Unicycle NYC Bridge Tour

17th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-11-30T12:59:00.001-08:00

17th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), November 30, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Started: Nov 30, 2011 11:37:43 AM
Ride Time: 1:54:46
Distance: 7.23 miles
Average Speed: 3.78 mph
Fastest Speed: 11.38 mph
Ascent: 791 feet
Descent: 798 feet

16th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-11-30T12:56:00.000-08:00

16th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), November 30, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

60th Street Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-11-30T12:53:00.001-08:00

60th Street Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), November 30, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

15th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-11-30T12:50:00.001-08:00

15th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), November 30, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

New Utrecht Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-11-30T12:47:00.000-08:00

New Utrecht Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), November 30, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

14th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-11-30T12:40:00.000-08:00

14th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) 14th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), November 30, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

13th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line

2011-11-30T12:36:00.000-08:00

13th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line, November 30, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

11th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line

2011-11-30T12:33:00.000-08:00

11th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line, November 30, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Ft. Hamilton Parkway Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line

2011-11-30T12:27:00.000-08:00

Ft. Hamilton Parkway Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line, November 30, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

8th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line

2011-11-30T12:24:00.001-08:00

8th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line, November 30, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

7th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line

2011-11-30T12:17:00.000-08:00

7th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line, November 30, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

6th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line

2011-11-30T12:09:00.000-08:00

6th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line, November 30, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

5th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line

2011-11-30T12:02:00.000-08:00

5th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line, November 30, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

4th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line

2011-11-30T11:58:00.000-08:00

4th Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch) and MTA N Line, November 30, 2011
Keith Nelson. Rob Hickman

Ocean Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-10-26T12:45:00.000-07:00

Ocean Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), October 26, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Started: Oct 26, 2011 11:19:26 AM
Ride Time: 1:23:03
Stopped Time: 5:06
Distance: 5.38 miles

From Wikipedia:
The Bay Ridge Branch is a rail line owned by the Long Island Rail Road and operated by the New York and Atlantic Railway in the U.S. State of New York. It is the longest freight-only line of the LIRR, connecting the Montauk Branch and CSX Transportation's Fremont Secondary (to the Hell Gate Bridge) at Glendale with the Upper New York Bay at Bay Ridge.
Car float service provided by New York New Jersey Rail (formerly the New York Cross Harbor Railroad) is proposed to operate between Greenville Yard at Greenville, New Jersey and the LIRR / NY&A Bay Ridge 65th Street Yard. Currently the only car float service route is provided by New York New Jersey Rail between Greenville, NJ and Bush Terminal, Brooklyn.
A proposed Cross-Harbor Rail Tunnel from New Jersey to Brooklyn would use the Bay Ridge Branch to reach the rest of Long Island, with the line upgraded to double-stack clearances.

The first part of the line was opened by the New York, Bay Ridge and Jamaica Railroad in 1876, from Bay Ridge to the crossing of the Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Railroad near New Utrecht. An extension from New Utrecht east and northeast to New Lots opened in 1877, and at the same time the New York and Manhattan Beach Railway opened the line from New Lots north to East New York. An extension north from East New York to Cooper Avenue (and then northwest to Greenpoint, later the Evergreen Branch) opened in 1878, and the Long Island City and Manhattan Beach Railroad (incorporated February 24, 1883, merged with the New York and Manhattan Beach and New York, Bay Ridge and Jamaica into the New York, Brooklyn and Manhattan Beach Railway August 27, 1885) built from Cooper Avenue north to the Montauk Branch at Glendale in 1883.

The entire line was electrified, starting on July 8, 1927, for New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad freight trains coming off the New York Connecting Railroad (Hell Gate Bridge). Electric operation ended on December 31, 1968.

50th Street Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-10-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

50th Street Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), October 26, 2011, Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

52nd Street Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-10-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

52nd Street Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), October 26, 2011, Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Cristoforo Columbo Boulevard Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-10-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

Cristoforo Columbo Boulevard Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), October 26, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

McDonald Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-10-26T12:19:00.000-07:00

McDonald Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad
(Bay Ridge Branch), October 26, 2011, Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

East 3rd Street Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-10-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

East 3rd Street Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), October 26, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Ocean Parkway Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-10-26T12:03:00.000-07:00

Ocean Parkway Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), October 26, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Coney Island Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-10-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

Coney Island Avenue Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), October 26, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

East 15th Street Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-10-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

East 15th Street Overpass over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), October 26, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Footbridge at East 15th Street over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-10-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

Footbridge at East 15th Street over Long Island Railroad (Bay Ridge Branch), October 26, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Pedestrian Footbridge at South Cove Park

2011-10-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

Pedestrian Footbridge at South Cove Park, October 5, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Pedestrian Overpass over the FDR at Corlears Hook Park

2011-10-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

Pedestrian Overpass over the FDR at Corlears Hook Park, October 5, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

2nd Avenue Overpass over I-495 / Midtown Tunnel Exit

2011-09-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

2nd Avenue Overpass over I-495 / Midtown Tunnel Exit, September 9, 2011

Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Tudor Place Overpass over East 42nd Street

2011-09-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

Tudor Place Overpass over East 42nd Street, September 9, 2011

Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Pedestrian Overpass over the FDR at East 25th Street

2011-09-09T11:30:00.000-07:00

Pedestrian Overpass over the FDR at East 25th Street, September 9, 2011

Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Footpath over the LIRR at 21st Street and 51st Avenue

2011-07-12T19:14:00.001-07:00

Footpath over the LIRR at 21st Street and 51st Avenue, July 12th 2011, Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Borden Avenue Bridge over Dutch Kills

2011-07-12T18:55:00.001-07:00

Borden Avenue Bridge over Dutch Kills, July 12th 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

From the New York City Department of Transportation:

The Borden Avenue Bridge over Dutch Kills is located just south of the Long Island Expressway between 27th Street and Review Avenue in the Sunnyside section of Queens. Borden Avenue Bridge is a retractile type moveable bridge. The general appearance of the bridge remains the same as when it was first opened in 1908. The bridge structure carries a two-lane two-way vehicular roadway with sidewalks on either side. The roadway width is 10.5m and the sidewalks are 2.0 m. The west approach and east approach roadways, which are wider than the bridge roadway, are 15.3m and 13.0m respectively. The bridge provides a horizontal clearance of 14.9m and a vertical clearance in the closed position of 1.2m at MHW and 2.7m at MLW.

