map. Jul 29, 2011 at 14:54

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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.

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  • How is Jericho turnpike?
    – geoffc
    Jul 29, 2011 at 13:12
  • I can't say about Jericho. I've never been.
    – Apreche
    Jul 30, 2011 at 12:39
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    Just in case anyone comes across this now 5 year old post, Queens Blvd has changed drastically for the better and now includes well isolated "green lane" bike paths at least as far as Rego Park (where I live) and possibly further. Google maps also correctly reflects this.
    – nicholas
    Oct 4, 2016 at 2:38

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