Brooklyn Bridge Gets the Filet of Pedestrian Entrances

Responding to years of griping (and vigilante sign-making) about the poorly lit, hard-to-locate pedestrian entrances to the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO, the city has finally gotten around to putting up some new signs guiding walkers to the bridge. Spearheaded by the DUMBO Improvement District, the makeover was unveiled today by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and other officials, and coincides with the bridge’s 125th birthday celebration, which kicks off tomorrow at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn with live music by the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Grucci fireworks, and “an unprecedented light installation spanning the length of the Brooklyn Bridge.”

And as if the new bridge signage wasn’t exciting enough, the improvements include concrete slabs near the stairs that say “Welcome to Brooklyn,” and a flashy light installation to steer pedestrians toward the entrances. Created by Linnaea Tillett and Karin Tehve at K23D, the dynamic display, aptly entitled "This Way," uses energy-efficient fiber optics to guide the way for those misguided souls anxious to return to Manhattan.

But wait – there’s more Brooklyn Bridge action. On top of everything else, the manmade NYC Waterfall display set to gush under the bridge this summer will also get a pop-up park for viewing artist Olafur Eliasson's cataract – if dlandstudio’s plans are approved. According to Tropolism, the temporary observation deck – commissioned by the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy – would feature grassy mounds, umbrellas for shade, and hay bales seeded with grass. That sounds nice for some, but everyone knows the only place to see and be seen at the waterfalls is on Circle Line's $50,000 luxury cruise.