As part of the construction of Borden Avenue in 1868, a wooden bridge was built over Dutch Kills. This bridge was later replaced by an iron swing bridge, which was removed in 1906. The current bridge was opened on March 25, 1908 at a cost of $157,606. The deck's original design consisted of creosote-treated wood blocks, with two trolley tracks in the roadway. Character-defining features of this bridge include the stucco-clad operator's house, four pairs of rails, and a rock-faced stone retaining wall. The gable-on-hip roof of the operator's house retains the original clay tile at the upper part. Although alterations have been made, the bridge is a rare survivor of its type and retains sufficient period integrity to convey its historic design significance.

Knapp St Overpass over the Shore Parkway

2011-07-07T20:52:00.001-07:00

Knapp St Overpass over the Shore Parkway, July 7, 2011
Stephanie Monseu, Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman, Caleb Hickman

Ride Time: 1:16:29
Stopped Time: 0:08
Distance: 3.50 miles
Average: 2.74 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 11.65 miles/h

Pedestrian Overpass at E. 14th St. over the Shore Parkway

2011-07-07T20:51:00.003-07:00

Pedestrian Overpass at E. 14th St. over the Shore Parkway, July 7, 2011
Stephanie Monseu, Keith Nelson, Caleb Hickman, Rob Hickman

Sheepshead Bay Foot Bridge AKA Ocean Avenue Bridge

2011-07-07T20:51:00.001-07:00

Sheepshead Bay Foot Bridge AKA Ocean Avenue Bridge, July 7, 2011
Stephanie Monseu, Keith Nelson, Caleb Hickman, Rob Hickman

From PlaceMatters:
http://www.placematters.net/

Sheepshead Bay Footbridge AKA Ocean Avenue Bridge

Pedestrian bridge connecting Sheepshead Bay and Manhattan Beach

First constructed in 1880, the footbridge over Sheepshead Bay is one of the rare bridges in New York that does not allow cars. The current bridge, built in the 1930s, is both a well-trodden thoroughfare connecting the neighborhood of Sheepshead Bay with Manhattan Beach, and a destination in itself, a place to stop, linger, and fish. A recreational outlet for the middle-class residential neighborhood that exists there today, it is also a remnant of the days when the area was a well-known resort community.

Austin Corbin, a railroad tycoon and banker, was responsible for the first Sheepshead Bay footbridge. "The Donald Trump of his time," according to Sheepshead Bay historian Brian Merlis, Corbin proposed a connection from his property on Manhattan Beach, where he operated the grand Manhattan Beach Hotel, to the mainland. Corbin's Manhattan Beach Company built a simple wooden drawbridge in 1880.

At the time, Sheepshead Bay and the Atlantic barrier that contains Coney Island, Brighton Beach, and Manhattan Beach made up a district of pure recreation and amusement outside New York’s urban bounds. Corbin's Manhattan Beach Railroad connected the seaside resort to Manhattan with an hour's ride. The area was filled with resort hotels, including Corbin's sprawling, opulent Manhattan Beach Hotel, the equally grand Oriental Hotel, as well a host of smaller ones. The same year the Oriental and the first footbridge were built, the mainland neighborhood of Sheepshead Bay came to life with a racetrack, and gambling became an important pastime in the area.

Corbin had proposed the bridge, but he changed his mind about it quickly. In 1879, he had begun to deny entry to his property to Jews, under pretenses of preserving what he characterized as an elite clientele. (New York changed its civil rights code in 1881 to make creed no more a basis for discrimination in public places than race.) After the bridge was built, Corbin found that it gave too-unrestricted access to Manhattan Beach, and sought to demolish it. But officials in the town of Gravesend (in what is now Sheepshead Bay) claimed that it was a public highway and had to be left intact. Corbin tore it down anyway. Others built it back, and a cycle of demolition and reconstruction ensued. In 1881, New York's Commission of Highways ruled that the bridge was a public highway, and the Supreme Court issued an injunction against tearing it down again. Once it was reconstructed for good, the bridge became an unquestionable landmark of the neighborhood.

Marine Park Nature Walk Bridge

2011-06-20T15:59:00.000-07:00

Marine Park Nature Walk Bridge, June 20, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Started: Jun 20, 2011 11:42:22 AM
Ride Time: 2:11:03
Stopped Time: 2:02
Distance: 11.19 miles
Average: 5.12 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 15.59 miles/h
Ascent: 1001 feet
Descent: 928 feet

Flatbush Avenue Overpass over the Belt Parkway

2011-06-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

Flatbush Avenue Overpass over the Belt Parkway, June 20, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Mill Basin Drawbridge

2011-06-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

Mill Basin Drawbridge, June 20, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

From Wikipedia:
The Mill Basin Bridge is a double leaf trunnion bascule bridge supporting the Belt Parkway over Mill Basin. Each leaf carries six lanes of traffic - three in each direction. There is a sidewalk on each side of the leaf; the eastern or downstream one being part of the Shore Parkway Greenway. Built in the 1940s, the bridge, which cost $1.4 million, is the only drawbridge on the Belt Parkway.

