photo by Flickr user Charley Lhasa
The NYC Parks Department has announced it will be temporarily closing Cherry Walk path in Riverside Park between 100th and 125th Streets. The closure will begin on Monday, September 28. The Parks Department released the following statement on September 18:
“Out of an abundance of caution, and due to planned shoreline and path reconstruction work, NYC Parks has announced that it will temporarily close the Cherry Walk path in Riverside Park from W. 100th to W. 125th streets. The closure will begin Monday, September 28.
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“The Cherry Walk is slated for necessary safety and infrastructure work as part of a $1.5 million FEMA-funded reconstruction to address damage caused by Superstorm Sandy in Riverside and Fort Washington parks. The project will restore the vulnerable shoreline and repave the path, providing a safer and smoother biking experience.
“The Cherry Walk will be temporarily closed until further notice.”
I did not see an expected completion date for the Cherry Walk project in the NYC Parks statement. Maybe the article can be updated to include this important information.
NYC Parks projects notoriously run over expected completion dates. Anyone familiar with the park area on Riverside Blvd between 66-68th street can attest to completion delays. This project is 2-3 years behind schedule. I think it is time for someone to investigate this long delayed project.
Does this mean more bicyclists will be on the paths in Riverside Park itself? I’ve been relying on the wide stretch of pavement between 100th and 110th to let my toddler run around during this pandemic. I’ve been able to handle the current number of bicyclists, but if therr is going to be an influx of them, I guess that will be another place I’ll have to avoid…..yay
Hudson River Greenway Bike Path – aka “Cherry Walk” (sic) – The City is about to close the riverside bike path from 100th St to 125th St for much-needed repairs due to damage from flooding during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. It is part of the most heavily used bikeway in the U.S. I don’t know how long it will be closed. I don’t know if the path will be rebuilt or just repaved. At present it is quite narrow, yet used by pedestrians, rollerbladers, recreational bikers, commuting bikers, & bike racers. I know the available land west of the highway is very narrow, but there is an obvious need to create a safer space for all. However, regardless of how the existing path is rebuilt, it’s realistic to assume it will be flooded again, so the City needs to consider creating a similar path on the east side of the West Side Highway from 96th St to 125th St, where the available land is much higher & generally wider – at least north of 112th St..
After making a quick survey of the land on the east side, I believe there is sufficient unused land there to build such a path. It would be a capital project that would take some time to develop & bring to fruition, but it should be prioritized now. It should be understood that this bike path is not used by just the residents of the immediate area. It is used by bikers from the entire west side of Manhattan. There is a constant 2-way flow of bikers from South Ferry & Battery Park all the way up to the George Washington Bridge. It is a major commuting route for some; a unique workout/training area for others; a space for fresh air, a breeze, a quiet walk for still others.
Does anyone know if Community Boards 7, 9, 10 have weighed in on this issue? And where are our elected officials on this issue?
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer,
St. Senators for Districts 29 (Jose Serrano), 30 (Brian Benjamin), 31 (Robert Jackson),
Assemblypersons for Districts 67 (Linda Rosenthal), 69 (Daniel O’Donnell), 70 (Inez Dickens),
Councilpersons for Districts 6 (Helen Rosenthal), 7 (Mark Levine), 9 (Bill Perkins),
& all the District Leaders.