Henry Hudson Parkway Live Cam

The southern terminus is in Manhattan at 72nd Street



History

The Henry Hudson Parkway is a scenic roadway in New York City that stretches from West 72nd Street in Manhattan to the New York State line, where it becomes the Saw Mill River Parkway. The parkway was named after the English explorer Henry Hudson, who explored the area around New York Harbor in the early 17th century.

The idea for the Henry Hudson Parkway was first proposed in the 1920s by the urban planner Robert Moses. Moses envisioned a network of parkways and highways throughout New York City that would alleviate traffic congestion and provide scenic drives for residents and visitors. The Henry Hudson Parkway was one of the first parkways built as part of Moses' plan.

Construction on the parkway began in 1934 and was completed in 1937. The design of the parkway was influenced by the "parkway movement" of the early 20th century, which aimed to create roads that blended into the natural environment and provided a relaxing, scenic drive for motorists. The Henry Hudson Parkway was designed to wind along the Hudson River, offering views of the river and the Manhattan skyline.

Over the years, the Henry Hudson Parkway has undergone several renovations and expansions to improve safety and accommodate growing traffic. In the 1950s, a section of the parkway was widened to six lanes, and in the 1970s, a new section was built to connect the parkway to the West Side Highway.

Today, the Henry Hudson Parkway is a popular route for commuters and tourists alike, offering stunning views of the Hudson River and access to many of New York City's most iconic landmarks and attractions.

The Henry Hudson Parkway is an important roadway in New York City for several reasons.

First, it provides a vital link between the West Side of Manhattan and the suburbs to the north, including Westchester County and the Hudson River Valley. This makes it a critical transportation artery for commuters and commercial traffic traveling to and from New York City.

Second, the parkway is a scenic route that offers unparalleled views of the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline. This makes it a popular destination for tourists and locals who enjoy driving, biking, or walking along the parkway to take in the breathtaking views.

Third, the parkway is an important part of New York City's history and heritage. It was one of the first parkways built as part of Robert Moses' vision for a network of highways and parkways throughout the city, and it has been an important part of New York City's transportation infrastructure for nearly a century.

Finally, the parkway serves as a tribute to Henry Hudson, the English explorer who first navigated the Hudson River and explored the area that would later become New York City. As such, it has a symbolic importance as a reminder of the city's rich history and connection to the natural environment.

Historical Facts

  • The parkway was named after Henry Hudson, an English explorer who explored the area around New York Harbor in the early 17th century.
  • Construction on the parkway began in 1934 and was completed in 1937. It was one of the first parkways built as part of Robert Moses' plan to create a network of highways and parkways throughout New York City.
  • The design of the parkway was influenced by the "parkway movement" of the early 20th century, which aimed to create roads that blended into the natural environment and provided a relaxing, scenic drive for motorists.
  • The parkway was originally designed with a speed limit of 30 miles per hour and was intended for leisurely drives rather than quick transportation.
  • The parkway was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993 in recognition of its historical and architectural significance.
  • In the 1950s, a section of the parkway was widened to six lanes to accommodate increasing traffic, and in the 1970s, a new section was built to connect the parkway to the West Side Highway.
  • The Henry Hudson Parkway has been featured in numerous films and TV shows, including "Mad Men," "The Sopranos," and "Annie Hall."
  • Today, the parkway is an important transportation artery for commuters and commercial traffic traveling to and from New York City, as well as a popular destination for tourists and locals who enjoy the scenic drive and views of the Hudson River and Manhattan skyline.
Route description

The Henry Hudson Parkway is a scenic roadway in New York City that stretches from West 72nd Street in Manhattan to the New York State line, where it becomes the Saw Mill River Parkway. Here is a brief description of the parkway's route:

The parkway begins at West 72nd Street in Manhattan, near the entrance to Riverside Park. From there, it runs north along the Hudson River, offering stunning views of the river and the Manhattan skyline.

As it continues north, the parkway passes through several neighborhoods, including Riverside, Morningside Heights, and Washington Heights. It also passes by several landmarks and attractions, including the George Washington Bridge, the Little Red Lighthouse, and the Cloisters museum.

At the northern end of Manhattan, the parkway crosses into the Bronx and continues north, passing through Van Cortlandt Park and the neighborhoods of Riverdale and Spuyten Duyvil. It then crosses the Henry Hudson Bridge, which connects the Bronx to the New York State Thruway.