The New York City Department of Transportation reconstructed the Belt Parkway Bridge over Mill Basin in late 2006. The bridge was constructed in 1942 and has outlived its useful service life. Due to the effects of age, weather and increased traffic volume, reconstruction was deemed necessary. The reconstruction work was accomplished in 2 stages.

Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge

2011-06-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge over Rockaway Inlet, June 20, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

From Wikipedia:
The Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge in New York City (originally Marine Parkway Bridge) is a vertical lift bridge that crosses Rockaway Inlet and connects the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens, with Marine Parkway to Floyd Bennett Field, Flatbush Avenue, and the Marine Park neighborhood in Brooklyn. Opened on July 3, 1937, it carries four motor traffic lanes, and a footpath on the western edge. Cyclepaths along both sides of the Parkway connect to the Shore Parkway Greenway and to Flatbush Avenue. The operation of this bridge includes the maintenance of the Marine Parkway from the toll plaza to Jacob Riis Park. Though a city-owned and operated bridge, it connects two parts of Gateway National Recreation Area, a unit of the National Park System: Floyd Bennett Field and Jacob Riis Park. The bridge is designated as New York State Route 901B, an unsigned reference route.

Since September 15, 2008, the crossing charge for a two-axle passenger vehicle is $2.50, with a $.95 discount for E-ZPass users. The crossing charge for a motorcycle is $2.25 charged in each direction, with a $.96 discount for E-ZPass users. Certain resident discounts apply to this bridge. Since July 12, 2009, the crossing charge for a two-axle passenger vehicle is $2.75, with a $1.04 discount for E-ZPass users. The crossing charge for a motorcycle is $2.50 charged in each direction, with a $1.08 discount for E-ZPass users. Certain resident discounts apply to this bridge. As of December 30, 2010, the crossing charge for a two-axle passenger vehicle is increased to $3.25 (cash), $2.17 (token), and $1.80 ($1.45 discount) for E-ZPass users. The crossing charge for a motorcycle is $2.75 charged in each direction, with a $1.26 discount for E-ZPass users. Certain resident discounts apply to this bridge.

The bridge is owned by the City of New York and operated by the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, an affiliate agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

History:
Built and opened by the Marine Parkway Authority in 1937, it was the longest vertical lift span in the world for automobiles. The curled tops of the towers were designed to give the bridge a whimsical aspect. Following the 1940 merger of the Marine Parkway Authority and Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, the operation of the bridge fell to TBTA. In 1978, the bridge was renamed for Gil Hodges, the former first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Hodges kept a residence in Brooklyn after his team moved to Los Angeles. He also played for the New York Mets at the end of his career, and managed the Mets from 1968 until his death in 1972, including victory in the 1969 World Series.

Facts:
The center span is lifted and lowered 100 times a year to allow vessels to pass beneath the roadway.
The center span is 540 feet (160 m) long and is only 55 feet (17 m) above the water but can be lifted up to a height of 150' feet above the water. Part of the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 was filmed from a tollbooth camera on this bridge.
A beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline can be seen from the bridge driving into Brooklyn.

Renovating the Bridge:
In 1999 the following elements of the bridge were renovated:
The existing steel-grated roadway deck on the lift span was replaced with a concrete-and-steel orthotropic deck. A new concrete ("Jersey") barrier now separates opposing traffic flows. The elevators and electrical systems in the towers were replaced. New variable message signs and traffic control devices were installed on the bridge, approach roadways and toll plaza. A new service building was built at the toll plaza.

Belt Parkway Bridge over Gerritsen Inlet

2011-06-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

Belt Parkway Bridge over Gerritsen Inlet, June 20, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Bedford Avenue Overpass over the Long Island Rail Road (Bay Ridge Branch)

2011-06-20T15:24:00.001-07:00

Bedford Avenue Overpass over the Long Island Rail Road (Bay Ridge Branch), June 20, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Granite Beam Bridge- Grand Ferry Park

2011-05-31T19:41:00.003-07:00

Granite Beam Bridge - Grand Ferry Park, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, May 31, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Started: May 31, 2011 6:22:54 PM
Ride Time: 1:10:40
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 6.45 miles
Average: 5.48 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 17.58 miles/h
Ascent: 443 feet
Descent: 463 feet

Entrance to Newtown Creek Nature Walk, Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant

2011-05-31T19:41:00.001-07:00

Entrance to Newtown Creek Nature Walk, Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
May 31, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Riverside Drive Viaduct at West 133rd Street

2011-05-21T17:36:00.003-07:00

Riverside Drive Viaduct at West 133rd Street, May 21, 2010
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson, Logan Kerr, Eric Kerr

Riverbank State Park South Entrance Overpass over Henry Hudson Pkwy

2011-05-21T17:36:00.001-07:00

Riverbank State Park South Entrance Overpass over Henry Hudson Pkwy, May 21, 2010
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson, Logan Kerr, Eric Kerr

Elevated Pedestrian Walkway at Riverbank State Park

2011-05-21T17:35:00.001-07:00

Elevated Pedestrian Walkway at Riverbank State Park, May 21, 2010
Rob Hickman, Eric Kerr, Keith Nelson, Logan Kerr

