Now you can cross that bridge when you come to it!
The Department of Transportation installed a traffic signal and crosswalk at the foot of the Manhattan Bridge off-ramp at Jay and Nassau streets on Nov. 22, which fans of car-free travel say will make reaching and traversing the hairy span safer for everyone.
“We’re happy to see that the DOT is doing this work to improve access to the bridge and make crossing safer for pedestrians and cyclists,” said Brian Zumhagen, a spokesman for cycling activist group Transportation Alternatives, which had been pushing for the additions. “This will also make things better for people biking on Jay Street, who have had to contend with dangerous uncontrolled traffic coming off the bridge.”
Pedal-pushers riding down Jay Street towards Dumbo previously had to navigate between cars zooming off the bridge, while pedestrians had no way of getting onto the bridge without walking all the way to Sands Street — although many took the risk of running across the off-ramp and skirting along the fenced-off curb until they got there.
Eleven people have been injured in crashes nearby since 2009, according to city data.
Workers installed traffic and bicycle signals for Dumbo-bound riders on Jay Street as well as a pedestrian crossing over the ramp. They also took down fences so bipedal travelers can easily access the sidewalk leading to the bridge’s walkway.
