By Carol Tannenhauser
Talk to anyone who walks their dog in Central Park before 9 a.m., when the leash law goes into effect, and chances are they’ll say the same thing:
“Best part of my day.”
That was true for me even before I made a small alteration in my longtime daily route, which has made the experience even better. In fact, might I say, I have solved the problem of crossing the drives in Central Park.
Let me explain.
To get into the middle of the park, I used to cross West Drive, entering at Central Park West and West 81st Street, then following a path to the drive, which hasn’t had cars since 2018, but is jammed with bicycles and pedestrian traffic nevertheless. Every morning I would stand, seething, across from a universally disregarded traffic light as swarms of bikers sped by. I’m not talking about electric bikes, though they were among them. I’m talking about the human-propelled ones, ridden by people, mostly men, clothed in suits designed for speed. And that’s exactly what they are there to do — speed — regardless of pedestrians like me trying to cross the roadway to access the paths, woods, and meadows of the park.
One morning, I had an epiphany. There is a fork in the path from the 81st entrance of the park leading to the drive. Bravely, I decided to take the lefthand path instead of the right, which was my habit, and, lo and behold, I came upon a tunnel called the Winterdale Arch that passes underneath the drive. Now, not only have I said goodbye to anxious, angry, dangerous morning crossings, but the arch has a wonderful echo.
My dog thinks I’m odd when I whoop my way through it.
I’m lucky because my entrance to the park at West 81st Street has such a convenient tunnel. Those who enter at West 77th or West 85th streets can easily find their way to it. But they may not have to; now, my mission is to identify and pinpoint other tunnels along West Drive, on the Upper West Side, which would allow other drive-crossers to share in the benefits of my discovery.
And, by using the tunnel to cross the drive, I am doing exactly what Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux intended when they designed Central Park in the mid-1800s. They included over 36 bridges in the park. “Known as arches, most of them are bridges and tunnels, which is a very New York thing,” said Michael Wyetzner, of Michielli + Wyetzner Architects, in Architectural Digest. They’re examples of the way the park is organized for visitors to navigate it.
According to Wyetzner, the park has four vertical layers. “The transverse roads, which are submerged below grade, and three other circulation paths: the drives, which were intended for horses and carriages; the bridle paths for horseback riding; and the footpaths for pedestrian traffic. These arches, these bridges and tunnels, intertwine vertically, so that these different circulation paths can cross each other without creating traffic at the intersections. It’s a really clever way of separating these different modes of traffic while still maintaining a seemingly pastoral landscape.”
In fact, the Central Park Conservancy recognized the tunnels’ efficacy in a study undertaken in 2024 on “Central Park Drives Safety and Circulation” (pps. 51-56). They noted that the tunnels are currently “underutilized” and recommended encouraging pedestrians to take them.
I immediately contacted the conservancy to find out all the tunnels that go under West Drive on the Upper West Side. I learned that there are 18 of them around the entire 6.1-mile loop of the drives, including on the Upper East Side. Here is a link to their locations. To make it even easier, if you know the location of tunnels on West Drive on the Upper West Side, please put them in the comments.
Happy crossings!
Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here. And you can Support the Rag here.
it’s a good solution to avoid the general chaos on the loop. but how could one live for years in the city — on the UWS! — without knowing about these tunnels? on the west side there is one in the lower 60s, and another at around 65 that go under the loop. there are tunnels on the bridle path below the AMNH so probably 77th. there is a tunnel up above the pond into the north woods. what I don’t know is their official names, but I’ve given them all names myself…
The tunnels at 65th and 77th don’t go under the West Drive itself. The one at 65th just goes under the ramp that begins the transverse road, and the one at 77th goes under the ramp that leads from Central Park West down to the Drive. The tunnels that actually take you under the Drive are at 61st, 64th, 81st, and 102nd. So there are pretty big gaps between the tunnels once you get north of the one at 64th. If you enter the park at 72nd or 90th, for example, you are pretty far from a tunnel.
I’ve known about the tunnel but just got into the habit of taking my usual route. I too had an epiphany one day. Yes, it seems so silly I never made it a habit, the 15 or so years I’ve lived on the UWS. Now I’ll go out of my way to take the tunnel. It’s not really that much out of the way and I can use the extra steps! ahaha. But it certainly does take away the stress and frustration of crossing the busy bike path.
I take the tunnel around 63rd Street almost every day. There are many problems. Homeless sometimes live in them. If it snows thr bridal.path gets packed down snow/ice that can last for weeks. And when there are heavy rains thr floor of the tunnels is mid for weeks. While I can navigate this people with disabilities may not be able to. What are they to do if they’d like to enter the interior of the park? Doesn’t the Americans with Disabilities Act apply here? And I don’t want tje bridal path paved. I want there to be a mechanism to stop the bikes on thr loop if someone needs to cross the street.
