East River Greenway

The narrow portion of the Greenway, at 18th Street in 2009

The East River Greenway (also called the East River Esplanade) is an approximately 9.44-mile-long (15.19 km) foreshoreway for walking or cycling on the east side of the island of Manhattan on the East River. It is part of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway. The largest portions are operated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. It is separated from motor traffic, and many sections also separate pedestrians from cyclists. The greenway is parallel to the Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive for a majority of its length.

Parts of the greenway were built at different times. Most of the greenway was built from the 1930s to 1950s in conjunction with the nearby FDR Drive, with exceptions:

  • Waterside Plaza: 1973
  • East River Esplanade Park: 1992
  • East River Waterfront: Late 1990s
  • Stuyvesant Cove: 2002
  • United Nations portion (under construction): 2015–28