Riverbank State Park North Entrance Overpass over Henry Hudson Pkwy

2011-05-21T17:34:00.002-07:00

Riverbank State Park North Entrance Overpass over Henry Hudson Pkwy, May 21, 2010,
Logan Kerr, Keith Nelson, Eric Kerr, Rob Hickman

Riverside Drive Overpass over West 155th Street

2011-05-21T17:34:00.001-07:00

Riverside Drive Overpass over West 155th Street, May 21, 2010
Eric Kerr, Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman, Logan Kerr

West 158th St Overpass over Amtrack / Metro North RR

2011-05-21T17:33:00.002-07:00

West 158th St Overpass over Amtrack / Metro North RR, May 21, 2010
Logan Kerr, Rob Hickman, Eric Kerr, Keith Nelson

Pedestrian Overpass over Amtrack / Metro North RR

2011-05-21T17:33:00.001-07:00

Pedestrian Overpass over Amtrack / Metro North RR, May 21, 2010
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson, Logan Kerr, Eric Kerr

Henry Hudson Pkwy Off-Ramp Overpass at Riverside Drive

2011-05-21T17:23:00.006-07:00

Henry Hudson Pkwy Off-Ramp Overpass at Riverside Drive, May 21, 2010
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson,Logan Kerr, Eric Kerr

Pedestrian Overpass over Riverside Drive Off-Ramp at West 176th Street

2011-05-21T17:23:00.005-07:00

Pedestrian Overpass over Riverside Drive Off-Ramp at West 176th Street, May 21, 2010
Keith Nelson, Eric Kerr, Rob Hickman, Logan Kerr

West 178th Street Overpass over GWB Off-Ramp

2011-05-21T17:23:00.003-07:00

West 178th Street Overpass over GWB Off-Ramp, May 21, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman, Logan Kerr, Eric Kerr

George Washington Bridge

2011-05-21T17:23:00.001-07:00

George Washington Bridge, May 21, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson, Logan Kerr, Eric Kerr

From Wikipedia:
The George Washington Bridge (known informally as the GW Bridge, the GWB,the GW, or the George) is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S. Route 46, which is entirely in New Jersey, ends halfway across the bridge at the state border.
The bridge has an upper level with four lanes in each direction and a lower level with three lanes in each direction, for a total of 14 lanes of travel. The speed limit on the bridge is 45 mph (70 km/h), though congestion often slows traffic, especially during the morning and evening rush hours. A path on each side of the bridge's upper level carries pedestrian and unicycle traffic. As of 2007, the George Washington Bridge has the greatest vehicular capacity of any bridge in the world, carrying approximately 106 million vehicles per year, making it the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey - the bi-state government agency that owns and operates several area bridges, tunnels, and airports.

Groundbreaking for the new bridge began in October 1927, a project of the Port of New York Authority. Its chief engineer was Othmar Ammann, with Cass Gilbert as architect. The bridge was dedicated on October 24, 1931, and opened to traffic the following day. Initially named the "Hudson River Bridge," the bridge is named in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States. The Bridge is near the sites of Fort Washington (in New York) and Fort Lee (in New Jersey), which were fortified positions used by General Washington and his American forces in his unsuccessful attempt to deter the British occupation of New York City in 1776 during the American Revolutionary War. Washington evacuated Manhattan by crossing between the two forts. In 1910 the Washington Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution erected a stone monument to the Battle of Fort Washington. The monument is located about 100 yards (91 m) northeast of the Little Red Lighthouse, up the hill towards the eastern bridge anchorage.

When it opened in 1931, the bridge surpassed the Ambassador Bridge for the longest main span in the world. At 3,500 feet (1,100 m), it nearly doubled the previous record of 1,850 feet (560 m). It held this title until the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge. The total length of the bridge is 4,760 feet (1,450 m). As originally built, the bridge offered six lanes of traffic, but in 1946, two additional lanes were provided on what is now the upper level. A second, lower deck, which had been anticipated in Ammann's original plans, was ordered by Col. McCammon, USACE, opening to the public on August 29, 1962. This lower level has been waggishly nicknamed "Martha". The additional deck increased the capacity of the bridge by 75 percent, making the George Washington Bridge the world's only 14-lane suspension bridge, providing eight lanes on the upper level and six on the lower deck.
The original design for the towers of the bridge called for them to be encased in concrete and granite. However, because of cost considerations during the Great Depression and favorable aesthetic critiques of the bare steel towers, this was never done. The exposed steel towers, with their distinctive criss-crossed bracing, have become one of the bridge's most identifiable characteristics. Le Corbusier (Charles-Edouard Jeanneret) said of the unadorned steel structure:
"The George Washington Bridge over the Hudson is the most beautiful bridge in the world. Made of cables and steel beams, it gleams in the sky like a reversed arch. It is blessed. It is the only seat of grace in the disordered city. It is painted an aluminum color and, between water and sky, you see nothing but the bent cord supported by two steel towers. When your car moves up the ramp the two towers rise so high that it brings you happiness; their structure is so pure, so resolute, so regular that here, finally, steel architecture seems to laugh. The car reaches an unexpectedly wide apron; the second tower is very far away; innumerable vertical cables, gleaming against the sky, are suspended from the magisterial curve which swings down and then up. The rose-colored towers of New York appear, a vision whose harshness is mitigated by distance." (When the Cathedrals were White.

