wellness
Bronx Parks Launch Safe Cycling Routes for Families and Beginners
Flat paths through Van Cortlandt Park and along the Bronx River Greenway give new riders and parents with children low-traffic options this summer.
How we reported this
Van Cortlandt Park opened an additional 1.8 miles of paved multi-use path on July 1 that connects the parade grounds to the Old Putnam Trail, creating a continuous flat loop suitable for children on training wheels and adults returning to the saddle.
City data show adult bicycle commuting in the Bronx rose 14 percent between 2023 and 2025, and local recreation staff report a parallel jump in family group registrations for weekend rides. The increase coincides with new protected segments added last year along Jerome Avenue and the completion of lighting upgrades in Pelham Bay Park, both of which reduce evening safety concerns for parents.
Two routes families already use
The Bronx River Greenway runs 2.2 miles from the 219th Street entrance south to Tremont Avenue, staying entirely within parkland and separated from motor traffic by a concrete barrier. Riders reach the trailhead by taking the 2 train to 225th Street and rolling bikes one block east to the river. Van Cortlandt Park’s Old Putnam Trail offers a second option: a 1.25-mile crushed-stone surface that stays level and passes the park’s nature center, where staff keep free helmets and basic repair kits for walk-up use.
Both routes fall under the NYC Parks Department’s Bronx Greenway program, which added 12 new benches and three water fountains along the paths this spring. The department also runs a free monthly “First Saturday Family Roll” at Van Cortlandt that supplies helmets sized for riders as young as five; the next session is scheduled for August 1 at 10 a.m.
Practical steps before heading out
Parents can check real-time surface conditions on the NYC Parks website, which posts daily updates for both parks. Rental bikes with child seats are available at the Jerome Avenue location of the Citi Bike system for $4.79 per 30 minutes. Riders should carry a basic patch kit; the nearest staffed repair stand sits inside the Van Cortlandt Golf House, open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Labor Day.
City transportation planners expect the next protected connection, linking the Bronx River Greenway to the Pelham Bay waterfront path, to open by spring 2027. Until then, the two existing routes already give Bronx households a combined 3.5 miles of car-free pavement that stays within park boundaries and away from major truck routes.