Parks Department: Greenway Bridge Rehab Depends on Amtrak Schedule

We have a few bits of news on the upcoming closure and rehab of the bike-ped bridge that connects the Hudson River Greenway to Washington Heights and the George Washington Bridge.

The bridge is a crucial car-free link for commuters and other users, but Northern Manhattan parks administrator Jennifer Hoppa tells us that the Parks Department does not have user counts specific to the bridge itself.

Also, though the bridge is owned by Parks, the city will have to access Amtrak property to do the work. It is not yet clear how long the project will take -- discussions among members of Community Board 12 reportedly suggested a time frame of 18 months to two years -- but Hoppa says construction must be coordinated to minimize Amtrak service disruptions.

The city and Amtrak are still in talks regarding bridge design and construction logistics, according to Hoppa. The project start date and alternate route for bridge users are still to be determined.

The new bridge is one of several PlaNYC improvements coming to Washington Heights and Inwood.