Bridges and Bikes, New York City

NYC Bicycle Master Plan Bridges

New York City Bridges 8 Ä = BICYCLE ACCESS Ä = NO BICYCLE ACCESS 9 Long 42 Island East River Jamaica Bay Sound 1 Brooklyn 22 Gerritsen 17 10 Ä 2 Manhattan Ä 23 Mill Basin 43 Ä Ä 11 The Bronx 3 Williamsburg 24 Paerdegat Ä Ä 12 Ä 4 Queensboro Ä 25 Fresh Creek Ä 5 Triboro/Ward's Isl Ä 26 Hendrix Creek 13 41 Eastchester 6 Bronx-Whitestone 27 Spring Creek 40 Bay Ä 7 Throggs-Neck Ä 28 Cross Bay Blvd 14 Ä Ä 15 L it Harlem River 29 Veterans Memorial t l Ä East Riv e e N 8 Henry Hudson 30 Marine Parkway r 16 e

Ä Ä c

9 Broadway Other Bridges k B

F Ä a 5 l 6

10 Univ. Heights 31 Cropsey Ave u y s Ä Ä h i 11 Washington 32 Stillwell Ave ng B 7

Ä Ä a 12 High Bridge 33 Atlantic Beach y Ä Ä Hudson River 13 Macombs Dam 34 Grand Ave 39 Ä Ä Manhattan 37 Ä 14 145th Street Ä 35 Greenpoint Ave 15 Madison Ave 36 Pulaski 4 38 Ä Ä r 16 Third / Willis Ave 37 Roosevelt Isl e Ä Ä iv Hudson River / NY Bay 38 Roosevelt Ave R 35 t Ä s 17 G.Washington 39 Northern Blvd a 36 34 Ä Ä E Ä 18 Verrazano N. Ä 40 Bruckner Blvd Arthur Kill / Kill Van Kull Ä 41 Bruckner Blvd Queens Ä 19 Bayonne Ä 42 Shore Rd 3 20 Goethals 43 City Isl Ä Ä 2 Ä 21 Outerbridge 1

Upper New York 27 Bay 26 25 Brooklyn 28 20 19 24 18 Staten Island 23 31 32 Jamaica Bay 22 29 33 Rockaway Lower Inlet 30 21 New York Bay Atlantic Ocean

New York City bridges

New York City has 43 major water crossings. bicycle/pedestrian access improvements have Bicycle access over bridges is critical to the es- been included in these efforts. In addition, the tablishment of a successful bicycle network. BND Project has identified a number of poten- Existing access over New York City's bridges tial capital projects to create or enhance bridge ranges from safe and scenic to dangerous and access. The bridges and the responsible agen- difficult to non-existent. A number of the city's cies are listed below, followed by brief descrip- major bridges are under reconstruction, and tions of existing and potential improvements.

15 NYC Bicycle Master Plan

East River Bridges Williamsburg (DOT) Currently under reconstruction, a new bicycle/ pedestrian path will include a number of im- provements, including replacing the stairs at the Manhattan terminus with a ramp, and enhanc- ing the visibility of the Brooklyn terminus by relocating the ramp from the interior to the exterior of the Bridge.

Queensboro (DOT)

Also under reconstruction, the Queensboro Bridge bicycle path is the city's second most heavily used. The reconstruction project will replace the path's steel grating with concrete and construct a barrier between bicycle and motor vehicles on the Manhattan approach. Brooklyn Bridge Due to the reconstruction, the path is currently closed to cyclists and pedestrians between 3 and 8 pm, Monday through Friday; DOT operates Brooklyn (DOT) a free shuttle during these hours. The path is The city's oldest and most heavily used cycling scheduled for reopening following the recon- bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge has a shared bi- struction. DCP will receive funding to study cycle/pedestrian promenade. A major improve- access improvements to the approaches, both of ment by DOT in 1983 extended the promenade which are difficult and dangerous at the Man- to the local street network in both Manhattan hattan and Queens termini. and Brooklyn. However, the Brooklyn termi- nus remains challenging for bicycles and pedes- Triborough Bridge (MTA) trians due to complex vehicular turning move- ments, heavy traffic volumes and the path's lo- Although paths exist along this bridge linking cation in the center of east and west bound Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens with the rec- travel lanes. CDOT is currently considering a reational facilities at Randall's Island, access is proposal for the Manhattan side which would made difficult by the stairs leading to the bridge connect the promenade directly with City Hall paths. Signs directing cyclists to walk along the Park, reducing bicycle/motor vehicle conflict. paths are usually ignored. In its recently re- leased Randall's Island Access Plan, the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Manhattan (DOT) recommends modifying the existing stairs and ramp on the Tri-borough Bridge for the Man- The sidewalks located on both sides of the hattan and Queens spans. The construction of Bridge are currently closed. DOT is currently new pedestrian bridges from all 3 boroughs and reconstructing the bridge, and the 10'6" side- the establishment of ferry service were also pro- walk located along the bridge's western side is posed. Signs on Randall's Island directing cy- scheduled to be reopened in mid 2000. clists to the existing Bridge paths are also needed as an immediate improvement.

