Overview
This following comprises a campaign to enable bicyclists traveling east-west along Seven Lakes Drive to legally cross the Palisades Interstate Parkway and Route 6.
Problem
For decades, cyclists traveling between Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks along Seven Lakes Drive (“7LD”) have been turned back by the Palisades Interstate Park Police because it is illegal for cyclists to bike along, or across, any section of the Palisade Interstate Parkway (“PIP”) or Route 6—even for short distances, or to walk bikes along the shoulder.
Despite the prohibition, cyclists continue to access Bear Mountain and 7LD, crossing the PIP illegally.
“Heat Map” of cyclists usage. Image RidewithGPS.
Solution #1 – Pass a local exception to the Section 1229-a of the NYS V&TL
Section 1229-a of the V&TL prohibits bicyclists from operating on limited-access highways including interstates, freeways, expressways and parkways. However exemptions have been granted to allow cyclist access—notably on bridges across major waterways, and roads designated part of the Empire State Trail.
Local Conditions
Questions about enabling bicyclist access along the 7LD corridor should be viewed in context of the “categorically awful” conditions across the area. These include high-speed traffic, narrow shoulders and extended climbs. All of which require above-average cycling proficiency to navigate.
7 Lakes Drive looking east towards Perkins Memorial Drive
9W/202 looking north towards Bear Mountain State Park.
Bear Mountain Traffic Circle
9D looking north towards Garrison.
202 looking south towards Peekskill.
Solution #2 – Have NYSDOT facilitate a two-way, on-road bike path along cyclists’ preferred alignment
In order to make the corridor accessible to broader categories of cyclists, have NYSDOT facilitate a two-way bike route, with the westbound (“red”) following the Queensboro Lake Overpass and northern shoulder of Route 6 and eastbound (yellow) along the Route 6 southern shoulder, merging across the PIP before continuing onto 7LD towards Bear Mountain.
The proposed upgrades are similar to those found elsewhere in NYSDOT Region 8.
The projected cost for proposed safety upgrades ranges from $0.3 million with on-road striping to $1.3 million with paved shoulders.
Image RidewithGPS.
Proposed Upgrades
• Restripe the Queensboro Lake Overpass to create a bikeway on its north shoulder.
Queensboro Lake Overpass looking west. Images Google Maps.
• Raise the height of Queensboro Lake Overpass safety guardrail.
PIP in Bardonia, NY
• Pave shoulder, relocate barrier along Route 6 heading west. Add bike-ped crossing signage and crosswalk across Route 6 heading north.
North County Trailway crossing near Pleasantville
• Add Fitch barriers and pedestrian activated crossing lights to the Long Mountain Traffic Circle.
Long Mountain Traffic Circle (1110′) looking south
Bartow Traffic Circle (1357′ circumference) looking east across horse and bike crossings
Note
The PIPC’s $5 million proposal for a shared-use path through the Anthony Wayne Service Area will comprise steep climbs-descents (up to 13% grade) and blind turns, inevitably putting cyclists in conflict with hikers-runners-dog-walkers and other cyclists.
Cyclists skidding out wet leaves following rainstorms will be an omnipresent hazard.
Image Chazen Engineering.
Complete George 