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I am a central Pennsylvania resident who enjoys taking day trips to NYC. I had always done so by bus or train in the past, but recently gave driving a try. It really was not as bad as I thought. The first few times I drove across the VNB into Brooklyn and took the BQE. I have always been able to find a place to park in Greenpoint right on the street. Last time, I decided to avoid the BQE and instead came over to Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel and took 42nd Street East to 3rd Ave. North and over the Queensborough to Jackson Ave, over the Pulaski Bridge into Greenpoint. Is there a better way to get from the Lincoln to Greenpoint?
Why not take the GW to the Tri-Borough bridge. This avoids cross-town traffic!!
Once on the Tri-borough Bridge stay all the way to your right, as you'll be taking the very first exit (sorry forget the name).
Slow way down, because you'll make a right IMMEDIATELY at the foot of the off ramp (BEFORE the Elevated train!!). Watch out for on-coming traffic on your right as you make the turn (traffic is supposed to watch out for you, but you know how that goes).
Its a very short block, make the first right onto Astoria Blvd. Take Astoria Blvd. and cross 21st onto Vernon Blvd. (straight shot). Take Vernon all the past the Projects, past 44th St., all the way into Hunter's Point.
Make a left at the red brick Church (sorry forget the street name). This will take you directly across Jackson Ave. onto the bridge
OR
you could make the left at 44th Street and take that to McGuiness Blvd. and make a right onto McGuiness Blvd. which will lead you directly onto the bridge. Both ways get you to the same place, the first is a bit more scenic.
Walla! Once you cross the bridge you're in Greenpoint.
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You'll have to pay another toll on the Tri-Borough. Sa la vie!
Once over the Tri-Borough, depending upon how you drive and the traffic on Vernon Blvd., its 10 or 20 minutes to Greenpoint. I've just given you some serious native NYer tips. I accept donations by way of PayPal.
My nephew lives in Greenpoint right off the BQE close to McGuinness. Now, this is just him, but he claims it's better to just "bite the bullet" and do the Manhattan Bridge across Canal St. to the Holland Tunnel.
In off hours it's not that aweful, and in peak hours it's tough to maneuver the Triborough and the GWB as well.
I would agree with Makossa that it does not make sense to go to Midtown and then head back to Brooklyn. I would stick with the Holland to the Manhattan Bridge, myself, since any real time savings evaoprate when you add traffic and traffic lights that you must navigate through Manhattan or Queens.
One tip regarding Canal: watch the traffic on the approach to the outbound tunnel to NJ. You can be given the wave by the traffic agents to proceed, but absolutely do not do so unless you know that your vehicle will fit in the space. Do not count on squeezing through "enough" when the light changes, since you cannot predict if you will get through when the light changes. If you get caught when the light goes red, you will get a ticket, and that's a moving violation and 2 pts. for blocking the intersection. During off-hours this is likely not going to be an issue, but during peak times, remember not to block the box as it's $115 and 2 pts. I never move my vehicle unless I know that I will fit on the other side before the light changes, so just hold your ground and politely explain that if the traffic agents question you. Usually, they will stalk away in disgust if you tell them that, should you be questioned as to why you did not move.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
Midtown? What are you people talking about? "Back to Brooklyn"? To go back to a place, you have to be coming from that place. Whose coming from Brooklyn?
BTW, the Tri-Borough bridge is at 125th street.
You newbies simply kill me. Clueless.
Driving down Canal Street is an absolute Newbie move. It should never be done during the daytime!! There's more than one way to avoid it. The quickest was by way of Park Row, under Police HQ, but after 9/11 they closed the underpass. Moderator cut: Not necessary Ridiculous, of course, but the cops sure got a lot of new parking spaces!!! Typical NY.
The other I'll keep to myself, sorry. Old cab drivers never die, they just fade away....
Last edited by bmwguydc; 08-11-2009 at 08:25 PM..
Reason: Please don't make blanket generalizations.
