Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge Staten Island-Bound Lower Level Will be Closed
Mass Transit is the Easiest and Most Sustainable Way to the Five Boro Bike Tour
Motorists Should Expect Delays and Allow for Extra Travel Time
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is reminding customers that mass transit is the best way to get to the TD Five Boro Bike Tour on Sunday, May 7. Closures will be in effect for certain MTA bridges and tunnels to accommodate the tour.
MTA Bridges and Tunnels
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge (VNB)
The Staten Island bound lower level of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge will be closed from 12:01 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 7. Due to the closure of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE)/Gowanus Expressway for this event, traffic will not be able to access the bridge via this approach from approximately 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Note that the upper level of the bridge will remain open in both directions throughout the event with the Staten Island bound upper level only accessible from the Belt Parkway and 92 St entrance ramps. To hear information about all VNB Five-Boro Bike Tour closures, call (718) 556-8010.
Other closings at the VNB include:
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One Brooklyn bound lane on the lower level from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
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The Bay St exit from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
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The 92 St entrance ramp to the Staten Island-bound lower level from approximately 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
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The Belt Parkway entrance ramp to the Staten Island-bound lower level from approximately 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
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The Lily Pond Av exit from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge (RFK)
The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge’s exit ramp to the southbound FDR Drive will be closed from approximately 7:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. All southbound traffic must exit the RFK via the 2 Av-East 125 St ramp.
Hugh L. Carey Tunnel (HLC)
The approach from the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel to the westbound Gowanus/BQE will be closed from approximately 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Due to this off-property closure, all traffic exiting the HLC Tunnel in Brooklyn will be diverted to Hamilton Av during this time, and the Trinity Place exit in Manhattan will also be closed from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Motorists should expect delays and plan additional travel time or seek alternate routes. Closing times are subject to change by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and event organizers.
New York City Subway
Customers who want to take their bike onto the subway need to tap their OMNY-enabled device or swipe their MetroCard while the station agent watches, rotate the turnstile, then enter through the station service gates once they are activated by the agent. For safety’s sake, customers should carry, not roll, bikes down stairs. Customers are prohibited from riding bicycles in stations or onboard trains.
At the start or finish of the tour, customers with bicycles who wish to use the subway should use the following subway stations: Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall Bowling Green (Bowling Green Park entrance only), Chambers St , Chambers St , World Trade Center , Cortlandt St , South Ferry , Broad St .
Riders are asked not use the following stations as they are not well-equipped to handle large volumes of bicycles: Fulton St , Wall St , Wall St , Park Place , Rector St , Rector St , and Whitehall St .
New York City Buses
Several bus routes throughout the city will be affected by street closures throughout the day. Customers should log on to new.mta.info and check the “Current Service Status” for updates.
Paratransit
Access-A-Ride (AAR) customers may experience delays due to street closures.
Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad
The LIRR and Metro-North are offering plenty of service to get cyclists to the start of the tour in time. Both railroads recommend that cyclists use a bungee cord to secure their bike while riding on the train. Customers should carefully read signage at their station of origin to make sure that parking is free and unrestricted.
Tour participants should plan to arrive in time to ride or take the subway to Battery Park for the start of the tour event. The distance from Grand Central, Penn Station, or Atlantic Terminal Brooklyn, to Battery Park is 3 to 3.5 miles.