The Washington Bridge, which connects Upper Manhattan to the Bronx over the Harlem River, has received a makeover complete with a new dedicated bus lane and a two-way protected bike lane, the city Department of Transportation announced on Monday.
The improvements span from Amsterdam Avenue in Washington Heights to University Avenue in the Bronx and are aimed at making the bridge safer for pedestrians and cyclists while also delivering faster bus service. Roughly 900 cyclists and 68,000 bus riders cross the bridge daily, according to the DOT.
Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said the upgrades will increase accessibility and safety on the bridge for delivery workers as well as the communities on both sides of the river. Before the changes, pedestrians and cyclists had to share a narrow walkway on the bridge, risking collisions.
The bike path, which is located on the side of the bridge with Manhattan-bound car traffic, is now separated from cars by jersey barriers with fences attached to them. Cyclists can access the bridge via a protected path at Amsterdam Avenue and West 182nd Street, or one on Laurel Hill Terrace, officials said. Separate pedestrian paths — one on either side of the bridge — are also protected from bike and vehicular traffic by jersey barriers.
A new half-mile bus lane expansion on the Bronx-bound side of the bridge, which serves five bus routes. It also now connects to the 181st Street busway in Manhattan and the Edward L. Grant Highway and University Avenue bus lanes in the Bronx. The bus lane will have automated camera enforcement against drivers blocking its path, which the DOT said would make those buses faster and more reliable.
City Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa, who represents the area, said she was convinced of the need for an overhaul after walking the bridge with advocates
“I have to say that I’ve never been so afraid to walk a bridge on foot, as I was the day that I walked the Washington Bridge,” she said at the press conference. “I earned my stripes that day — it was an accident waiting to happen.”
The DOT said more safety upgrades are planned for the area before the end of the year, including what’s known as a “leading pedestrian interval,” which gives pedestrians a head start when crossing before vehicles can move.