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Brooklyn Bridge Gets the Filet of Pedestrian Entrances
By
John Del Signore
Published May 21, 2008
Modified May 22, 2008
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By
John Del Signore
Published May 21, 2008
Modified May 22, 2008
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Responding to years of griping (and vigilante sign-making) about the poorly lit, hard-to-locate pedestrian entrances to the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO, the city has finally gotten around to putting up some new signs guiding walkers to the bridge. Spearheaded by the DUMBO Improvement District, the makeover was unveiled today by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and other officials, and coincides with the bridge’s 125th birthday celebration, which kicks off tomorrow at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn with live music by the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Grucci fireworks, and “an unprecedented light installation spanning the length of the Brooklyn Bridge.”
And as if the new bridge signage wasn’t exciting enough, the improvements include concrete slabs near the stairs that say “Welcome to Brooklyn,” and a flashy light installation to steer pedestrians toward the entrances. Created by Linnaea Tillett and Karin Tehve at K23D, the dynamic display, aptly entitled "This Way," uses energy-efficient fiber optics to guide the way for those misguided souls anxious to return to Manhattan.
But wait – there’s more Brooklyn Bridge action. On top of everything else, the manmade NYC Waterfall display set to gush under the bridge this summer will also get a pop-up park for viewing artist Olafur Eliasson's cataract – if dlandstudio’s plans are approved. According to Tropolism, the temporary observation deck – commissioned by the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy – would feature grassy mounds, umbrellas for shade, and hay bales seeded with grass. That sounds nice for some, but everyone knows the only place to see and be seen at the waterfalls is on Circle Line's $50,000 luxury cruise.
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brooklyn
directions
entrance
new
pedestrian
signs
unveiling
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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