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October 20, 2008

The Brooklyn Greenway Has Arrived

greenway-1008.jpg
Okay, at least 3/4 of a mile of it along Columbia Street between Atlantic and Degraw is done. And although it's not officially open, folks have been seen walking, jogging and biking on it already. The project, a decade in the making, has endured plenty of bumps, with businesses suffering during the construction phase, but now trees have been planted and paths laid. Eventually, the Greenway should stretch 14 miles along the waterfront from Greenpoint to Bay Ridge. Per the press release from Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI): "More encouraging news came last month as the Department of Transportation began striping new on-street bike lanes on Congress Street and Kane Street, which will provide a direct connection to the Columbia Street Greenway." BGI has started hosting monthly "clean-ups," with pals from the Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association. If you want to help, the next one will occur on Saturday, November 8th at 10:00AM, at BGI's offices, 145 Columbia Street, between Kane and DeGraw.
Columbia Street's Big Dig Mostly Over[Brownstoner]
Columbia Street: Still a Bumpy Ride [Brownstoner]
Columbia Street Revamp: Potholes in My Lawn [Brownstoner]




Posted by lisa at 10:31 AM | Comments (16)
Categories: Columbia Street Waterfront, Parks

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The Brooklyn Greenway is the most awesome development in Brooklyn! The people at Brooklyn Greenway Initiative are super awesome!!! Hats off to them!

Posted by: werner at October 20, 2008 10:36 AM

I have been riding on this for a while and you can even tell from the photos that it the construction was messy and haphazard. Could have been more trees etc.
Unfortunately to do anything in NY, things get watered down and built poorly. If the West side highway bike path were a 10 this would be a 2. It's better than nothing but it shows where the priorities are.

Posted by: oldrte10 at October 20, 2008 10:50 AM

I agree with oldtre10. It is nice to have anything at all, but seems like the city did as little as they could possibly do while still call it a greenway. Couldn't they do something about that cyclone fencing for example? At least try to hide it a bit.

Posted by: Left Hook at October 20, 2008 10:57 AM

Perhaps, just perhaps, the project isn't done yet?

Posted by: Putnamdenizen at October 20, 2008 11:31 AM

Am I missing something...where is the greenery?

Posted by: 11217 at October 20, 2008 12:21 PM

This stretch is being referred to as an interum greenway, by BGI, as it's not finished. Where the fencing is is supposedly being converted into a park and there's a new strip of trees running all along the other side (you'll have to use your imagination to envision how it will all look when those trees mature).

Posted by: Combustiblegirl2 at October 20, 2008 12:46 PM

Bay Ridge mentioned again today....I'm in cloud nine.

I was on atlantic this weekend, should have gone down to the path. There's nothing like seeing men in tight biker shorts.

Posted by: bayridgegirl at October 20, 2008 12:48 PM

thanks for the clarification combustiblegirl, glad to hear. is there a map anywhere online of what the final extent of this will be?

Posted by: goldie at October 20, 2008 1:06 PM

there's a map on the website.

Not to be too negative, but with all the great places to walk and bike, why would you choose to do so here? I don't the appeal. Now, Boston's waterfront greenway--which is actually on the water--is pretty darn amazing.

Posted by: shillstoner at October 20, 2008 1:11 PM

shillstoner - woops, missed that map, thanks.

regarding the appeal, i think its a special taste. i personally like biking through and photographing more gritty industrial areas such as parts of redhook and williamsburg. personal taste and relativism i guess. e.g. when i first came from so.cal. where we have gorgeous bike lanes on the beaches, i thought the west side highway lanes were crap, though people here love them. and now i've grown to like it.

Posted by: goldie at October 20, 2008 2:21 PM

Yes, perhaps it is not done, but if you are waiting for the cyclone fence to come down, or to see the trees on the other side of it you will be waiting at least 10 years because that it when American Steveadoring's lease is up next.

