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Manhattan Bridge to Get Really Annoying for Bikes, Cars
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 6, 2010
Modified Jul 6, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 6, 2010
Modified Jul 6, 2010
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Because of rehabilitation work on the Manhattan Bridge, cyclists and drivers can count on being inconvenienced for almost a year starting as soon as January. Streetsblog covered a recent Brooklyn Community Board 2 meeting, during which the DOT elaborated on changes to be made while workers replace the four main cables that hold up the bridge.
According to the DOT's proposal [pdf] one lane of the Lower Roadway would closed 24/7, unless the Brooklyn Bridge inbound is closed (nights and weekends only) and one Upper Roadway lane is closed off-peak. As for cyclists, when the time comes to replace the northern cable, the bike path will be covered with protective sheds under any active construction. But because the sheds are only three feet wide, they're too narrow to accommodate all that bike traffic over the bridge.
So the DOT is considering rerouting cyclists to what is normally the pedestrian side, on the south side of the bridge, and sending pedestrians under the sheds on the bike side. But on the Brooklyn side entrance, the walkway has no ramp (just a lot of steps), while on the Manhattan side, it would dump cyclists out on the very bike-unfriendly convergence of Bowery and Canal. The cable replacement is expected to take almost a year, so brace for impact, but don't count on the Brooklyn Bridge being any better for bikes; the already congested promenade will soon become even narrower due to rehab work there, too.
Tagged
bike lane
bikes
brooklyn bridge
cycling
manhattan bridge
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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