No brides, horses. Bridle.
And also a living reminder of a time when people rode their horses on the bridal path.
Why not pave the bridal path? Would improve accessibility, make it more usable when it rains and snows.
I can’t help but wonder what the horses would prefer. My guess is no pavement?
I don’t want more pavement in the park. It is supposed to be a nature-like experience.
I hope the bridle path won’t be paved. It’s a great, less crowded alternative to the reservoir track for people who want to walk or run. You often see teams of 8-20 cross-country runners there, as well as “regular people” of all ages.
I don’t think crushed gravel is any more natural, it’s just less useful.
The gravel is useful in keeping the bikes off unlike the paved pedestrian walkways.
And also wheelchairs and strollers.
True. I don’t think everything can be accessible. People using wheelchairs or strollers should be able to get to the interior of the loop by vrossi g the roads.
There are a lot of things that are impractical to make accessible, but it seems like paving an already existing gravel path would be pretty straightforward.
I also saw a fat rat that fell from the roof on the tunnel very close to me. Avoiding the tunnels now.
Thanks for the link to the study, Gus. It says the obvious: “In these locations, improved signage, lighting, accessibility, and maintenance would provide pedestrians with convenient routes to reach the interior Park via the archways. While routes to archways aren’t intended to eliminate at-grade crossing along the Drives, they can significantly reduce the volume of crossings in some of the Park’s most congested zones.”
Just two things would really help: signage and lighting. These tunnels are hard to find. And when you do find them, they tend to be murky and spooky.
Carol, not Gus.
The mugging tunnels!
Some are.
Couldn’t have predicted this comment from our resident curmudgeon!
I wish we had such an option at 69th street. Now we don’t even have the red light to use as a way to cross the drive even if the bikers rarely stopped for it. it’s a free for all with absolutely no safe way to cross with no consideration for the pedestrian despite the painted parts of the road.
I cross at that intersection nearly every day without incident, its in fact very easy and safe to cross
I cross it daily, and it’s a mess.
I don’t know what alternate reality you live in, because I keep hearing from you about how busy the open streets are—when in reality, it’s a ghost town—and now this.
You do seem to live in an alternate universe. I made a point to take pics of the crowded Open Street last weekend. I’ll email in to the UWS tip line, thanks for the reminder.
So did I 🙂
What time do you cross on weekends? Because your experience and mine are very different. What I see is pedestrians gathered at the edge of the road afraid to step in front if the e-bikes.
On a related note, e-books are currently allowed to go 20 mph but the limit will go to 15 mph on Oct 24th. Has anyone seen this enforced! I don’t know how police can pull over the bikes and without lis ends plates they can’t find the riders after the fact.
One distinction between e-bikes and regular bikes is e-bikes’ ability to travel fast uphill. At the 69th crossing, most cyclists are going under 10mph due to the gradient, which is the same speed a lot of speedy Central Park runners hit. That’s a pretty fair traffic speed for pedestrians to be able to handle. E-bikes can conquer uphills at 20+ mph and are tougher to navigate around.
Pretty varied depending on when I’m taking my kids to the park, clearly pedestrians need to be aware of oncoming bikes and carriages but no one is quivering in fear of crossing.
NYPD don’t really bother enforcing traffic laws to begin with.
Yes, people really are quivering with fear. We are telling you we are. We know people who have stopped going into the park because of too many close calls with. Ikrs.
I’ve read many past complaints about cyclists speeding down the hill and ignoring the crosswalk light on West Drive parallel to 81st street. (Not sure if it’s still there post-repaving, my guess is it’s now a yellow yield light at best…)
The easy solution (versus expecting cyclists to uniformly respect crossings…sorry, they just won’t,…) is to take the left fork from the 81st street entrance to the park, instead of the right, and go under the Winterdale Arch. Yes, it may mean walking a few more steps than using the cross walk. But it’s always best to prioritize your safety over your convenience.
The left fork is what Carol T. recommends as well, in the article.
Why not introduce speed bumps at crossings?
Because the bicycle crowd wouldn’t like that, nor would the scooter and e-bike types.
Too bad! No sympathy here,
But pedestrians would like it. Don’t they count at all?
Excellent idea.
I run through the tunnels all the time in part to avoid the chaos of the west/east drives. I also enjoy the softer surface since it is easier on the joints. I am cautious about running through them when it is dark and do feel they could benefit from a lighting upgrade!
Riftstone Arch in particular, which goes below Terrace Drive at 72nd St is the worst offender. I call it the Spooky Tunnel!
Best part of my day: passing Winterdale Arche with Carol and Maggie.
