Skip to content

Monday: No More Detour on the Manhattan Bridge

After a seven and a half month detour, the time is finally upon us: Starting Monday, cyclists can return to the north side of the Manhattan Bridge, and pedestrians can go back to the south side. The days of biking on the harrowing Bowery detour are just about over, and knock on wood, there were no casualties (except for the credibility of the Daily News editorial page).

After a seven and a half month detour, the time is finally upon us: Starting Monday, cyclists can return to the north side of the Manhattan Bridge, and pedestrians can go back to the south side. The days of biking on the harrowing Bowery detour are just about over, and knock on wood, there were no casualties (except for the credibility of the Daily News editorial page).

Some construction sheds will remain on the bridge paths until 2013 — read all about it in NYC DOT’s construction update [PDF].

It seems likely that the Manhattan Bridge detour hampered the growth of the city’s annual bike count, which measures cyclists crossing six points around the edges of the Manhattan CBD. So, will we see a rebound effect now that the bridge is going back to normal? Leave your forecasts in the comments.

Photo of Ben Fried
Ben Fried started as a Streetsblog reporter in 2008 and led the site as editor-in-chief from 2010 to 2018. He lives in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, with his wife.

Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.

More from Streetsblog New York City

Teamsters Prez Calls On Menin To Pass Mamdani-Backed Delivery Bill, But She’s Not Ready

October 23, 2026

Friday’s Headlines: Trump’s Truths Edition

October 23, 2026

Super-Speeder Law Takes One Big Leap Forward, As Council Pushes Bill To Create The Program

October 22, 2026

EAGLE Down: MTA Pulls Fare Enforcement Agents From Bus System

October 22, 2026

An Interview with Central Park’s Most Storied Competitive Cycling Club

October 22, 2026
See all posts