2018-03-03 - Shorewalkers 45th Great Manhattan Bridge Walk
Som, Vivekan, and I walked across the (1) George Washington Bridge from Fort Lee into Manhattan to get to the George Washington Bus Terminal where the walk was starting. More than 40 walkers had shown up at 8:15 AM for the 45th Great Manhattan Bridge Walk. After some opening remarks, handing out my cards, and getting walkers signed in, we departed at 8:30 AM. The plan was for me to lead a faster group of walkers on the longer 33-mile or 34-mile route crossing all the bridges around the perimeter of Manhattan Borough while the other group led by Ian and Som walked at a normal pace on the original route crossing all the bridges around the perimeter of Manhattan Island.
The groups naturally split apart based on speed as we walked north on the Hudson Greenway to the (2) Henry Hudson Bridge which carried us into the Bronx. We regrouped at a park in Marble Hill during a bathroom break. Marble Hill is part of Manhattan even though it is north of the bend of the river. This is because engineers [GU1] rerouted the river many years ago and citizens living there voted to stay as part of Manhattan. Leaving the park, I led the fast group south across the Broadway Bridge and down and across the (3) University Heights Bridge back into the Bronx.
The groups naturally split apart based on speed as we walked north on the Hudson Greenway to the (2) Henry Hudson Bridge which carried us into the Bronx. We regrouped at a park in Marble Hill during a bathroom break. Marble Hill is part of Manhattan even though it is north of the bend of the river. This is because engineers [GU1] rerouted the river many years ago and citizens living there voted to stay as part of Manhattan. Leaving the park, I led the fast group south across the Broadway Bridge and down and across the (3) University Heights Bridge back into the Bronx.
I was surprised at how fast my group was moving. We walked down the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail tracing the path of clean water that used to feed Manhattan and rid it of disease caused by contaminated water, before crossing back into Manhattan on the (4) Washington Bridge. The nearby (5) High Bridge or Old Croton Aqueduct Bridge into the Bronx was next. We took our time enjoying the views and once more walked above the gravity-powered water that flowed into Manhattan. This water was also pumped up the Old Croton Aqueduct Tower and stored in a nearby reservoir before being gravity-fed into the homes of people who lived in northern Manhattan.
We walked down the Bronx and crossed back into Manhattan on the (6) Macombs Dam Bridge just in front of the Yankee Stadium. We checked off the next three bridges in quick succession: (7) 145th Street Bridge into the Bronx, (8) Madison Avenue Bridge into Manhattan and (8) 3rd Avenue Bridge back into the Bronx for our 30-minute lunch break. Most of us ate at McDonald's across the street from the Willis Avenue Bridge but some went to nearby restaurants. After we regrouped, we crossed the (9) Willis Avenue Bridge into Manhattan and the Manhattan span of the Triborough Bridge onto Randall's Island.
We walked down the Bronx and crossed back into Manhattan on the (6) Macombs Dam Bridge just in front of the Yankee Stadium. We checked off the next three bridges in quick succession: (7) 145th Street Bridge into the Bronx, (8) Madison Avenue Bridge into Manhattan and (8) 3rd Avenue Bridge back into the Bronx for our 30-minute lunch break. Most of us ate at McDonald's across the street from the Willis Avenue Bridge but some went to nearby restaurants. After we regrouped, we crossed the (9) Willis Avenue Bridge into Manhattan and the Manhattan span of the Triborough Bridge onto Randall's Island.
This is where the old route and the new route starts to differ. My group headed into the Bronx one with extra time across the (10) Bronx span of the Triborough Bridge and came back a few blocks east on the (11) Randall's Island Connector. At this point we still had about 15 people and one new person actually joined us without many walkers even noticing. The (12) Queens span of the Triborough Bridge brought us into Queens for the first time and many people loved this new section. We walked past some of the art pieces of the Welling Court Mural Project, wandered around Socrates Sculpture Park and walked around Rainey Park before heading across the (13) Roosevelt Island Bridge onto Roosevelt Island just north of the Ravenswood Generating Station.
Roosevelt Island used to be only accessible via ferries or the Queensboro Bridge. Pedestrians used to enter the upside-down building from the bridge and head down onto the island. Cars also used to take an elevator from that bridge. Now people are able to use the Roosevelt Island Bridge to enter the island and use the Roosevelt Tramway to leave, which is what we did. It dropped us a few blocks away from our second major rest stop at Daily Bagel across the street from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It was here that the other group caught up to us, having walked the shorter route off the connected Randall's and Ward's Island into Manhattan via the Ward's Island Bridge and straight down in Manhattan to where we took the break. We briefly mingled with the other group and a few people dropped out around here before we continued onward.
Roosevelt Island used to be only accessible via ferries or the Queensboro Bridge. Pedestrians used to enter the upside-down building from the bridge and head down onto the island. Cars also used to take an elevator from that bridge. Now people are able to use the Roosevelt Island Bridge to enter the island and use the Roosevelt Tramway to leave, which is what we did. It dropped us a few blocks away from our second major rest stop at Daily Bagel across the street from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It was here that the other group caught up to us, having walked the shorter route off the connected Randall's and Ward's Island into Manhattan via the Ward's Island Bridge and straight down in Manhattan to where we took the break. We briefly mingled with the other group and a few people dropped out around here before we continued onward.
The (14) Queensboro Bridge into Queens starts the last leg of the walk. Other than traffic lights, we did not stop again until the end. We walked the long stretch south across the Pulaski Bridge into Brooklyn and down to the Williamsburg Bridge, passing by a beautiful Russian church along the way. (15) Williamsburg Bridge took us into Manhattan's Chinatown as Jim and Bob went faster on ahead. The six other people in my group including me tried to stick together. We finished with the (16) Manhattan Bridge and the (17) Brooklyn Bridge and actually saw David Hogarty walking across in the opposite direction to greet us. He planned to walk backwards until he caught the other group to support them. My group of 8 people ultimately finished between 7:10 and 7:40 PM and the six of us together at the end all grabbed dinner at Mudville Saloon nearby.
Not counting the 1.5 miles from Fort Lee to the George Washington Bus Terminal, we walked 33 miles in about 11 hours. It was a great experience and the fastest I've ever done the bridge walk. I think everyone had a great time. Many thanks to the other leaders and walkers for coming. Please join us again as we try to do this walk at least 3 times a year. If you would like to get involved and help us lead, please contact me and let me know. Cheers!
2018 Finishers
Manhattan Borough
Jim Pinto
Bob Wallace
Jack Shi
Harris Periman
Peter Garzero
Alex Gisser
Vivekan Arther
Manhattan Island
Ian Hochstead
Som B.
Bill Liston
Tom Nisonger
Virginia Guadagno
Jim Pinto
Bob Wallace
Jack Shi
Harris Periman
Peter Garzero
Alex Gisser
Vivekan Arther
Manhattan Island
Ian Hochstead
Som B.
Bill Liston
Tom Nisonger
Virginia Guadagno