The George Washington Bridge was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers on October 24, 1981, the fiftieth anniversary of the bridge's dedication ceremony.
Following the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington, the Port Authority prohibited people from taking photographs on the premises of the bridge because of the fear that terrorist groups might study any potential photographs in order to plot a terrorist attack on the bridge. Such prohibitions have since been lifted. As the enclosed lower level is more vulnerable to hazardous material (HAZMAT) incidents than the upper level, most HAZMATs have been prohibited there even before the September 11th attacks. If weather allows, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day, as well as on dates honoring those lost in the September 11, 2001 attacks, the bridge sports the largest free-flying American flag in the world; 90 feet (27 m) long and 60 feet (18 m) wide, the flag weighs 450 pounds (200 kg).

The George Washington Bridge carries I-95, US-1, and US-9 between New Jersey and New York. US-46 terminates at the state border in the middle of the bridge. I-80 and NJ-4 also feed into the bridge but end before reaching it. On the New Jersey side of the bridge, the Palisades Interstate Parkway connects directly to the bridge's upper level (plans to give direct access to the lower level from the parkway have been postponed), and the New Jersey Turnpike connects to both levels of the bridge. The marginal roads and local streets above the highways are known as GWB Plaza.

On the New York side, the twelve-lane Trans-Manhattan Expressway heads east across the narrow neck of upper Manhattan, from the bridge to the Harlem River, providing access from both decks to 178th Street, the Henry Hudson Parkway and Riverside Drive on the West Side of Manhattan, and to Amsterdam Avenue and the Harlem River Drive on the East Side. The Expressway connects directly with the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, which spans the Harlem River as part of the Cross-Bronx Expressway (I-95), providing access to the Major Deegan Expressway (I-87). Heading towards New Jersey, local access to the Bridge is available from 179th Street. There are also ramps connecting the bridge to the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, a commuter bus terminal with direct access to the New York City Subway at the 175th Street (A train) station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line.

GW Bridge from New Jersey
Current tolls for cars are as follows: $8 if paying with cash, $8 peak hours with E-ZPass, and $6 off-peak hours with E-ZPass. A special discounted carpool toll ($2) is available for cars with three or more passengers, at all times, with E-ZPass, who proceed through a staffed toll lane (provided they have previously opted-in to the free "Carpool Plan"). Current tolls for motorcycles are $7 cash, $7 peak hours with E-ZPass, and $5 off-peak with E-ZPass. Trucks are charged $8 per axle, with significantly discounted off-peak and overnight tolls. The toll is only charged one way (eastbound), which is how all Hudson River crossings are tolled. The George Washington Bridge takes in approximately $1 million per day in tolls.

The bridge has a total of 31 toll lanes, 12 in the upper level toll plaza, 12 in the lower level toll plaza, and seven in the Palisades Interstate Parkway toll plaza. The toll plazas on the lower level and Palisades Parkway are not staffed during the overnight hours and accept only E-ZPass transactions during this period.
Foot traffic and cyclists cross for free on the sidewalk. Though there are sidewalks on each side of the bridge, cyclists and pedestrians can only use the south side. It offers spectacular views of the Hudson River, the Manhattan skyline and the New Jersey Palisades. Pedestrians had to pay tolls of 10 cents shortly after the bridge opened, but non-motorized traffic is no longer tolled.
In January 2007 the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced a deal with Geico, the auto insurance giant, that included the posting of a large billboard on top of the toll plaza that said "Geico Drive Safely," and Geico signs on the tollbooths and approach roads, some of which would feature the insurer's signature gecko. The arrangement would have provided the agency with $3.2 million over two years. A week later, however, the Port Authority canceled the contract with Geico after criticism that the signs would mar the landmarked bridge, that the Port Authority had failed to negotiate a good price for the deal and that the placement of the signs might violate Fort Lee's regulations.

The George Washington Bridge is popular among sightseers and commuters traveling by foot, unicycle, or roller skates. The South sidewalk (accessible by a long, steep ramp on the Manhattan side of the bridge) is shared by cyclists and pedestrians, with a level surface from end to end. The entrance in Manhattan is at 178th Street, just west of Cabrini Boulevard which also has access to the Hudson River Greenway north of the bridge. The sidewalk is accessible on the New Jersey side from Hudson Terrace, where a gate open in daytime and evening allows pedestrians and bikes to pass. Also on Hudson Terrace, less than one hundred yards north of the bike/ped entrance, walkers will find the start of the Long Path hiking trail, which leads after a short walk to some spectacular views of the bridge, and continues north towards Albany, New York. The George Washington Bridge carries New York State Bicycle Route 9, a bike route that runs from New York City north to Rouses Point.
The Port Authority closed the North Sidewalk at all times in 2008. Though offering direct access into Palisades Interstate Park, the North sidewalk requires stairway climbs and descents on both sides, always an inconvenience and obstacle to handicapped people, and a risk in poor weather conditions.
Transportation Alternatives, a New York City advocacy group, has proposed an enhanced River Road connector in Fort Lee, which would create safer pedestrian and bicycle access to the George Washington Bridge on the New Jersey side of the bridge.

Within the New York metropolitan area, the Tappan Zee Bridge (Interstates 87/287 & New York State Thruway) is an alternative route that avoids the city proper.
For longer-range traffic, such as traffic between New England (and points north/east) and Pennsylvania (and points south/west), Interstate 84 which crosses the Hudson on the Newburgh–Beacon Bridge is often used as an alternative rather than either the GWB or the Tappan Zee bridge, as it avoids the core areas of the New York metro area entirely.

The George Washington Bridge is among the sites in New York City often chosen by people who commit suicide, along with the Empire State Building.

