New York Street Closures May 5

[Underwatr]

A heads up for passengers planning to be in NYC on May 5, whether embarking or visiting as part of a B2B:

 

The annual "Five Boros Tour" bicycle event will be held on that day. The bike route touches all five New York boroughs, and streets will be closed to accommodate this route. Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn will be particularly affected.

 

I'm having a bit of trouble finding specific street closure information for 2019 (based on previous years I'd expect it around April 30 or May 1) but a preliminary map of the route is here:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29770567. Other than the Staten Island-bound lanes on the lower level of the Verrazzano Bridge (the upper level will be open in both directions) I don't see much that will affect traffic flow in or out of Red Hook, but travel on surface streets will probably be slowed.

 

 

I'm riding in the event this year and it just recently occurred to me that QM2 will be in town as well.

 

As I learn more about closures I'll update this thread.

 

[Underwatr]

A photo at the starting line from a few years ago. Around 32,000 cyclists...

 

[wenlyn]

You have made me feel very pleased I've booked a car to take us to Newark rather than ferry, foot & airtrain - & that we decided to pick the hire car up in Newark 🙂 Enjoy your ride!

[TheOldBear]

8 hours ago, Underwatr said:

A heads up for passengers planning to be in NYC on May 5, whether embarking or visiting as part of a B2B:

 

The annual "Five Boros Tour" bicycle event will be held on that day. The bike route touches all five New York boroughs, and streets will be closed to accommodate this route. Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn will be particularly affected.

 

I'm having a bit of trouble finding specific street closure information for 2019 (based on previous years I'd expect it around April 30 or May 1) but a preliminary map of the route is here:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29770567. Other than the Staten Island-bound lanes on the lower level of the Verrazzano Bridge (the upper level will be open in both directions) I don't see much that will affect traffic flow in or out of Red Hook, but travel on surface streets will probably be slowed.

 

 

I'm riding in the event this year and it just recently occurred to me that QM2 will be in town as well.

 

As I learn more about closures I'll update this thread.

 

 

It's been a quite few years since I did the 5BBT [Mostly in the lead marshal group, just behind the motorcycle police] but I do recall the route uses the BQE instead of any surface street in Brooklyn. This may have an impact on folks driving from the east [Long Island Expressway] or the North [Throgs Neck & Whitestone bridges]

 

The BQE closure ends about 2PM - Stragglers are diverted over the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan.

 

If you enjoyed the ride, you may want to consider volunteering as a Marshal - there used to be a one week before 'pre ride' with the same road closures and escorts. Mostly this was a training ride for the police escorts, but also allows the folks with non riding positions on the day of the event to ride the route.

 

[Underwatr]

4 hours ago, TheOldBear said:

I do recall the route uses the BQE instead of any surface street in Brooklyn. This may have an impact on folks driving from the east [Long Island Expressway] or the North [Throgs Neck & Whitestone bridges]

 

 

I'm still looking for the finalized route (more so I have a means of measuring my progress than of a vague fear of getting lost 🙂 ) but the route I linked to in my OP uses surface streets in Brooklyn rather than the BQE. There's a suggestion that it runs down to the Tesla dealer at the corner of Imlay & Van Brunt near the cruise terminal (which could create a mess since that's on the route from the northbound BQE to the terminal) but since the route doubles back on Van Brunt to Union Street I'm thinking it could be a mapping error by whoever laid the route out in the mapping site.

 

There are more serious issues with the route as mapped near the VNB, but the routing through Brooklyn doesn't suggest a simple mapping program error.

 

This will probably be my only time on this ride. Other rides mail out bibs and bike numbers rather than making the participants travel to the ride location a day or two early. 

 

 

[TheOldBear]

59 minutes ago, Underwatr said:

 

I'm still looking for the finalized route (more so I have a means of measuring my progress than of a vague fear of getting lost 🙂 ) but the route I linked to in my OP uses surface streets in Brooklyn rather than the BQE. There's a suggestion that it runs down to the Tesla dealer at the corner of Imlay & Van Brunt near the cruise terminal (which could create a mess since that's on the route from the northbound BQE to the terminal) but since the route doubles back on Van Brunt to Union Street I'm thinking it could be a mapping error by whoever laid the route out in the mapping site.