Beyond the bridge, the parkway becomes the Saw Mill River Parkway and continues north into Westchester County, where it passes through several towns and cities before ending at the New York State line. Overall, the Henry Hudson Parkway is a scenic and historic route that offers motorists and pedestrians a unique perspective on New York City and the Hudson River Valley.

Geography

It stretches for approximately 11 miles (18 km) along the west side of Manhattan and then continues north for another 18 miles (29 km) through the Bronx and into Westchester County.

The parkway runs parallel to the Hudson River for much of its length, offering scenic views of the river and the surrounding landscape. It also passes through several parks and green spaces, including Riverside Park, Fort Tryon Park, and Van Cortlandt Park.

The parkway's route is generally flat, with some gentle hills in certain sections. It is bordered by trees and vegetation, which helps to create a natural and scenic environment along the roadway.

In terms of its location within New York City, the Henry Hudson Parkway is situated on the west side of Manhattan, providing a vital link between the city and the suburbs to the north, including Westchester County and the Hudson River Valley. It is also a popular destination for tourists and locals who enjoy the scenic drive and views of the Hudson River and Manhattan skyline.

Visiting NYC?

Welcome to NYC and congratulations you're about to experience one of the most breathtaking cities in the world. Apart from museums, there are a lot of attractions for visitors to NYC to see. From famed buildings and landmarks to parks and festivals, there are endless sources of stimulation in NYC.

The great news is some of NYC’s finest attractions and landmarks are no charge to visit. With the expense of hotels, restaurants and more, visiting some free attractions and landmarks will help you make the most of your New York City travel budget.

Check out one of our featured articles here with some ideas when traveling NYC with young adults.

NYC: Welcome New York City Travel

NYC or New York City is a metropolis in the state of New York, and is the most inhabited city in the United States. NYC is now one of the world's greatest business, financial and ethnic centers and its influence in political relation, education, entertainment, media, fashion and the arts all add to its position as one of the leading global urban centers. As the home of the UN, NYC is a hub for global diplomatic negotiations. Residents of the NYC are known as New Yorkers. The present-day mayor is Michael Bloomberg.

New York City contains five boroughs, each of which is coextensive with a county: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. With over 8.2 million occupants within an area of 322 square miles, NYC is the most thickly inhabited major urban center in North America. The New York metropolitan area, with a population of nearly 19.68 million (2022), ranks among the largest urban areas in the world.

New York City has many regions and landmarks known around the world that make’s NYC one of the top tourist destinations globally. The Statue of Liberty recognized millions of immigrants as they came to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Wall Street, in Lower Manhattan, has been a dominating global financial center since World War II and is home to the NYSE. NYC has been home to several of the tallest constructions in the world, including the Empire State Building and the former twin towers of the World Trade Center, which crumpled in the Sep 11, 2001 attacks. NYC is the place of origin of many American cultural causes, including the Harlem Renaissance in literature and visual art, abstract expressionism (also known as the New York School) in painting, and rap music along with the Tin Pan Alley in music. Because of areas like Times Square, New York has earned the nickname "The City that Never Sleeps.

Approximately 40 million foreign and American tourists visit NYC annually. Major destinations include the Empire State Building, Ellis Island, Broadway theatre productions, museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and additional tourist draws including Central Park, New York Botanical Garden, Washington Square Park, Times Square, the Bronx Zoo, Rockefeller Center, luxury shopping along Fifth and Madison Avenues, and events such as the Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village, free performances in Central Park at Summerstage and the Tribeca Film Festival. The Statue of Liberty is a leading tourist draw and one of the most identifiable icons of the U.S.A.. A lot of NYC cultural enclaves, such as Jackson Heights, Flushing, and Brighton Beach are leading shopping destinations for first and second generation Americans up and down the eastern United States Coast.

NYC has over 28,000 acres of parkland and 14 miles of public beaches. Manhattan's Central Park, configured by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, is the most visited city parkland in the United States. Prospect Park in Brooklyn, also planned by Olmsted and Vaux, has a 90 acre (36 hectare) meadow. Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, the city's third largest, was the setting for the 1939 World's Fair and 1964 World's Fair.

NYC's food culture, molded by the city's immigrants and multitude of dining frequenters, is diverse. Jewish and Italian immigrants made the NYC renowned for bagels, cheesecake and New York-style pizza. Approximately 4,000 mobile food vendors are licensed by NYC, a lot of immigrant-owned, have made Middle Eastern foods such as falafels and kebabs standbys of modern-day New York street food. NYC is also home to numerous of the high-grade haute cuisine restaurants in the U.S.A..