16 Bridges NYC Bicycle Master Plan

Bronx-Whitestone (MTA) and Throgs-Neck Arthur Kill / Kill Van Kull Bridges (MTA) Paths or sidewalks do not exist along either Bayonne (Port Authority of NY & NJ) span. However, Queens Surface Corp., with Currently under reconstruction, the bicycle/pe- assistance from DOT, installed bicycle racks on destrian path's access could be improved the QBX1 bus line in April, 1994 to bring cy- through signage and the replacement of stairs clists across the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge. Cy- with a ramp on the New Jersey side. clists board at 20th Avenue in Queens or Lafayette Avenue in the Bronx. This is the only Outerbridge Crossing (Port Authority of NY & bike-on-bus program currently operating in the NJ) region. Bicycle/pedestrian access was removed in 1963 Harlem River Bridges on this Staten Island-New Jersey crossing. Eight of the nine bridges across the Harlem Goethals (Port Authority of NY & NJ) River provide shared bicycle/pedestrian access along sidewalks. Modest improvements, such The current path is extremely narrow and is as curb cuts and directional signage, would sig- officially closed to cyclists. Long-term plans nificantly improve cycling conditions along for a new bridge include a bicycle/pedestrian these critical crossings. Access along the sce- lane. nic Henry Hudson Bridge (MTA) is currently limited to the narrow path on the lower span, Jamaica Bay Bridges though a wider, inaccessible path exists on the upper span. The MTA should consider creat- Shore Parkway Bridges (DOT) ing access to the upper path, as noted in the The six bridges along the Shore Parkway bi- 1992 DCP study. The closing of High Bridge, cycle path have combined bicycle/pedestrian a safe and scenic bicycle and pedestrian cross- sidewalks. Hendrix and Spring Creek Bridges ing, should be reassessed by DPR. were reconstructed in the mid-1980s, and DOT has received state, federal and city funding to Hudson River / New York Bay upgrade the Gerritsen, Mill, Paeradegat and Bridges Fresh Creek Bridges. DOT is currently in the design process. Although a path exists along the George Wash- ington Bridge (PANYNJ), the Verrazano-Nar- rows Bridge (MTA) is inaccessible to bicycles Cross Bay Blvd/Congressman Joseph P Addabbo Bridge (DOT) and pedestrians. DCP is currently studying pos- sible access options, including a bike-on-bus Reconstructed in 1991, an on-street lane and a program, the dedication of an existing lane for separate pedestrian/fishing path were installed bicycles and pedestrians, and the construction on this bridge. of a new path or ferry service.

Bridges 17 NYC Bicycle Master Plan

Marine Parkway/Gil Hodges Bridge (TBTA)

Sidewalks exist on this Bridge, with signs in- structing cyclists to "walk your bike". Although narrow, cyclists, pedestrians and fishers safely share these narrow paths. TBTA has included a multi-use path in its plans for the reconstruc- tion of the Bridge, which is part of the pro- posed Rockaway-Gateway Greenway.

Additional Bridges

In addition to the city's major water crossings, bridges across industrial areas, railyards and smaller water bodies also need to provide bet- ter bicycle and pedestrian access. Listed below are two of the more popular crossings in need of improvements.

Queens Boulevard

Providing a direct connection to Long Island City and the Queensboro Bridge, this bridge over the Sunnyside rail yards is a critical com- ponent of the Network. Because of the narrow roadway width and heavy traffic volume, cy- clists currently ride on the sidewalks, creating safety concerns.

Roosevelt Avenue

Similar to the Queens Boulevard Bridge, the sidewalks along this bridge currently serve both bicycles and pedestrians. Conflicts can emerge, especially during events at the adjacent Shea Stadium. Mitigating the bicycle/pedestrian conflicts on both the Queens Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue Bridges requires further study.

18 Bridges