 

There are more serious issues with the route as mapped near the VNB, but the routing through Brooklyn doesn't suggest a simple mapping program error.

 

This will probably be my only time on this ride. Other rides mail out bibs and bike numbers rather than making the participants travel to the ride location a day or two early. 

 

 

 

There is a pdf map of the route on the "routes and services" page : https://www.bike.nyc/events/td-five-boro-bike-tour/route-services/ 

I don't know if this sets a record for 'off topic', but it certainly is in the running for the winner 😉

 

 

[Underwatr]

18 hours ago, TheOldBear said:

I don't know if this sets a record for 'off topic', but it certainly is in the running for the winner 😉

 

Closing one of the major north-south routes in Manhattan for the morning won't be disruptive to visitors? That's good to know.

[bluemarble]

FWIW, Cunard thinks this topic is worth mentioning to QM2 passengers. Quoting from the QM2 daily programme for Friday, 3 May:

 

The TD Five Boro Bike Tour

During our call in New York on Sunday, 5 May, a Five Boro bike tour will occur. The bikes will take over several streets in every borough of New York City, as 32,000 people compete in the annual bike race. The TD Five Boro Bike Tour’s 40-mile route, as the name suggests, carves a path through Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn before crossing the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to Staten Island. Due to the Five Borough Bike Tour, there will be a lot of street closures that will cause delays. The start is in four waves from 7.30am to 9.20am and it will go on until 5.00pm.

[Underwatr]

I now have the official route and the southbound BQE and Gowanus Expressway between Red Hook and the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge, including the westbound lower level of the bridge, will be closed on Sunday. Hopefully anyone with a right connection to Newark Airport will not be inconvenienced.

 

In Manhattan the route will be swept at 6 mph starting in lower Manhattan at about 9:30, and 6th Avenue will reopen to car traffic at 10 AM.

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for the update, enjoy the ride.

[Underwatr]

I plan to be on the on the 6 AM Staten Island Ferry headed to Manhattan; hopefully QM2 will be close enough for a magical glimpse.

[3rdGenCunarder]

17 hours ago, Underwatr said:

I plan to be on the on the 6 AM Staten Island Ferry headed to Manhattan; hopefully QM2 will be close enough for a magical glimpse.

 

It could be a very "atmospheric" glimpse. It's going to rain all day tomorrow, not the best weather for a ride. I hope you can stay dry--as much as possible--and enjoy the ride.

 

And for people flying out of Newark, rain sometimes delays flights, so people may have extra time to catch their flights. 

[Underwatr]

It'll be wet but not horribly wet. 

 

[Underwatr]

Passing QM2 in the harbor right now...

 

 

🙂

Edited May 5, 2019 by Underwatr

[Host Hattie]

Magical & atmospheric !

[Tonopah]

Wow. Beautiful picture. Thank you

[3rdGenCunarder]

6 hours ago, Underwatr said:

Passing QM2 in the harbor right now...

 

 

🙂

 

Nice! I've taken pictures of the ferries as we sailed in, and didn't think about what a lovely view those passengers had!

 

As for the rain, at least here in NJ, it isn't as heavy as the TV weather forecasters said it would be. I wish they wouldn't over-dramatize so much. 

 

Hope you're warm and dry by now.

 

 

Edited May 5, 2019 by 3rdGenCunarder

[Underwatr]

I just got home (3.5 hour drive), took a hot shower and got into a warm bed. 

 

I'd do it again if I knew the weather would be nicer. 🙂

[pcryer1958]

On 5/5/2019 at 4:36 AM, Underwatr said:

Passing QM2 in the harbor right now...

 

 

🙂

Look real close and you might see us waving from our balcony! Had a great time on the QM2 😃 and getting to LaGuardia was no problem. Guess our driver went the back roads.

 

[Underwatr]

One last comment on the ride. Here I am climbing the Queensboro Bridge in the rain. 🙂

 

[wenlyn]

Looking very dedicated. It really was horribly wet. 

[Underwatr]

Aside from the ponds on FDR Drive it wasn't bad once we got moving. I'm already giving thought to next year (although my wife worries about my adventures). 

[wenlyn]

How quickly the human mind forgets the negatives 😁If I had to I would far rather ride a bike in  New York on a day they close the roads over a normal day! (I saw your ferry passing as we arrived - though I couldn't see anyone taking pictures)