Posted by: Left Hook at October 20, 2008 5:19 PM

I don't think that plot with the fencing has anything to do with ASI. It's in front of what was a long disused parking lot that's currently being dug up to supposedly create a small park. Bstoner/Lisa perhaps you can get BGI to clarify this instead of relying on readers two cents? Would be helpful if there were more actual reportage sometimes . . .

Posted by: Combustiblegirl2 at October 20, 2008 6:12 PM

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure it belongs to ASI since they have working piers there, the plot is often filled with shipping containers and their trucks need to run back and forth along that access road to unload the ships. But I would be happy to find out that I am wrong.

Posted by: Left Hook at October 20, 2008 6:33 PM

The lots in question, on the west side of Columbia Street between Kane/DeGraw are currently being used as a staging area for the Columbia Street Reconstruction. When Van Brunt Street is finished,north of Hamilton,these lots will be tranferred from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Parks Dept. and developed as a neighborhood park adjoining the Greenway. The transfer is expected sometime in 2010. The 3/4 mile Columbia Street segment of the Greenway is indeed an interim treatment- the result of a negotiation that occured several years ago. It is roughly half the width that it will eventually be. BGI commissioned a study earlier this year to determine the additional land concessions needed from the Port Authority (PA) to meet BGI's standard of a 30' right-of-way.It comes up short on space for pedestrians and does not have the landscaping that will create the effect of traveling through a linear park. In 2009, BGI will be holding a series of public planning workshops to inform the design of the permanent Greenway. Keep using the Greenway on Columbia Street! BGI is regularly counting bicyclists, pedestrians and joggers to establish a usage baseline which will go a long way in adavancing not only the permanent Greenway on Columbia St., but at multiple locations. Stay tuned.

Posted by: BGeye at October 25, 2008 11:54 AM

The lots in question, on the west side of Columbia Street between Kane/DeGraw are currently being used as a staging area for the Columbia Street Reconstruction. When Van Brunt Street is finished,north of Hamilton,these lots will be tranferred from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Parks Dept. and developed as a neighborhood park adjoining the Greenway. The transfer is expected sometime in 2010. The 3/4 mile Columbia Street segment of the Greenway is indeed an interim treatment- the result of a negotiation that occured several years ago. It is roughly half the width that it will eventually be. BGI commissioned a study earlier this year to determine the additional land concessions needed from the Port Authority (PA) to meet BGI's standard of a 30' right-of-way.It comes up short on space for pedestrians and does not have the landscaping that will create the effect of traveling through a linear park. In 2009, BGI will be holding a series of public planning workshops to inform the design of the permanent Greenway. Keep using the Greenway on Columbia Street! BGI is regularly counting bicyclists, pedestrians and joggers to establish a usage baseline which will go a long way in adavancing not only the permanent Greenway on Columbia St., but at multiple locations. Stay tuned.

Posted by: BGeye at October 25, 2008 11:55 AM

The lots in question, on the west side of Columbia Street between Kane/DeGraw are currently being used as a staging area for the Columbia Street Reconstruction. When Van Brunt Street is finished,north of Hamilton,these lots will be tranferred from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Parks Dept. and developed as a neighborhood park adjoining the Greenway. The transfer is expected sometime in 2010. The 3/4 mile Columbia Street segment of the Greenway is indeed an interim treatment- the result of a negotiation that occured several years ago. It is roughly half the width that it will eventually be. BGI commissioned a study earlier this year to determine the additional land concessions needed from the Port Authority (PA) to meet BGI's standard of a 30' right-of-way.It comes up short on space for pedestrians and does not have the landscaping that will create the effect of traveling through a linear park. In 2009, BGI will be holding a series of public planning workshops to inform the design of the permanent Greenway. Keep using the Greenway on Columbia Street! BGI is regularly counting bicyclists, pedestrians and joggers to establish a usage baseline which will go a long way in adavancing not only the permanent Greenway on Columbia St., but at multiple locations. Stay tuned.

Posted by: BGeye at October 25, 2008 11:55 AM

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