The Washington Bridge, not to be confused with the nearby George Washington Bridge, spans the Harlem River, the Harlem River Drive, the Major Deegan Expressway, the Cross Bronx Expressway, Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line and Sedgwick and Undercliff Avenues in the Bronx. It connects Washington Heights in Manhattan with the Morris Heights and Highbridge neighborhoods in the Bronx.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

The bridge has narrow, stair-free shared pedestrian / bicycle paths on its north and south sides. The north side path is recommended for cycling. The south side path is more difficult to navigate because of a brief detour through High Bridge Park on Manhattan.

Both paths are quite narrow . . .

. . . and made more cramped with an overhanging chain link fence for much of their length.

But they are not without a certain type of amenity. Both paths have several nooks with stone benches.

North Side

The north side path's Bronx entrance is on the west side of Edward L. Grant Highway / University Avenue / Martin Lunther King Jr. Boulevard, south of W. 174th Street.

The north side's Manhattan entrance is a plaza at a 90-degree bend in Laurel Hill Terrace, near the intersection of Amsterdam Avenue and W. 182nd Street.

Trying to get directly to Amsterdam Avenue leads one through an obstacle course across highway ramp. Not recommended.

South Side

The south side's path Manhattan entrance (with curb cuts) is at the southeast corner of W. 181st Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

This leads you to a three-way choice of what to do next.

Option 1. Not recommended, but clearly a well-beaten path. With this route you cross a curving highway on-ramp, and if cycling you have to lift your bike over two low metal fences.

Option 2 avoids the on-ramp, but gives you two sets of stairs. Also, not recommended.

Option 3. The stair-free, traffic-free option. This is the option you want.

On the Bronx side, you have another choice. Go straight forces you to cross a lane of traffic and jump two curbs.

This takes you to Edward L. Grant Highway, not far from the north side path's entrance.

Or, by turning right, you cross over the Cross Bronx Expressway to arrive at Ogden Avenue and University Avenue a/k/a Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. (This is the option shown in the map above.)

Mass Transit

The Washington Bridge carries five local bus routes, all of which terminate at the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal: the Bx3, Bx11, Bx13, Bx35 and Bx36.