The OP talked about Midtown, as in the Lincoln Tunnel, which had not moved the last time I drove through it. That's the Midtown reference to which I was speaking, which had absolutely nothing to do with the route suggested across the GWB.
Also, since the OP is from Pennsylvania, I'm guessing that they don't have the same level of experience with the city, hence why I always err on the side of the simplest route when I give directions to someone. Plus, the OP gets to pay yet another toll on the RFK (formerly Triborough Bridge), which is not always the easiest route either.
It's just my opinion as to the route I would suggest to the OP based upon their question, which does not have to agree with another, and is not an attack on a different perspective.
And, evidently the OP has been in Brooklyn by their post since they previously took another route, so they are going "back to Brooklyn."
__________________
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
Yep, I would take the Manhattan Br to Canal to the Holland, and just fight it out with the Traffic, Plus the Holland dumps you right @ 1-9 to 78 is the fastest way into PA, almost a straight shot. I take this all the time when going home to Pittsburgh
I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you and Makossa are talking about. At best its confusing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by makossa
My nephew lives in Greenpoint right off the BQE close to McGuinness. Now, this is just him, but he claims it's better to just "bite the bullet" and do the Manhattan Bridge across Canal St. to the Holland Tunnel.
@ Makossa, the above would be correct, IF the OP was coming from Greenpoint. The OP is coming from Pennsylvannia and, consequently, would not be going over the Manhattan Bridge to the Holland. He would be coming from the Holland heading TOWARD the Manhattan Bridge. The opposite.
Also, I presume your Nephew is a newbie to this city? So, how would he know? Yes, I have an anti-newbie bias. I admit it. Shoot me.
Quote:
In off hours it's not that aweful, and in peak hours it's tough to maneuver the Triborough and the GWB as well.
Yeah, and driving down Canal is better?
Peak hours is what time? Rush hour, yeah everyone knows rush hour is bad everywhere. Whatever the case, Canal Street is NOT to be done except at night--PERIOD! If one doesn't know or have had a lifetime of experience I just don't get the comments. Whatever.
The OP is making a pleasure drive so I don't think it will be done during rush hour traffic.
Tough to maneuver? For whom? If you're not used to driving in NYC traffic, I suppose it might be challenging.
In any event, the Tri-Borough ALWAYS looks worse than it is; and, that is from Queens to Manhattan/Bronx. From Manhattan into Queens its almost always a breeze non-rush hour, and there's a reason for this, unless there's an accident or some police action.
The reason traffic flows well Manhattan/Bronx into Queens is because from the bridge toll plaza all the way to Laguardia there is only one exit (not counting the Astoria exit which never effects traffic). It is the BQE exit which backs up only due to some accident. Given no accident, non-rush hour, traffic flows.
I live there, I come across that bridge all the time. Into and out of Manhattan.
JFYI, OP, if you want you can stay on the highway and take the second exit after the bridge and take the BQE. Doing so, would take you in the opposite direction, arriving in Greenpoint, as your route from the VNB. Just a note.
Additionally, the GW isn't any worse than the Holland or the Lincoln tunnels. In fact, the GW is best of the three. 4 lanes is better than two, every time.
The Holland entry plaza on the NJ side is a notorious mash. Having EZ-Pass is a must! The Lincoln Tunnel is a plodding entry as well, unless you know the local entry(ies). The GW is only as bad during rush hour or when there is an accident.
Moderator cut: Off-topic
Last edited by bmwguydc; 08-11-2009 at 08:30 PM..
Reason: Please stick to the topic of the thread and not semantic discussions of particular statements. Thanks.
Thank you all so much for the terrific suggestions. I like the idea of the GWB to the RFK because it seems the least amount of traffic, although an extra toll I wouldn't have if I took one of the tunnels. If I chose the Holland to the Manhattan Bridge, is it a straight shot on Canal? Also, once on the Brooklyn side, what would be the best streets to take to Greenpoint?
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Whatever.
