Speak Up for an Accessible Car-Free High Bridge

In other parks news, as reported on Streetsblog in June, the car-free High Bridge is poised to undergo a long-awaited restoration. Built as part of the Croton Aqueduct, the bridge connects Washington Heights in Manhattan with the Bronx neighborhood of High Bridge, near Yankee Stadium. In April, during his PlaNYC unveiling, Mayor Bloomberg announced that the city would be allocating $60 million to restore and reopen the High Bridge, which has been closed to the public since 1970; another $5 million will come from a Congressional earmark.

The Department of Parks & Recreation has posted an online High Bridge survey (here it is in Spanish), and will be collecting responses until September 7. Two items at issue are bike access and park hours. The original plan called for the restored bridge to be open only on weekends, and only during the day, severely limiting its viability as a transportation link. Parks representatives have said the city will make use of existing park trails and bike routes for cycling access, but specifics remain unclear. 

The Parks Dept. has been very sensitive to public input to this point. It's important that the city hear from pedestrians and cyclists who want a useful, accessible car-free route between Manhattan and the Bronx. 

Photo: Daniel Avila/NYC Parks