Pulaski Bridge

Last updated

Pulaski Bridge
Pulaski Bridge from west jeh.JPG
View from downstream, looking East
Coordinates 40°44′21″N73°57′9″W / 40.73917°N 73.95250°W / 40.73917; -73.95250
CarriesSix (6) lanes of motor vehicles, pedestrian/bicycle path
Crosses Newtown Creek
Locale Brooklyn and Queens, New York City
Maintained by New York City Department of Transportation
Followed by Greenpoint Avenue Bridge
Characteristics
DesignFour-leaf bascule bridge
Material Steel, reinforced concrete
Total length2,810 feet (860 m)
Longest span177 feet (54 m)
Clearance below 39 feet (12 m)
History
OpenedSeptember 10, 1954;69 years ago (September 10, 1954)
Statistics
Daily traffic 40,722 (2016) [1]
Location
Pulaski Bridge
Pulaski Bridge from above, highlighted in red Pulaski Bridge Aerial Photo.png
Pulaski Bridge from above, highlighted in red

The Pulaski Bridge in New York City connects Long Island City in Queens to Greenpoint in Brooklyn over Newtown Creek. It was named after Polish military commander and American Revolutionary War fighter Casimir Pulaski in homage to the large Polish-American population in Greenpoint. [2] It connects 11th Street in Queens to McGuinness Boulevard (formerly Oakland Street) in Brooklyn.

Contents

Description

The bridge opening for barge traffic departing Newtown Creek Pulaski Bridge opening for barge traffic.jpg
The bridge opening for barge traffic departing Newtown Creek

Designed by Frederick Zurmuhlen, the Pulaski Bridge is a bascule bridge, a type of drawbridge. Its span crosses Newtown Creek, Long Island Rail Road tracks, and the entrance to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel from south to north. The bridge carries six lanes of traffic and a pedestrian sidewalk; the pedestrian sidewalk is on the west or downstream side of the bridge, and has views of the industrial areas surrounding Newtown Creek, the skyline of Manhattan, and of a number of other bridges, including the Williamsburg Bridge, the Queensboro Bridge, and the Kosciuszko Bridge. The bridge was reconstructed between 1991 and 1994. [3]

Located just over 13 miles (21 km) from the start of the New York City Marathon at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, the Pulaski Bridge serves as the approximate halfway point in the race. [4]

History

The Pulaski Bridge opened to traffic on September 10, 1954. [5] It served as a replacement for the nearby Vernon Avenue Bridge, which had linked Vernon Avenue (now Vernon Boulevard) in Long Island City with Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint. [2]

From 1979 until 1990, a message reading "Wheels Over Indian Trails" was painted on the Pulaski Bridge over the approach to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. The artwork was created by John Fekner as a tribute to the thirteen Native American tribes who inhabited Long Island and referred to the changing traffic patterns on Vernon Boulevard, a former Indian trail. [6] [7]

The bascule draw span open Pulaski Bridge with draw span open (2017).jpg
The bascule draw span open

In 2012, in response to the lack of adequate bicycle facilities currently on the Pulaski Bridge, the NYC Department of Transportation began studying the possibility of installing dedicated bicycle lanes on the bridge. [8] Since the Pulaski is a drawbridge with an open section in the middle, it presents several challenges not faced by other bridges. First, physical dividers must be lightweight yet securely installed so they don't come loose when the drawbridge is opened. Secondly, the joints where the two leaves come together must be somehow protected to make them more bicycle wheel-friendly. In April 2013, in a letter to Assembly Member Joe Lentol, the NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner stated that the proposal for a two-way dedicated bike lane, which would convert the existing walkway to a pedestrian-only path, had met the requirements of a traffic analysis and that an engineering study and recommendations would be made by the end of the year. [9] On October 25, 2013, Lentol announced that the DOT was in the process of designing a dedicated bike lane and that the final design would be presented to community board 1 in Brooklyn and Community Board 2 in Queens before the end of the year. Bike lane construction was originally projected to occur late spring or early summer of 2014. [10] Construction occurred during the winter of 2015 and the bike lane opened at the end of April 2016. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newtown Creek</span> Heavily-polluted tributary of the East River in New York City, United States

Newtown Creek, a 3.5-mile (6-kilometer) long tributary of the East River, is an estuary that forms part of the border between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, in New York City. Channelization made it one of the most heavily-used bodies of water in the Port of New York and New Jersey and thus one of the most polluted industrial sites in the United States, containing years of discarded toxins, an estimated 30,000,000 US gallons of spilled oil, including the Greenpoint oil spill, raw sewage from New York City's sewer system, and other accumulation from a total of 1,491 sites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queens Boulevard</span> Boulevard in Queens, New York

