Columbia U. area on Sunday -- drive or bus?

Parents Forum
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<p>I'm headed down to NYC next Sunday with two other people to attend an event that's very near the Columbia campus. We would be leaving around 7-8AM and arriving around noon. </p>

<p>We could either go by bus and then take the #1 train up from Penn Station, or drive down and look for parking nearby. Paying for a garage + gas would be a good deal compared to 3*(bus + subway), but if the garages and nearby streets are full, we might have to spend a lot of time looking for a space and end up parking far from the event (and maybe missing some of it).</p>

<p>I have seen advice to never, ever drive into Manhattan if you can help it, but I'm wondering how applicable that is to Sunday morning on a holiday weekend. Can anybody help, especially Columbia students/alums or anybody who knows the Morningside Heights area? Thanks.</p>

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<p>Drive - and you should have no trouble finding street parking (for free!)</p>

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<p>Depending on how close you are to the campus, you can find a lot of parking space around the campus from 118th all the way to 122nd and Amsterdam. I am not sure where you are driving from, if outside NY, you will be paying tolls.</p>

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<p>You can find the parking regulations here:</p>

<p>[Map</a> of Parking for Manhattan (NYC New York City), Brooklyn, and Queens. Search our Database of Regulations and Garages - PrimoSpot](<a href=“primospot.com - primospot Resources and Information.”>http://primospot.com/spots/search)</p>

<p>Just search for morningside heights, ny - click on the little balloons on the map for the regs.</p>

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<p>Driving is fine. There’s a great parking garage at Riverside Church at the edge of Barnard’s campus – Broadway and 120 the St.</p>

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<p>Noonish on Sunday you should be able to find free street parking. Helps if you’re a skilled parallel parker able to squeeze into tight spots. You may need to drive around a few blocks, but that time of day on a Sunday people with cars are out & about and moving around.</p>

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<p>Just watch out for the coyotes once you get to Columbia! (NK, just read this news item.)</p>

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<p>I would also vote for driving. Parking will not be a problem on Sunday, and if you take a bus or Amtrak then you have to make your way uptown which is not that fun.</p>

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<p>Another driver weighs in. You should be able to find street parking, either on Broadway or on a parallel street. It might take a few minutes, but I would opt for that rather than public transportation at that time.</p>

<p>nightchef-any chance you are headed to the a cappella festival?</p>

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<p>Agreeing with the previous posters: On a Sunday coming from the north you should have no problem with traffic–it sounds way more time efficient to drive than to take the bus and then the subway. Well worth it to pay for parking garage if necessary.</p>

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<p>We visit a friend on Sundays, and have never had trouble parking on the street.</p>

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<p>Cool–thanks for all the tips, folks. Seems like we have a consensus.</p>

<p>momof3sons: we’re actually going to the Mingus festival at Manhattan School of Music. My son’s HS jazz band is one of the competition participants.</p>

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<p>Excellent, nightchef! Best of luck to his group!</p>

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<p>Drive. On a Sunday, it’s easy. Check out this web site for parking - [Icon</a> Parking Systems - Reservations, Information, Pricing](<a href=“http://www.iconparking.com%5DIcon”>http://www.iconparking.com) You plug in the area where to park & it gives you a garage & price.</p>

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<p>held south on Broadway from 125th St there will be plenty of street parking before you get to the Columbia and Barnard gates at about 116th St</p>

<p>At worst, all you’ll have to do is walk a couple of blocks up Broadway to MSM</p>

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<p>I believe parking in mid town would be more costly than uptown as well as a bit more scarce given the Sunday matinee thing. Drive and park uptown - quicker and cheaper!</p>

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<p>Unless there is a problem with snow, there should be plenty of free street parking on Broadway between Columbia and MSM. Don’t need to feed the meters on Sunday.</p>

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<p>There is plenty of parking in the area on a Sunday (our son is in an orchestra that rehearses in Riverside Church every Sunday, and that is right next to MSM). Either on the side streets, or riverside drive, you should be able to find parking (you could park in the garage of riverside church, but probably no need to).</p>

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<p>Services should just be ending at Riverside Church on Sunday afternoon, so street parking on Riverside Drive near Grant’s Tomb should be available.</p>

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<p>Parking on Riverside Drive: MAKE SURE you are very, very far away from a bus stop. You will get towed if you are within 75 feet of a bus stop, even if there is plenty of room for the bus. And even if other people are parked closer to the bus stop. And, you will have to pay about $150 to get your car back. You will have to pay at a pier way way downtown, and then you will have to go to a pound around 220th Street, and the pound will not open until Tuesday because it is a holiday weekend so there is no way that you can retrieve your car. Been there, done that!</p>