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Hudson River Greenway
The Hudson River Greenway is the West Side section of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway located in New York City. It is a walking and cycling path that is physically separated from automobile traffic (some parts separate pedestrians and cyclists as well). It is the most heavily used bikeway in the country.
The Project
The Hudson River Greenway is the western side of the 32-mile long the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, a pathway that circles the island of Manhattan. The greenway is a large effort to reclaim Manhattan’s waterfront and provide space for muscle-powered transportation. The project has succeeded in transforming industrial zones near the West Village and Chelsea into the Hudson River Park as well as creating a lovely promenade along the once-blighted Harlem River shore [1]. In areas where waterfront is not yet accessible, bike-lane connectors have been provided along city streets, to form one continuous route around Manhattan.
Safety
Though the Hudson River Greenway is a protected bike path, some high profile bicycle crashes have occurred here in recent years. Problems exist where the trail intersects with bus and automobile traffic [2]. In addition, commercial driveways have been cut across the greenway [3], and there are access roads that are not adequately separated from the bike path. Bicyclist Eric Ng was killed on December 1, 2006 when a drunk driver cruised nearly a mile down the bike path, after entering via an access road near Chelsea Piers. [4].
The city has been working to address safety concerns. For example, some troublesome intersections have been treated with raised crosswalks and speed tables [2].
Crime
Sections of the greenway are potential high-crime locations if they are set apart not only from traffic but also from the rest of civilization. The New York City Department of Planning indicates that “most portions of the greenway are beautiful off-street paths through parks or other recreational spaces. “ [1] Nature paths may not be safe for walkers, joggers and cyclists if they provide hidden spaces for criminals to lurk. One example is the northern entrance of the greenway near the lightly-used Inwood Hill Park. Only stretches that have enough continuous foot traffic to dissuade potential offenders are viable corridors for commuting and recreation.
ALSO ON THE LIVABLE STREETS NETWORK
- Streetsblog: The Tease is Over: Greenway Link Delivers Delayed Gratification
- Streetsblog: Another Interruption Planned for Hudson Greenway
- Streetblog: Hudson Greenway “Cherry Walk” Still Dark and Dangerous
- Streetsblog: A Year After Eric Ng’s Death, Greenway Hazards Remain Unfixed
- Streetfilms: Tribute to Eric Ng
- Streetsblog: Eyes on the Street: Commissioner Sadik-Khan’s Commute
- Streetsblog: Eyes on the Street: Hudson River Greenway Crash
- Streetfilms: From Tragedy to Advocacy: Mary Beth Kelly
REFERENCES
Each source is referred to by the same number every time it is cited. Please keep citation style consistent.
[1] Manhattan Waterfront Greenway. NYC Department of City Planning.
[2] Improvements Coming to the Hudson River Greenway. Transportation Alternatives, Spring 2004.
[3] Chelsea Piers Wants Another Driveway Across Westside Bike Path. On NY Turf, December 16, 2006.
[4] Drunk Driver Kills Cyclist on West Side Bike Path. Gothamist, December 2, 2006.
PICTURE REFERENCES
Pictures are cited in the order they appear above. Please keep citation style consistent.
[1] Fort Washington Park Pedestrian Bridge, Washington Heights, NYC. Flickr.
[2] Bus Intersection on the Hudson River Greenway. Transportation Alternatives.
[3] Northern entrance of Westside greenway. Flickr.
