Yesterday, the Triborough Bridge was renamed the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge to honor former Attorney General and Senator from New York. Former president Bill Clinton, Mayor Bloomberg and Governor David Paterson joined RFK's children and widow, Ethel Kennedy, for the event. Paterson said, "Robert F. Kennedy was a champion of social justice and human rights and his spirit is kept alive by his family’s continued commitment to those causes. I am particularly pleased to have had the opportunity to sign this bill into law, making possible the renaming of the Triborough Bridge as the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, which is a fitting tribute to the man and his legacy.” The idea was proposed earlier this year by former governor Eliot Spitzer. more ›

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? more ›

There's been many opinions tossed around regarding the name change of the Triborough Bridge to the Robert F. Kennedy bridge, but like it or not it's all goin' down on November 19th. NYMag notes that there's a bit of irony surrounding the change, however, saying "there’s no reason to think Kennedy, an environmentalist before his time, would have wanted his name associated with the notorious bottleneck site." Columbia University's Kenneth T. Jackson says, "with the MTA facing a billion-dollar deficit, I think Bobby Kennedy would be calling for us to find ways to save the planet and run more buses and subways rather than spend money to change signage." Maybe that's all just more opinion, but he goes on to say that RFK "believed, appropriately, that cars didn’t belong in New York." Even RFK, Jr. agrees that there's some irony surrounding the naming, but says his father would have appreciated the honor nonetheless. The $4 million honor. more ›

In January former Governor Spitzer addressed the idea of former New York senator Robert F. Kennedy claiming name to the Triborough Bridge. It immediately rose questions about RFK's carpetbagger status, and his importance (or lack thereof) to New York's history. more ›

Earlier this month we tried to look at the Triborough Bridge as the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge when Governor Spitzer brought the name change up for consideration. While RFK supporters toss around the obvious "he built bridges" metaphor, The NY Times would like to point out that he also burned them. They suggest that the city stop looking for big names to attach to their structures and streets, and instead look at who built them. As such, they nominate Andrew Haswell Green, "a giant of 19th century urban planning who has been almost entirely forgotten." Since he's not in the running yet, it looks like we're left with a yay or nay vote, so what do you think? more ›

Would a bridge by any other name, bring you to JFK Airport just as smoothly as the Triborough? In all likelihood, yes, but the big question here is should it be renamed after JFK's younger brother, former New York senator Robert F. Kennedy. more ›