Queens Boulevard is a major thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Queens connecting Midtown Manhattan, via the Queensboro Bridge, to Jamaica. It is 7.5 miles (12.1 km) long and forms part of New York State Route 25.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in New York City</span>

The transportation system of New York City is a network of complex infrastructural systems. New York City, being the most populous city in the United States, has a transportation system which includes one of the largest and busiest subway systems in the world; the world's first mechanically ventilated vehicular tunnel; and an aerial tramway. New York City is home to an extensive bus system in each of the five boroughs; citywide and Staten Island ferry systems; and numerous yellow taxis and boro taxis throughout the city. Private cars are less used compared to other cities in the rest of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marty Markowitz</span> American politician

Martin Markowitz is an American politician who served as the borough president of Brooklyn, New York City. He was first elected in 2001 after serving 23 years as a New York State Senator. His third and final term ended in December 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation Alternatives</span>

Transportation Alternatives is a non-profit organization in New York City which works to change New York City's transportation priorities to encourage and increase non-polluting, quiet, city-friendly travel and decrease automobile use. TransAlt seeks a transportation system based on a "Green Transportation Hierarchy" giving preference to modes of travel based on their relative benefits and costs to society. To achieve these goals, T.A. works in five areas: Cycling, Walking and Traffic Calming, Car-Free Parks, Safe Streets and Sustainable Transportation. Promotional activities include large group bicycle rides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosciuszko Bridge</span> Bridge between Brooklyn and Queens, New York

The Kosciuszko Bridge, orignaly konwn as the Meeker Avenue Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge over Newtown Creek in New York City, connecting Greenpoint in Brooklyn to Maspeth in Queens. The bridge consists of a pair of cable-stayed bridge spans: the eastbound span opened in April 2017, while the westbound span opened in August 2019. An older bridge, a truss bridge of the same name that was located on the site of the westbound cable-stayed span, was originally opened in 1939 and was closed and demolished in 2017. The crossing is part of the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway (BQE), which carries Interstate 278.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iris Weinshall</span> American politician (born 1953)

Iris Weinshall is the chief operating officer of The New York Public Library, former vice chancellor at the City University of New York and a former commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation. Weinshall was appointed Chief Operating Officer by the Library in July 2014, and she began her tenure on September 1, 2014. She is the wife of U.S. Senator and Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Department of Transportation</span> New York City government agency

The New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) is the agency of the government of New York City responsible for the management of much of New York City's transportation infrastructure. Ydanis Rodriguez is the Commissioner of the Department of Transportation, and was appointed by Mayor Eric Adams on January 1, 2022. Former Commissioners have included Polly Trottenberg, Janette Sadik-Khan, and Iris Weinshall. Their Training Center is located at 140 General R W Berry Dr, Queens, NY 11359, off of Exit 32 of the Cross Island Parkway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Street and Grand Avenue</span> Avenue in Brooklyn and Queens, New York

Grand Street and Grand Avenue are the respective names of a street which runs through the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States. Originating in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Grand Street runs roughly northeast until crossing Newtown Creek into Queens, whereupon Grand Street becomes Grand Avenue, continuing through Maspeth where it is a main shopping street, until reaching its northern end at Queens Boulevard in Elmhurst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linden Boulevard</span> Boulevard in Brooklyn and Queens, New York

Linden Boulevard is a boulevard in New York City. Its western end is at Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, where Linden Boulevard travels as an eastbound-only street to Caton Avenue, where it becomes a two-way street. The boulevard stretches through both Brooklyn and Queens. This boulevard, especially the area of Cambria Heights between Springfield Boulevard and the Nassau County line represents a smaller version of shopping centers located on Jamaica Avenue and Queens Boulevard. Linden Boulevard also continues into Nassau County to Valley Stream where it turns into Central Avenue; this was one of several former names of the street in Queens.

