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The NY Sun calls attention to a problem in the midst: The Booklyn Bridge hasn't been painted in fifteen years. Even the Department of Transportation rated the bridge as experiencing "serious detioration"! Meanwhile, the Golden Gate Bridge is "painted constantly." Sure, the Golden Gate Bridge is pretty much all paint and the Brooklyn Bridge's most notable features are the limestone and granite towers, but painting the structure wouldn't hurt. The Sun has an extensive slideshow of peeling paint close-ups on rusted beams - it's gross and we hope little kids aren't eating those paint chips.
The DOT tells the Sun that the bridge is "structurally safe," and it's scheduled to be painted in 2009. Perfect - we imagine all that 70% of the paint will have peeled away by then. While there are probably other things the DOT is dealing with (though not pedestrian or cyclist safety, that's for sure), since the bridge is so heavily used by pedestrians, we agree with the Sun's implicit outrage and think it's due for a fresh coat sooner rather than later.
And did you realize that many popular SUVs exceed the weight limit on the Brooklyn Bridge? Streetsblog has photographic evidence.
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I thought paint protects the steel...
That has got to be one of the hardest working bridges in America. It definitely deserves to be taken are of properly.
bikes without bells? tickets!
SUVs over wieght limit on bridge? nothing!
memories of pre-environmental apocalypse determined ignorance? priceless!
The Golden Gate Bridge is subjected to more fog and far more salt air than the Brooklyn Bridge.
actually the golden gate hasn't been fully painted since 1995, it was a big deal i lived there then, and that was the first time it was done since like the late 60s. They do "touch ups" from time to time, but not a big overall paint job. The air in SF is much more of that marine layer salty stuff that corrodes steel (aka the fog). Sounds like much ado about nothing with the Brooklyn Bridge. Let's paint my living room first!
ya know now that you mention it, yesterday I did see a stroller mom yell at her kid for munching on paint chips on the bridge..
"bikes without bells? tickets!
SUVs over wieght limit on bridge? nothing!
memories of pre-environmental apocalypse determined ignorance? priceless!"
rantings of whinny biker bitches that go unheard: annoying
I asked a cop about that 3 ton limit on my way home from work the other day. He said they only enforce that rule for commercial vehicles. I told him that the H1 weighs 10,600 pounds (a whole 4,600 pounds over the limit) and he was very surprised.
I you would like to send a letter to the DOT (like I did) you can do it here:
http://continuousemergency.blogspot.com/2006/08/save-brooklyn-bridge.html
We need automatic devices to enforce that weight limit. Maybe a 8 foot-long load plate on the approaches. If it senses a pair of wheels that exceeds 1.75 tons (a little margin of error for trucks with unbalanced loads), it'll pop tire spikes up. Or at least take a photo for a ticket with a nice, big fine. One axle on every heavy vehicle has to exceed that. Even if you have two rear axles like a tractor trailer does, they're not likely to be more than 8 feet apart. Theoretically, if you really start spreading out the load over many axles, you'd be reducing wear and tear on the bridge by essentially emulating multiple lighter vehicles.
And while they're at it, some speed bumps in the pedestrian lane to keep the cyclists from using it. Unfortunately, I can't think of anything that would keep oblivious pedestrians out of the bike lane on the bridge.
I'm Earl Scheib and I'll paint any bridge, any color for $29.95!
great idea Brightliner
...and how about a small fence seperating the bike lane?
Umm...go take a look at the Chambers Street subway station on the J line, right under City Hall and see what an embarrassment to the city THAT abomination is. It's not hidden or out of view. It's in plain sight every day. The Brooklyn Bridge?? Paint peeling? HAHAH come on. This is NYC - no one in this city's government cares or gives a shit how horrible the city looks - can you imagine what tourists and visitors think?? Haven't you figured all this out already?? NYC is a joke to the world.
I'm sure that Iris Weinshall (Mrs. Chuck Schumer), our DOT Commissioner, is right on this one. (The "Iris Watch" continues.)
Actually, our roads & bridges have been crumbling for some time. The commuter tax could have helped a whole lot--it's a scandal that's cost the city billions.
Hey, remember that Transportation ballot initiative last November? What are we taking out more debt for if we can't paint a bridge?
TimBNYC:
Cyclists are a bunch of hypocrites. They'll bitch about cars not watching out for them, then zip over the Brooklyn Bridge at breakneck speeds, ashowing no regard for pedestrians who inadvertently stray into their lane of travel.
I walk the bridge frequently and always stay in the pedestrian lane, but routinely see close calls between bikes and pedestrians. Can anyone tell me why cyclists feel compelled to race across the bridge? Somehow, in the absence of cars, cyclists turn into the same sort of dickheads they complain about on the streets of NYC.
On a related rant, I can't tell you how many times I've nearly been run over by bikes traveling the wrong way on a one-way street. Bottom line: most cyclists suck. The rest know better than to ride in the city.
whiners_must_die: you whine quite a bit yourself. making shit up wholesale comes quite naturally too, it seems.
if there were better roads for biking you wouldn't have to run into the cyclists - you should complain about cars taking up all the space if there isn't enough room on the bridge - your argument is kind dumb
stop YOUR whining
For a painter this guy would not be a good choice
article here:
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/006036.php
JH and Anon:
There's a difference between pointing out hypocisy and whining. But let me simplify my "dumb argument" for you: Cyclists complain about drivers not watching out for them and say "share the road." These same cyclists then show no regard for pedestrians, who also need to share the road (e.g. to cross the street, walk across the bridge, etc.). Cars aren't the problem - - selfish idiots who don't obey traffic laws and won't watch out for others sharing the same space are the problem. Get it?
And JH, what did I supposedly fabricate? Maybe if you opened your eyes you'd see the same things I do. In the meantime, keep your accusations to yourself, douchebag.
what makes your argument dumb is this:
the reason cyclists often have no choice but to inhabit the same space as pedestrains is the fact that cars take up a huge section of the available space in this city -
bikers are asked to show respect for traffic laws, yet there are no laws that enable their safety - so why should they show respect for traffic or cars?
however - pedestrians should always be treated very very well - and i always defer to them when i am on my bike (which is every day rain or shine)
if you are worried about pedestrains, cars are BY FAR with out any competeition whatsover the largest killer of pedestrians
hey whiner_who_must_die,
what the hell are you doing walking the wrong way on a one way street. ever heard of A SIDEWALK, YOU FUCKING IDIOT!