R.I.P. Triborough Bridge, Viva RFK?!

Finally, the day has arrived...at a ceremony this morning the Triborough Bridge will officially become the Robert F. Kennedy bridge, one day before what would have been his 83rd birthday. Former President Bill Clinton, Governor David Paterson, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Kennedy's widow, Ethel, are all expected to be on hand at the official dedication, taking place at Astoria Park in Queens. After the signs are up and formalities are done with, will anyone actually call it the RFK? Even Google is still calling it the Triborough. Newsday reminds us that the (ironic and expensive) "renaming of the bridge was the brainchild of former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer." Enough said?

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By Jen Carlson in News on November 19, 2008 11:47 AM

Comments [rss]

Snoopy

How about the Karma bridge?

Snoopy

"The Triborough Bridge" what a stupid name for that bridge. Can't one come up with a more descriptive name?

NannyState

$4 million isn't enough to stop me calling it the Triborough.

Snoopy

How about the toll plaza? That's where the real money is made. Any suggestions for that? Maybe a dead blond actress's name to give the bridge some historical link?

JenChungsBaby

EVEN GOOGLE is still calling it the Triboro? Oh, well that ends the debate right there.

spiritross

Laguardia Airport and Step on it...

Take the Kennedy Bridge! the Queensbourgh is back up!

Rob T Firefly

If the projected cost is $4M, I would not be surprised to see the real cost break around $6M, after which people will continue to not give a damn.

Steven

Then guess what? Politicians complain there is no money for other things.

emilydickinson

We just have to get Gridlock Sam to start using it. I'll pitch him immediately.

Think2wice

"Robert F. Kennedy Bridge" needs "Jackie Robinson Parkway's" PR firm, but I'm hoping that in these lean times, it'll settle for "Avenue of the America's" PR firm.

Splicer

I protest! This bridge will never stand...it's just too damnably big. If God had meant man to build bridges...

Snoopy

"the renaming of the bridge was the brainchild of former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer." Is this another Gothamist typo? Don't you mean "brainfart" instead?

r1b2

Pricetag? How much will it cost to generate new signs, etc? This is a lovely gesture, but the timing ain't so hot.

There are very few examples of roads, etc that go by the new names. The FDR Drive (although no one calls it the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Drive), the Jackie Robinson, the Gil Hodges Bridge. It will take a generation or 2 for this name to become adopted. We're all still gonna call it Triborough.