Hi. Thanks for article. But the biggest issue in Central Park is E-Vehicles. I understand that you might be there early morning when its mostlly empty and only the early morning athletes are there. What about the other 12 hours of day when it is utter chaos due to e vehicles? This is the biggest issue in Central Park— by far. They do not belong in our parks. If you are hit br a speeding 50lb e vehicle, you will be maimed! This article is fine but how could the giant elephant in tne room be left out? There were four serious e- vehicle accidents in 3 days last week alone. Our parks are for recreation and relaxation NOT transportation. As far as walking over the tunnel….. great for the people who dont have to walk way out of way to do so. Are you even concerned about e Vehicles that are maiming people in Central Park and have killed dogs in Central Park?! This doesnt solve THE problem at all.
Why does EVSA never comment on the actual most frequent killer/maimer of pedestrians?
Just yesterday a tourist was decapitated near Bryant Park by a hit and run driver with a fake license plate. Perhaps cars are the real elephant in the room?
And why do you TransAlt folks never miss a beat with your “but cars are worse” mantra. Cars are licensed , registered and insured. the driver is not anonymous. The e-vehicle riders are entitled selfish —-holes who just don’t give a damn who they hurt. They have been granted special status because they profit the parasitic ride share and delivery app exploiters.
NYCEVSA.org
Cars are not allowed in Central Park so we aren’t talking about them when we reply to this article.
Several years ago while we still had a dog I routinely walked her through tunnels throughout the park. And then one day she picked up a used condom which I needed to get out of her mouth. No more tunnels for me.
Right, bc as always the bikers get to ruin things for everyone. It’s nice to be a wealthy white man. (Yes, that’s who most of them are)
I love the arches, and join the chorus of those calling for better lighting in the arches/tunnels. They can often be spooky and feel unsafe and … well … latrine-like in odor… Light may help with that. Also, perhaps pave a narrow ‘lane’ on one side of the bridle path. It will allow people with all manner of mobility issues to walk more safely on the path when the weather is not ideal – especially under the arches, where the grading often leads to muddy (and icy in winter) patches, combined with the unsavory … um … fluids collecting in the puddles.
Excellent ideas.
There is no Arch or Tunnel on the Westside between 81st and 103rd Street for people to enter the Park and safely cross the southbound drive. People crossing (pedestrians & walkers, ball & tennis players, people with children, elderly or disabled persons are all placed in harms’ way by speeding cycling traffic. The problem is exacerbated with the Conservancy’s new roadway design coupled with traffic lights that are destined to be removed.
Why is this City so enamored with cycling to the detriment of all others? These are SHARED spaces.
The bikers think they’re very pure compared to cars, but we walkers are the purest, and we’re being exposed to dangerous and soundless speeding bikes and electric vehicles on the sidewalks, streets and crosswalks in our parks and neighborhoods. We need speed bumps, licenses on every bike and electric vehicle, and prosecution of riders who injure or kill people.
Licensing all types of bikes and enforcement of traffic laws – in the Park and otherwise, would help matters greatly. Speed bumps could be a danger to cyclists ( I average 5+ miles a day walking, ride a bike in the City, & own a car, so I approach the issue from the perspective of shared spaces by all parties). But the Conservancy had no right to put a “thumb on the scale” in favor of cyclists with almost no thought to other users of the Park.
Even Better they should put direction signs up to guide walkers.
Oh boy
Here’s an idea how about along with these tunnels, ban speedy e-bikes . The city banned cars. The e-bikes go as fast as cars, are silent, and could care less about ped safety!!
I live on W72nd st NO such tunnel is within accessible walking distance from where I enter with my dog. True I also am disabled having been hit in 2022 by an e-vehicle, but the idea that anyone should have to walk 6 blocks extra just to avoid dangerous crossings is ridiculous.
These crossing should be safe to cross for anyone. Every age, moms with strollers, with a kid in one arm and another in a stroller, elderly, disabled, tourists headed to the carousel.. etc..people walking to work, people walking their dogs… people just walking all need to be SAfE from reckless e-bikes!!!!!
Those who are lucky enough to live near a tunnel great, but these tunnels are too few and far between.
Those who do not live close enough to a tunnel should be able to cross The Central Park Loop SAFELY!!!!!!!
Thankfully, I am not disabled (yet, knock on wood). But what scres me the most about e-bikes is that they are silent. My balance isn’t what it once was; my reflexes are slowed since recovering from a broken hip and I can no longer dodge, weave or dash out of the way in a flash; my vision is also not what it was. My hearing is spectacular, but does nothing to protect me from silent speeding vehicles on every street, and sometimes on sidewalks as well.
I cannot understand the disgusting heedless people who could not care less about the safety of others–and I will never understand, because I am not one of them. It seems there is no point in trying to convince these people to care. It is so upsetting, and dangerous, and the city does nothing to help us–the people who want to be able to simply cross a street or walk in the park without being frozen in fear of being hit, injured, even killed. What is to be done? Can’t somebody DO something?
