The good and bad of biking across the Mario Cuomo Bridge (aka the new Tappan Zee Bridge)

Biking across the replacement for the Tappan Zee Bridge (I know, I’m supposed to say the Mario Cuomo Bridge) has been on my to-do list since the bike lane section opened, oh, about five years ago.

So when do I finally get around to doing it? On about the hottest day of the year (so far).

Here’s the rundown:

First off, it’s fantastic that planners (no doubt with a big push from advocates) included a 3.6-mile walking-biking path on the north side of this bridge over the Hudson River. I know a multi-use path is never a given, even if the cost is a small piece of the big budget for a project like this one. And now we get gorgeous upstream vistas of the Palisades and beyond!

Clearly a lot of thought went into the six viewing areas as well as the public art on either end. Loved these:

This one catches the sun and changes colors:

Nice view:

Kudos, too, for the access points on either side, with parking and facilities. We parked on the Rockland County, and the signage from the highway to the path was perfect. OK, that final sharp left into the parking area is a bit weird.

And more points for the eye-catching bridge design, especially how the cables evoke sails on a ship.

The bridge connects Rockland County (west side of the Hudson) and Westchester County (east side), both in New York, so you don’t get the fun of straddling the state line in the middle of the river. You go uphill on the bridge from Rockland County; coming from Westchester County is much easier.

Now for the negatives of the bridge.

It is next to four lanes of traffic. The noise bothers some people; I found it OK. But if you’re looking for quiet, this isn’t it. Some people have said drive another hour or so north to the car-free Walkway over the Hudson. Yes, it’s awesome and part of a bigger trail. It just depends on your plans. In my case, this ride was a stop on the way to Connecticut.

The biggest downside, though, is the surface. Love the textured blue paint — it feels like it wouldn’t be slick in the rain. But those bigger bumps? Are bolts pushing through from the bottom? Was the blue surface applied too thinly?

I decided the smoothest place to ride was the white line diving the bike lane from the walking lane.

The bottom line: Ride it and deal with the bumps. And not just because it’s there. The views, the art — all make it worthwhile. And now the New York Thruway Authority is extending the path on the Westchester side so it will connect to the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail in Tarrytown, letting you walk or bike another 26 miles. Note: that’s not a paved path.

UPDATE: The bridge over the Thruway has been dropped into place.

For those looking to do a loop ride, there’s seasonal weekend ferry service further upstrean between Haverstraw (Rockland County, reachable from the bridge via the Haverstraw River Trail) and Ossining (Westchester County, on the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail).

Others like riding up 9W from the George Washington Bridge. It, too, has a bike/walk section, just not as nice.