Pedestrian Overpass over the Brooklyn Queens Expressway On-Ramp at Cavalry Cemetery

2011-04-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

Pedestrian Overpass over the Brooklyn Queens Expressway On-Ramp at Cavalry Cemetery, April 19, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Started: Apr 19, 2011 10:03:30 AM
Ride Time: 1:37:06
Distance: 8.14 miles
Average: 5.03 miles/h

Greenpoint Avenue Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, April 19, 2011

2011-04-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

Greenpoint Avenue Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, April 19, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Bedford Avenue Overpass over the Long Island Railroad, March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

Bedford Avenue Overpass over the Long Island Railroad, March 9, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Started: Mar 9, 2011 10:43:40 AM
Ride Time: 1:48:54
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 8.02 miles
Average: 3.86 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 14.24 miles/h
Ascent: 633 feet
Descent: 682 feet

Empire Boulevard Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T11:08:00.000-08:00

Empire Boulevard Overpass Bridge over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Washington Avenue Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T10:55:00.000-08:00

Washington Avenue Overpass Bridge over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Montgomery Street Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

Montgomery Street Overpass Bridge over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Crown Street Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T10:44:00.000-08:00

Crown Street Overpass Bridge over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Carrol Street Pedestrian Bridge over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

Carrol Street Pedestrian Bridge over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

President Street Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

President Street Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Union Street Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

Union Street Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Eastern Parkway Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T10:31:00.000-08:00

Eastern Parkway Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Lincoln Place Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

Lincoln Place Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

St. John's Place Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T10:25:00.000-08:00

St. John's Place Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Sterling Place Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T10:15:00.000-08:00

Sterling Place Overpass over the MTA 'S' line, March 9, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Unnamed Span over East River Inlet at 49th Avenue - Gantry State Park - February 23, 2010

2011-02-23T11:40:00.000-08:00

Unnamed Span over East River Inlet at 49th Avenue - Gantry State Park, February 23, 2010
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

11th Street Overpass over the Long Island Railroad, February 23, 2011

2011-02-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

11th Street Overpass over the Long Island Railroad, February 23, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Navy Street Pedestrian Overpass at Hudson Street - Ft Greene, Brooklyn, February 9, 2011

2011-02-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

Navy Street Pedestrian Overpass at Hudson Street - Ft Greene, Brooklyn
February 9, 2011

Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Bloomingdale Rd overpass over NY 440, January 11, 2011

2011-01-11T17:13:00.003-08:00

Bloomingdale Rd overpass over NY 440, January 11, 2011 Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman, John Wyffels

Arden Ave overpass over NY 440, January 11, 2011

2011-01-11T17:13:00.001-08:00

Arden Ave overpass over NY 440, January 11, 2011 Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman, John Wyffels

Richmond Ave Bridge, January 11, 2011

2011-01-11T17:12:00.000-08:00

Richmond Ave Bridge, January 11, 2011 Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman, John Wyffels

Travis Ave Bridge, January 11, 2011

2011-01-11T17:11:00.001-08:00

Travis Ave Bridge, January 11, 2011 Rob Hickman, John Wyffels, Keith Nelson

Silver Lake Bridge, January 11, 2011

2011-01-11T17:10:00.000-08:00

Silver Lake Bridge, January 11, 2011 Keith Nelson, John Wyffels, Rob Hickman

Eliot Avenue Overpass over the Long Island Railroad, January 6, 2011

2011-01-06T14:14:00.000-08:00

Eliot Avenue Overpass over the Long Island Railroad, January 6, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Started: Jan 6, 2011 11:19:28 AM
Ride Time: 1:27:24
Distance: 4.30 miles
Average: 2.95 miles/h

Caldwell Avenue Overpass over the Long Island Railroad, January 6, 2011

2011-01-06T14:05:00.000-08:00

Caldwell Avenue Overpass over the Long Island Railroad, January 6, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

61st Street / 63rd Street Pedestrian Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, January 6, 2011

2011-01-06T12:53:00.009-08:00

61st Street / 63rd Street Pedestrian Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, January 6, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Hamilton Place Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, January 6, 2011

2011-01-06T12:53:00.007-08:00

Hamilton Place Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, January 6, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Grand Avenue Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, January 6, 2011

2011-01-06T12:53:00.005-08:00

Grand Avenue Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, January 6, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

69th Street Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, January 6, 2011

2011-01-06T12:53:00.003-08:00

69th Street Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, January 6, 2011
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

Mazeau Street / 71st Street Pedestrian Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, January 6, 2011

2011-01-06T12:53:00.001-08:00

Mazeau Street / 71st Street Pedestrian Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, January 6, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

84th Street Pedestrian Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, January 6, 2011

2011-01-06T12:52:00.000-08:00

84th Street Pedestrian Overpass over the Long Island Expressway, January 6, 2011
Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

University Heights Bridge, November 24, 2010

2010-11-24T12:34:00.000-08:00

University Heights Bridge, November 24, 2010
Dave Cox, Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

From the New York City Department of Transportation:
The University Heights Bridge connects West 207th Street in the Inwood section of Manhattan and West Fordham Road in the University Heights section of the Bronx. This swing type bridge is located one mile south of the Broadway Bridge and approximately two miles north of the Washington and Alexander Hamilton Bridges. It carries two lanes of traffic in each direction and one sidewalk.

The site of the present bridge was originally occupied by a single-draw, wooden trestle footbridge, erected in 1891 and removed soon afterward. The current bridge opened at its new location in 1908 and cost $1,182,782; as the old Broadway Bridge was being replaced, it was floated downstream to be given a new life as the University Heights Bridge. The bridge allowed access to the Fordham Landing, and eliminated the grade crossing at Fordham Landing Road. Shortly after the opening, railroad tracks were added and the operating machinery's steam-powered motor was replaced by an electric one. The swing span was replaced by a new one in 1992.