Tangential cringing, I suppose, but there is a difference between “bridle” and “bridal.”
Thank you for the article, Carol T!
Susan
My experience is not at all like your’s in Central Park. I am at 96th Street. I cannot enter the park nearby without crossing the loop which is a complete nightmare since e-bikes were given top priority in Central Park by the Parks Department, the Mayor and the Central Park Conservancy. I can stand there for 5 minutes on a weekday trying to cross. The bikes are not only in the 2 large lanes given them by this new park “redesign” but they swerve into the much smaller lane for pedestrians and runners.
I find myself wondering why you should be pleased that you have found an alternate way into the park where you and your dog will not be possibly run down and harmed. You should be able to walk into the park across the loop by either cyclists stopping for you or functioning traffic lights. You should not have to fear being crashed into.
The new very expensive redesign is not at all safer. E-bikes traveling at 25mph certainly do not make the park safer. The 15 mph rule won’t work here as riders are not licensed and there are very few police in all of Central Park. Priscilla’s Law which would license riders to make them more accountable and responsible has been waylaid by our elected leaders.
The Central Park Conservancy has been repeatedly made aware as has the Parks Department and the Mayor. They simply don’t take your needs or that of most of the users of Central Park seriously. They want e-bikes in the park because the lobby Trans Alt wants them there along with their funders, DoorDash, GrubHub, Lyft who owns Citibike and other similar generous donors to them.
As a result there have been hundreds of injuries in the park many of them life altering, and folks like you must find a back door. It shows such a lack of care and respect for the tax-payers and voters of this city. I don’t think you can whitewash that.
I think she isn’t whitewashing the very real e-vehicle problem (unless “you” is a general term here; sorry if I misunderstood). I’m glad some people have found a temporary, if not fully satisfactory, workaround. You’re correct: it’s past time to regulate and enforce, so we all can have safe access.
I can assure you that your walk TO the park amongst car traffic is much more dangerous than your walk IN the park. 95th/96th and Amsterdam seems to get a pedestrian killed by a car or truck every single year. Over 100 pedestrians are killed by motorists every year in the city. Cases of pedestrians being killed by cyclists don’t even occur every year. My advice for crossing the Loop is to use locations that are on uphills for cyclists. 109th-106th, 98th-91st, 86th, 72nd and 69th are all at uphill gradients for cyclists. Downhill areas, particularly 83rd-76th, are where bikes go fastest. Winterdale Arch is a great crossing alternative for that section of the park.
We sre discussing Central Park. No pedestrians are hit by cars in the park. Since June there have been 25 bike/pedestrian accidents in the park according to todays NY Post.
https://nypost.com/2025/09/23/us-news/notorious-central-park-stretch-even-more-dangerous-after-redesign-locals-say/
Scat (from various sources) and decaying ceiling tiles say otherwise.
I just don’t go to Central Park with my dog anymore. The city decided that bike riders are more important than pedestrians or dogs. Thankfully I live close to Riverside Park. The bike rides are bad. Just not as bad.
Hey, maybe our new mayor can fix this like he will fix everything else.
I’m starting to wonder if UWS Dad is affiliated with Trans Alt.
Me too!
No affiliation, I’m just a fan
Useful information, thanks. What about the bridle paths? Since the nearby stable closed years ago, they seem unused. Having riders on horseback was a nice throwback touch.
Oh my goodness, you are a lifesaver, most literally! We have been dodging and weaving across the drive by the entrance to 81st Street as though we are outrunning wild dogs – which in a sense we are – and this information is a sigh of relief. Thank you.
The only way to stop cyclists who ignore the traffic signal is to install railroad crossing bars at the stoplights. The serenity offered by Central Park is shattered by the stress one feels when crossing the drive. In addition, there are the cyclists who ignore the prohibition of riding on the pedestrian pathways. Evidently, the rules just don’t apply to some people. Thank you for the tunnel tip!
There is no longer any “ignoring traffic signals* because they have disabled the lights and just have them blink yellow or red (I have no idea why some are red and some yellow). Pedestrians are supposed to just walk out in the road and the bikes are supposed to not hit them. They weren’t stopping for red lights so the CP Conservativatory gave them what they wanted. First they conducted a poll of the people riding bikes and the runners on the loop and overwhelmingly they did not want to sfop. Did they conduct a poll of the pedestrians who wanted to cross the loop?
The key phrase here is “anxious, angry, dangerous morning crossings.” We have all seen how the peace of our park has been destroyed by the plague of speeding e-bikes and e-vehicle drivers…. something the Central Park Conservancy is encouraging with its redesign of the park. So now WE are supposed to seek out tunnels for safety, and change OUR behavior to accommodate reckless, lawless riders. This is upside down. A group called https://www.nycevsa.org/ EVSA has its priorities straight.
nyc-evsa@outlook.com