The Brooklyn–Queens Greenway is a bicycling and pedestrian path connecting parks and roads in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, connecting Coney Island in the south to Fort Totten in the north, on Long Island Sound. The route connects major sites in the two boroughs, such as the New York Aquarium, Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the New York Hall of Science, and Citi Field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenpoint Avenue Bridge</span> Bridge between Brooklyn and Queens, New York

The Greenpoint Avenue Bridge is a drawbridge that carries Greenpoint Avenue across Newtown Creek between the neighborhoods of Greenpoint, Brooklyn and Blissville, Queens in New York City. Also known as the J. J. Byrne Memorial Bridge, the bridge is named after James J. Byrne, who served as Brooklyn Borough President from September 1926 until he died in office on March 14, 1930. Previously, Byrne was the Brooklyn Commissioner of Public Works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cycling in New York City</span>

Cycling in New York City is associated with mixed cycling conditions that include dense urban proximities, relatively flat terrain, congested roadways with stop-and-go traffic, and streets with heavy pedestrian activity. The city's large cycling population includes utility cyclists, such as delivery and messenger services; cycling clubs for recreational cyclists; and increasingly commuters. Cycling is increasingly popular in New York City; in 2018 there were approximately 510,000 daily bike trips, compared with 170,000 daily bike trips in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Father Capodanno Boulevard</span> Boulevard in Staten Island, New York

Father Capodanno Boulevard, formerly Seaside Boulevard, is the primary north-south artery that runs through the Arrochar, South Beach, Ocean Breeze, Midland Beach, and New Dorp Beach neighborhoods of the New York City borough of Staten Island. The boulevard runs parallel to the South Beach Boardwalk and its public park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East River Greenway</span> Esplanade in Manhattan, New York

The East River Greenway is an approximately 9.44-mile-long (15.19 km) foreshoreway for walking or cycling on the east side of the island of Manhattan on the East River. It is part of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway. The largest portions are operated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. It is separated from motor traffic, and many sections also separate pedestrians from cyclists. The greenway is parallel to the Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive for a majority of its length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McGuinness Boulevard</span> Boulevard in Brooklyn, New York

McGuinness Boulevard is a boulevard in Greenpoint, a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It runs between Interstate 278 in the south and the Pulaski Bridge in the north, which connects Greenpoint to Long Island City, Queens and Jackson Avenue. South of Driggs Avenue, it is called McGuinness Boulevard South.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooklyn–Queens Connector</span> Proposed streetcar line in New York City

The Brooklyn–Queens Connector, abbreviated the BQX, was a proposed streetcar line in New York City. It is planned to operate on a north–south corridor along the East River between the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn. A previous plan bearing similarities to the BQX was initially proposed in 1989 as part of a Brooklyn waterfront streetcar line connecting Red Hook with Downtown Brooklyn. A study by the city, published in 2011, found the proposal to be infeasible. A later proposal by the nonprofit Friends of the Brooklyn Queens Connector, made public in January 2016, found backing from Mayor Bill de Blasio. A director for Friends of the Brooklyn Queens Connector was appointed in May 2016, and a list of possible routings was released in November 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broadway Stages</span> NYC film and television production company

Broadway Stages, Ltd. is one of New York’s full-service film and television production companies, with its headquarters in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Broadway Stages’ studios can be found throughout Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. As of 2018 it has over 3 million square feet of integrated space including soundstages, locations, production services and parking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mill Basin Bridge</span> Bridge in Brooklyn, New York

The Mill Basin Bridge is a seven-lane, fixed girder bridge in Brooklyn. It is owned and maintained by the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) and spans Mill Basin inlet. Completed in February 2019, the span replaces a Bascule bridge originally constructed in 1940. The bridge carries passenger vehicles via the Belt Parkway and pedestrians and cyclists via the Jamaica Bay Greenway.

References

  1. "New York City Bridge Traffic Volumes" (PDF). New York City Department of Transportation. 2016. p. 9. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Robinson, George (December 7, 2003). "F.Y.I." The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  3. Holloway, Lynn (March 20, 1994). "Pulaski Project Nearing Finish". The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  4. "The Course". ING New York City Marathon. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  5. "Bridge Linking Greenpoint Section of Brooklyn and Long Island City Is Opened". The New York Times. September 11, 1954. p. 19. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  6. Richterman, Anita (September 7, 1983). "Problem Line". Newsday. Retrieved July 28, 2023 via newspapers.com.
  7. McKinley, Jesse (May 21, 1995). "F.Y.I." The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  8. Miller, Stephen (November 21, 2012). "DOT Begins Study of Dedicated Pulaski Bridge Bike Lane". Streetsblog.org. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020.
  9. Miller, Stephen (May 3, 2013). "Pulaski Bridge Bike Lane OK'd by DOT Traffic Study; Engineering Review Next". Streetsblog.org. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020.
  10. Aaron, Brad (October 25, 2013). "Lentol: DOT Will Finalize Design for Pulaski Protected Bike Lane This Year". Streetsblog.org. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020.
  11. Meyer, David (April 29, 2016). "The Pulaski Bridge Bikeway Is Open and It's Magnificent". Streetsblog New York City. Retrieved August 23, 2017.