From Wikipedia:
The University Heights Bridge crosses the Harlem River, connecting West 207th Street in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan to West Fordham Road in the University Heights section of the Bronx. The bridge is operated and maintained by the New York City Department of Transportation. The bridge carries two lanes of traffic in each direction, along with a sidewalk on the south side of the bridge. It may have once carried the now-decommissioned New York State Route 9X.

The first swing bridge on this site had been a previous incarnation of the Broadway Bridge that was being replaced by a new double-level bridge. In June 1906, the old bridge was floated down the river and placed on a newly-constructed center pier. After all the approaches and other construction were completed, the bridge opened to traffic on January 8, 1908. The designer was Alfred Pancoast Boller.

A new bridge was constructed between 1989 and 1992 to replace the decaying previous structure. On June 12, 2008, the New York City Bridge Centennial Commission organized a parade to mark the centennial anniversary of the bridge. The event was attended by Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión, Jr. and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.

Pedestrian Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295 at 33rd Ave, Bayside Queens, September 20, 2010

2010-09-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

Pedestrian Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295 at 33rd Ave, Bayside Queens, September 20, 2010
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson, Viveca Gardiner

The NYC Bridge Tour headed to tornado ravaged Bayside Queens this morning to cross eight spans.

Started: Sep 20, 2010 11:27:14 AM
Ride Time: 1:43:30
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 4.08 miles
Average: 2.37 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 6.38 miles/h
Climb: 262 feet

35th Ave Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295, Bayside Queens

2010-09-20T10:32:00.001-07:00

35th Ave Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295, Bayside Queens, September 20, 2010
Viveca Gardiner, Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson

39th Ave Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295, Bayside Queens

2010-09-20T10:31:00.004-07:00

39th Ave Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295, Bayside Queens, September 20, 2010
Rob Hickman, Keith Nelson, Viveca Gardiner

Pedestrian Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295 at 42nd Ave, Bayside Queens

2010-09-20T10:31:00.003-07:00

Pedestrian Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295 at 42nd Ave, Bayside Queens, September 20, 2010
Keith Nelson, Viveca Gardiner, Rob Hickman

53rd Ave Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295, Bayside Queens

2010-09-20T10:31:00.001-07:00

53rd Ave Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295, Bayside Queens, September 20, 2010
Keith Nelson, Viveca Gardiner, Rob Hickman

48th Ave Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295, Bayside Queens

2010-09-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

48th Ave Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295, Bayside Queens, September 20, 2010
Viveca Gardiner, Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman

Christopher's Crossing, Pedestrian Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295, Bayside Queens

2010-09-20T10:29:00.003-07:00

Christopher's Crossing, Pedestrian Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295 at 46th Ave., Bayside Queens, September 20, 2010
Keith Nelson, Viveca Gardiner, Rob Hickman

Northern Blvd Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295, Bayside Queens

2010-09-20T10:29:00.001-07:00

Northern Blvd Overpass over Clearview Expy I-295, Bayside Queens, September 20, 2010
Keith Nelson, Viveca Gardiner, Rob Hickman

FDR Pedestrian Overpass at East 10th Street

2010-09-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

FDR Pedestrian Overpass at East 10th Street - September 7, 2010
Rob Hickman, Dave Cox, Jim Owen, Keith Nelson

FDR Pedestrian Overpass at East 6th Street

2010-09-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

FDR Pedestrian Overpass at East 6th Street - September 7, 2010
Rob Hickman, Dave Cox, Jim Owen, Keith Nelson

East Houston St. Overpass over the FDR

2010-09-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

East Houston St. Overpass over the FDR, September 7, 2010
Dave Cox, Keith Nelson, Rob Hickman, Jim Owen

(Unfinished) Span over Northern Inlet - East River Park

2010-09-07T13:50:00.000-07:00

(Unfinished) Span over Northern Inlet - East River Park - September 7, 2010
Keith Nelson, Dave Cox, Rob Hickman, Jim Owen,
Our First Illegal Crossing.

FDR Pedestrian Overpass at Delancey Street

2010-09-07T13:44:00.000-07:00

FDR Pedestrian Overpass at Delancey Street - September 7, 2010
Rob Hickman, Jim Owen, Keith Nelson, Dave Cox

UniFest Article in the Brooklyn Eagle!

2010-08-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=31&id=37356

NYC’s Unicycle Day Will Roll Into Brooklyn

BROOKLYN — NYC’s first Unicycle Festival will be rolling across New York City this September.
The first day of the festival is in Brooklyn and is being proclaimed by Borough President Marty Markwitz as Brooklyn Unicycle Day. The festivities begin with a 13-mile journey across Brooklyn, on unicycle. The growing popularity of this quirky pastime, combined with Brooklyn’s initiatives to encourage cycling, make this a timely opportunity to celebrate the unicycle. 2010 is the inaugural year of a festival destined to become an annual New York tradition.

The New York City Unicycle Festival will place from Sept. 3 to 5. Festivities will begin Friday afternoon with a mass ride over the Brooklyn Bridge to Grand Army Plaza and then to Coney Island. Expect to witness amazing unicycle displays along the route, on the Boardwalk and around the Cyclone Stadium. This long-distance unicycle ride is being organized by the Unicycle NYC Bridge Tour (unibridgetour.info).

Unicycle riders are invited to join the group. The riders are scheduled to cross the Brooklyn Bridge at 3 p.m. on Sept. 3. They expect to be riding through Grand Army Plaza and Prospect Park at 4 p.m. and arriving at Coney Island at 6 pm. The route is available on-line at http://nycunifest.com.

