Opportunity Knocks for Brooklyn Bridge Connector

In November, the City DOT announced that it will conduct a $500,000 study of how to build a “fly-over” ramp between the Brooklyn Bridge promenade and Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn. This is great news for the 5,000 cyclists and pedestrians who cross the bridge each day, and the DOT should work with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and City Councilmember David Yassky to secure $4-5 million to build the ramp.

Fortunately, there are three excellent funding opportunities to build the Brooklyn Bridge fly-over.

• The New York City Economic Development Corporation can pay for the ramp as part of reducing the impacts of intense new development in Downtown Brooklyn.
• The U.S. General Services Administration can divert funds from its expected payout of $5+ million to the City of New York for converting part of Cadman Plaza into a courthouse parking lot.
• The DOT can include the fly-over ramp in the budget for its 2008 rebuilding of the Brooklyn Bridge’s approaches and ramps.

It is imperative that the DOT work with Brooklyn elected officials to make funding requests for this project soon.

The proposed ramp would provide a safe and convenient alternative to the currently horrific bridge access at the mammoth intersection of Adams and Tillary Streets. The ramp would arch over the bridge’s motor vehicle traffic, stretching from Cadman Plaza East to the Washington Street stairs on the bridge’s promenade. Cyclists and walkers would no longer be forced to contend with a dozen lanes of hurried, intersecting traffic at the bridge entrance.

The DOT should work with elected officials to secure $4-5 million to build a fly-over ramp from the Brooklyn Bridge promenade (on left) to Cadman Plaza Park (background, right).

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