It's may be hard to remember now, but up until a few years ago, cyclists and pedestrians hoping to travel between Greenpoint and Long Island City were crammed into a single, miserable lane of the Pulaski Bridge. The situation improved substantially in April 2017, when a two-way bike path finally opened after an extended period of bureaucratic wrangling. Today, amid the turbocharged development of LIC and citywide growth in bike ridership, is it time for non-drivers to get their very own overpass over Newton Creek? Is it also time for us to start referring to the cross-borough area as "LongPoint"?
That's the argument made by CRÈME, the Williamsburg-based firm vying to build a timber bridge just a block west of the Pulaski Bridge. Dubbed the LongPoint Corridor, the 250-foot floating bridge would be made from a lightweight wood, with the ability to pivot to make way for larger boat traffic. It would be restricted to cyclists and pedestrians, allowing for a shorter and safer commute than the Pulaski's "less-than-ideal path with lots of cars," according to the project's designers.
(Rendering via Creme Design)
On Tuesday, the Brooklyn Eagle reported that the bridge now has endorsements from Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Assemblymember Joe Lentol, as well as a new fundraising arm called Friends of Timber Bridge. In a letter sent to the Department of Transportation, Adams reportedly highlighted the need for public and recreational space on the waterfront area, noting that this project would activate both.
Indeed, the full scale project includes multiple phases of waterfront restoration and expansion on both sides of the bridge, with new access points and street renovations at Manhattan Landing. Later phases include a Long Island Railroad Bridge with its own Vernon Boulevard landing.
The corridor's proposed route would connect Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint and Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City, the exact site of a cool-looking double bascule drawbridge demolished in 1954. Because it is now 2019, the firm behind the proposed bridge says their project would create "a new neighborhood we call LongPoint," which: ugh. On the other hand, looks pretty neat!
UPDATE February 13th: Asked about the proposal's feasibility, the DOT issued the following statement which basically boils down to 'don't hold your breath': "This summer, DOT met with CRÈME to further discuss the design details of this project. We advised them of the complexities of building such a structure, which include getting Coast Guard approval, an Environmental Impact Study, funding, and preconstruction timeframe - which would be about eight to ten years given there is no existing structure at this location."
UPDATE 2 February 13th In response to the DOT's response, Jun Aizaki, founder of CRÈME / Jun Aizaki Architecture & Design, told Gothamist:
"We understand that Timber Bridge would be a lengthy process and that we cannot change the world overnight, but as architects we put ideas like this forward into the social consciousness so people will realize that there is a better way and that we have to forge new paths. New York has an obligation to its citizens to provide sound infrastructure and as Brooklyn and Long Island City grows in density, pedestrian bridges like this are a necessary solution. We stand by our design, which has received overwhelming public support. Our first step is to secure funding for a environmental, engineering and feasibility studies. CRÈME looks forward to making this project a reality for the people of Brooklyn and Queens.”
