Route: Penn Station to Penn Station (NY, NJ)

Brendan, I love it, "less than ideal pedestrian infrastructure." Congratulations. A great accomplishment, an FKT with real soul. 

Is there any pedestrian infrastructure on the Pulaski Skyway?

Take care. 

Thank you for discovering and sharing this route.  Zandy Mangold and myself are excited about an unsupported opportunity to attempt this Penn Station (NY) to Penn Station (NJ) Fastest Known Time on Monday, February 18 at 6:30AM.  We will provide a Garmin Live Tracking link for the FKT.com Tracking Now tab and will also publish our results on Strava www.strava.com/athletes/calimano and updates can be found on our Facebook pages https://www.facebook.com/ccalimano812 and https://www.facebook.com/zmangold

Hi everyone, so glad you like the route!  It could be a really great bike and running connection between Hudson and Essex Counties, but it needs a little love and support!  Hopefully this route will help. It was created as part of the East Coast Greenway, but due to its condition they now recommend you take the Path train instead. If you're going to try it, I would recommend trail running shoes as some sections are overgrown and trash covered, including glass.  Like I said, needs a little care!

Regarding the bridges from Jersey City to Newark, I don't think the Pulaski Skyway has pedestrian access, so you have to use Route 1 / 9.  Although it looks like there are sidewalks on the north side, I've only ever found a way to access the south side.  If you are coming from the Jersey City side, when you get to the intersection of Rt 9 and 440, you need to run south down 440 to find a place to cross onto the western side of 440 (there's a light with a crosswalk).  Then you can run on the sidewalk north back up 440 and take a left (going west) at Rt 1 / 9.  It's gravel and pavement and doesn't look like you're going in the right direction, but you will eventually get to a separated sidewalk on the bridge.  There are some great views looking south down the Passaic River.

Once you reach the Newark side (you will have just crossed the second river), stay to the left down the on ramp (going against traffic), take a left onto Doremus Avenue and cross over to the other side of the street at the intersection.  Follow the separated sidewalk along the outside of the on ramp which will bring you all the way under 95. When you are under Rt 1, the sidewalk ends and you need to cross to a separated median and you will see a path going under Rt 1. Look out for trucks! They don't heed the yield to pedestrians sign. 

This will bring you onto Raymond Boulevard where you might want to cross onto the south side of the street, although I've had issues with obstructions on the sidewalks on both sides of the street before. This will take you straight into Penn Station Newark! 

If it's your first time, it might be helpful to spend some time on Google Maps street view to check out the important turns. 

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions!

Thank you Brendan!!!  You have been awesome!!!  We just posted the following on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/ccalimano812 ):

“Fastest Known Time” (FKT)—essentially, a speed record on any given route. There is no formal race or event for these routes; many runners are familiar with the popular FKT’s: Appalachian Trail, Grand Canyon Rim to Rim and Pacific Crest Trail speed records are a few examples of Fastest Known Time

Zandy Mangold and myself are attempting a lesser known FKT: Penn Station to Penn Station (Newark to NYC). Brendan Pye established the FKT on this logistical nightmare route last November in 6 hours and 26 minutes (our planned route is approximately 28-33 miles, there are too many unknown variables to predict the exact mileage). By the way, Brendan has been awesome with providing details of the Newark escape plan over the multiple pedestrian bridges – THANK YOU!

As the FKT governing guidelines require, and for full transparency we are providing our Garmin Live Tracking link: https://livetrack.garmin.com/session/2ba09d48-99be-4334-9741-b1e79dcca5…

And the attempt will be uploaded to Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/calimano

Route: Penn Station to Penn Station (NY, NJ): https://fastestknowntime.com/route/penn-station-penn-station-ny-nj

#penn2pennFKT #NYCfkt #chriszandyFKT #Newark2NewYorkfkt #FKTattempt #FKT

Just be careful going over those two bridges crossing the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers. I crossed the bridge that spans the Hackensack River in the wintertime and the plows had pushed so much snow onto the walkway that I was above the guard rails separating me from the river and the highway. I was so nervous I caught a cab across the second bridge. If it hasn't snowed, then both bridges are fine to cross. 

Thanks Ultradude and Brendan!  With everyone's help and advice, we (Zandy Mangold and Chris Calimano) were successful in our unsupported FKT Penn Station to Penn Station (Newark - NYC) attempt earlier today, on February 18, 2019.  Our finishing time of 5 hours 52 minutes and 16 seconds, experienced plenty of challenges along this maze but was a fun adventure.  Our Garmin data can be seen here: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3394375058   Zandy also has another Garmin recording from his watch.  We look forward to creating/attempting more NYC area FKTs - thank you again!  Good luck for the next runner/explorer/adventurer, who attempts to break our FKT time!!

I am considering giving this a shot as my commute to work very early Friday morning (3/15/19).  On the NJ side I'm planning an inland route via North Arlington -> Rutherford -> Moonachie -> Fort Lee -> GWB.  The distance looks to be around 28 to 29 miles.  I will be solo and unsupported and will provide a tracking link before I set out. 

I am shifting my attempt by 1 day to Thursday 3/14, due to better looking weather.

https://livetrack.garmin.com/session/65551f5a-e567-464c-9ba8-84d9dd0e6cd9/token/A28BE0B4B86679F9385C22510B4577D

Heading out in a few

Penn to Penn has a nice ring to it. For anyone interested in such things, a potentially more aesthetic variation is to go Park to Park, starting at Battery Park in Manhattan and finishing in Liberty State Park. Depending on the exact route, it is roughly 50k, and you can return to Battery Park via a ferry from Point Liberte, or via PATH from Exchange Place.

I've never linked the whole thing up (except on a bike), but I've been on each of the segments, and the skyline views and running along the water are very pleasant. Caltopo Link: https://caltopo.com/m/5GNR