Additional NYC Unicycle Festival events are on Governors Island (Sept. 4) and at Grant’s Tomb (Sept. 5). The New York City Unicycle Festival seeks to bring together recreational riders, world-class performers, mountain and off-road unicycle enthusiasts, mono-wheel vehicle inventors, and the thousands of people who have not ridden in umpteen years along with circus enthusiasts, extreme sports viewers, and anyone seeking an unusual sight — even for New York City!

Ocean Parkway Overpass over Prospect Expressway

2010-08-04T19:11:00.001-07:00

Ocean Parkway Overpass over Prospect Expressway - August 4, 2010
Rob Hickman, Kyle Petersen, Keith Nelson

Started: Aug 4, 2010 2:41:37 PM
Ride Time: 1:55:12
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 10.62 miles
Average: 5.53 miles/hr

Mentioned in Alex Halperin: Summer in the City

2010-07-24T20:38:00.000-07:00

http://www.guernicamag.com/blog/1909/alex_halperin_summer_in_the_ci/

By Alex Halperin
On a Tuesday morning not too long ago, Keith Nelson, co-founder of the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, left south Williamsburg with a few unicycles in the back of his car. Last fall, Nelson and his friend Rob Hickman, who was in the passenger seat, had been tooling around with their unicycles when they decided to ride over the Williamsburg Bridge. The bridge “is such a focal point in our neighborhood,” Hickman said. The trip “ended up being so much easier than our expectations, our fears, that we decided to then do another couple miles and go to McCarran Park and back.”

Their journey inspired them to unicycle over every bridge in the city. “It seems to make sense. I mean, when we decided to do all the bridges we did not know how many bridges that would entail,” Nelson said. Nelson, who’s forty, wore a straw boater hat and a red t-shirt promoting Hell on Wheel, a Chatham, New York unicycle club. “We counted in our head only twenty or thirty.” They’ve revised their estimate to 2,078. “The ‘why’ is, I think, an evolving question. The idea of spans and connections and what a bridge does both philosophically and architecturally has some kind of interesting flavors for both Rob and I from different angles.” As Nelson drove, he mused, “Most of what’s become boring in New York doesn’t have any bridges. Bridges have always been put where there’s intriguing things happening.”

In rapid succession they checked off the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges and began the search for the city’s more obscure crossings. “As far as we know, nobody’s compiled a list of every single bridge. Each facet owns some. DoT owns some. MTA owns some. Parks and Rec owns some, but they don’t communicate,” Nelson said. “Most of the bridges that we’re focusing on are water spans but I think the city’s count includes many overpasses and arches and things we didn’t originally think of as a bridge. So we are now documenting those.” There are also sky bridges between buildings. “I have a feeling they’re not in the count at all.” Sky-bridge access might present a problem, he conceded.

Hickman, a sculptor who lined the ceiling of the red line subway stop at 72nd St with more than one million pieces of laminated glass, hopes the bridge tour will evolve into a book or exhibit. He even found an intern for Unicycle NYC Bridge Tour “first of all to figure out where all these bridges are.” They’d discovered about fifty-one bridges in Central Park, considerably more than the city’s count. “There actually used to be a lot more bridges in Central Park but Robert Moses tore a lot down when they brought automobile traffic to the park.”

“Bastard!” Viveca Gardiner, a friend from the New York circus community, cheerfully hissed from the back seat. In blue sunglasses and basketball shorts, Gardiner was the first woman to join the tour’s rotating cast of unicyclists.

“Yeah especially at the northern end,” Hickman added.

“We’re finding throughout the city that Moses really effed it up,” Nelson said.

“The Verrazano was an accomplishment,” Hickman said.

“Yeah he did some cool things,” Gardiner added.

“No not for him, for us,” Hickman countered. “I’m trying to get Keith to do this illegal crossing right now” of the Park Avenue Viaduct. “It goes up on the Grand Central around the Pan Am building or Met Life Building or whatever it’s called.” Debate ensued over whether the Park Avenue Viaduct is a bridge. “We have to do a practice illegal crossing because we’re going to do the Whitestone, that’s gonna be our big one.”

“He’s got that camouflage seat. He’s safe. Nobody’s gonna to see him,” Gardiner pointed out. As the car approached JFK, she spotted the elevated Airtrain track. “Shit, Rob’s looking at it.”

“I bet it has a sidewalk,” Hickman said. “It would be awesome.”

Nelson parked on a quiet street near the airport and the trio pulled their unicycles from the car. Hickman said the trip would be bridges number 126 and 127 and Nelson synced his iPhone to post their route on Twitter. They began weaving through a quiet neighborhood of small, beachy houses. From 101st St they made a left onto 160th Ave. Nelson, who’s something like a professional unicyclist, looked relaxed. He pogoed up onto curbs.

Gardiner’s less experienced. Later, she said when she’s riding, “I’m so exhausted and focused I can’t stop thinking about it for a second.” She described unicycle riding as a constant act of self-correction. “You’re always falling.”

The group approached Ramblersville-Hawtree Memorial Bridge, a road that arced gently over an inlet from Jamaica Bay. Halfway across the bridge Hickman looked at the plaque, which first appeared to read “Pamblersville-Hawtree.” “There’s no cohesive coherent list of bridges in New York City that includes this name. We found this through Google maps.”

As Hickman admired the plaque, Gardiner careened up on her pale green unicycle. “Can you move out of the way please? I’ve gotta make it over a bridge while I’m up.” She reached the far side and lifted her arms in victory. “This is a sweet bridge,” she said. “I love this bridge.”

Copyright 2010 Alex Halperin