Cycling in the Palisades
Building cycling connectivity in the Palisades
The Palisades region is home to several of New York and New Jersey’s most popular cycling destinations.
The Conservancy serves as a conduit between the cycling community, municipal governments, regional planners, and park management to enhance cycling access and create safer and more enjoyable bike connections between and around the parks.
Join the Palisades Cycling Community to get your cycling ideas heard and receive road condition alerts and infrastructure development updates.
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Text us at (917) 267-8068
Active Transportation Infrastructure Projects
Palisades Shared Use Path
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What: New York Metropolitan Transportation Council is studying potential routes for safe cycling connections between the George Washington and Mario Cuomo Bridges on the western side of the Hudson River. NYMTC has conducted public outreach and multiple iterations of their plan to determine a recommendation for new cycling infrastructure.
Status:The final study is expected in Spring 2025 and will include route recommendations, but will not outline a plan for funding or a timeline for construction.
Rockland Riverway Trail
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What: Rockland County is exploring a potential 21-mile recreational pathway for pedestrians and bicyclists spanning from NJ/NY state line to the northernmost portion of Rockland County along or near the Hudson River whenever possible. Rockland County asked for public comment in a variety of forums, and the study period has concluded.
Status: There is no published final study from the Rockland Riverway project, but apparent collaboration between Rockland County and NYMTC indicates that the public sentiments recorded in that process are represented in the Palisades Path Study.
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9W Active Transportation Plan
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What: NJ DOT has studied improvements to increase cycling infrastructure on Route 9W from Palisades Avenue (where it connects to Hudson Terrace and the GW Bridge) to the New York State Line. This study explored initial design to add dedicated protected and non-protected bike lanes along a 9-mile stretch that is heavily trafficked by cyclists.
Status: Unlike the other projects listed here, the NJDOT project is in a pipeline for construction. Timeframe and funding are not guaranteed, but unlike the other organizations NJDOT has the jurisdiction and capacity to implement this project, meaning it will likely be built before any of the others.
Northern Valley Greenway
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What: A citizen-led initiative to convert an unused CSX rail line from the southern border of Tenafly to the northern border of Northvale to a linear park with pedestrian, cycling, and recreation infrastructure and amenities. This resulting linear park would be roughly 56 acres and just under 8 miles long.
Status: Despite general public support, this project is limited by the prohibitively high cost of the land acquisition from CSX. The land has also been explored as a potential area for expansion of the NJ Transit Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line, which is being studied and designed. Despite land cost and availability, the NVG is one of the most-straightforward projects in consideration and would be a welcome addition to the region pending improved east-west connections to the Hudson River and GW Bridge.
Palisades Parks Conservancy’s Bicycle Infrastructure Project is supported by:
