It’s somewhat off the beaten track.
New York City managed to finish a bike lane spanning about 30 blocks on the west side in eight months. Projects like those along the Scenic Hudson River Greenway are anticipated to slow down for, well, another year.
Long-term urban initiatives have been tough for cyclists. Many find themselves navigating dangerous streets while ignoring construction signs.
“They’re really enjoying this construction situation,” shared Danny Diaz, 37, who works at a car rental agency and cycles from Brooklyn along the Hudson River Greenway.
“I’ve been in New York for quite some time, so when they announce these projects, I hope they don’t take too long. But honestly, it’s kind of a letdown. They don’t have much to show for it,” he added.
Diaz expressed his frustration, which echoes the sentiments of many locals and cyclists who spoke with the Post. The main issue is the closure between 100th Street and St. Clair Place in Riverside Park, in addition to the closure of the Fort Washington Park Greenway between West 181st Street and Dykeman Street.
Both segments are part of the larger Hudson River Greenway, providing a scenic, car-free route for pedestrians and cyclists along Manhattan’s west side.
The first phase kicked off in September, with crews working on the Cherry Walk Greenway to repair cracks and smooth out the surface.
Nonetheless, cyclists have faced challenges with the closures, making their way through a pedestrian-congested area and dealing with a hazardous detour to Riverside Drive.
Compounding frustrations, cyclists noted that, despite deadlines at the end of March passing, the city’s Parks & Recreation Department claimed the project was finished.
Some adventurous cyclists have simply ignored the construction barriers. Recently, Post spotted personal trainer Kenny Won, 61, who hopped the fence to ride along the newly paved Cherry Walk Greenway, still technically under wraps.
“I’m from New York; fences don’t really stop me,” said a resident from the Upper West Side. “What are they gonna do—kick me out?”
Parks officials, however, maintain that paving markers must be completed before reopening happens.
By this week, access has resumed, but cyclists are still dealing with closures at Fort Washington Park, which is expected to stay closed until March 2026.
This project, near the George Washington Bridge, costs less than $1 million and aims to rebuild part of the bike path along the Henry Hudson Parkway.
Even before the closure in April, the path had been intermittently blocked by sinkholes, which have been an ongoing concern.
“You can’t walk a dog through Uptown due to a sinkhole,” remarked Sam Walgemus, 35, a resident of Washington Heights. “They attempted to fix it previously, but it hasn’t worked, and it’s been like this for two years.”
Walgemus added that the bike path close to the George Washington Bridge is consistently troubled by these sinkholes.
Peter Fried, a videographer from Riverdale, expressed confusion over why the city didn’t schedule these projects more effectively. The detours push cyclists onto a busy Broadway stretch between Dykeman and West 181st streets, which he considers hazardous.
“The detours are awful—potholes everywhere, cars parked carelessly, and even a scooter delivery hub causing chaos,” he explained. “It’s so frustrating when a shiny new bike path leads right into these dangerous detours.”
Fried questioned the city’s timing, suggesting they could have utilized the mild winter for construction work. “Why not work in winter? It’s really puzzling,” he noted.
The Parks department has largely sidestepped questions about the cyclist complaints regarding closures and rough detours.
“We commit to ensuring safe public spaces for New Yorkers interacting with them, whether commuting, exercising, or just enjoying the outdoors,” they stated.
The ongoing sinkhole issues along the Hudson River Greenway have prompted the Parks department to initiate a year-long study to explore engineering solutions for preventing future sinkholes, officials indicated.
The contractor has begun addressing the sinkhole problems and is expected to complete the work by summer, according to officials.
