The oldest East River span sports a shared bike and pedestrian path, open 24 hours.

The bicycle and pedestrian path extends down the center of the Brooklyn Bridge, with cyclists in the north lane (opposite of what appears in the photo) and pedestrians on the south lane. Often the signage and striping is hidden or vandalized, so watch out for unknowing pedestrians wandering in the bike lane. Particularly beware of tourists; there are usually hundreds on this bridge, posing for photographs and not particularly interested in passing cyclists or rollerbladers.

Over the years, T.A. has won ramps to replace the path’s stairs, the removal of a dangerous subway entrance on the Manhattan approach and a physically separated bike lane on Tillary Street that connects with Downtown Brooklyn’s bicycle network.

Brooklyn Bridge by Numbers:
Distance: 6,775 feet
Design: 1883 Suspension Bridge
Architect: John Roebling
Manhattan entrance: Park Row and Centre Street, across from City Hall Park.
Brooklyn entrance: Stairs to Cadman Plaza East and Prospect Street, ramp to Johnson and Adams Streets.

T.A. Magazine Articles on the Brooklyn Bridge:

• DOT to Make Brooklyn Bridge Access Safer?, Fall 2005

• High Hopes for Brooklyn Bridge-to-Greenway Link, Summer 2004

• Opportunity Knocks for Brooklyn Bridge Connector, Spring 2004

• DOT to Study Skyway from Brooklyn Bridge Path To Cadman Plaza, Winter 2004

• The Department of Transportation to Study Skyway Connecting Brooklyn Bridge Path to Cadman Plaza, November 21, 2003

• Bridge Bicycle Boom!, Fall 2003

• Landmarks Commission, DOT Work Toward Removing Oppressive Chain Link, Fall 2003

• Landmarks Commission Blasts DOT Chain Link Plan for Queensboro Bridge, November 3,2003

• Bicycling Boom on East River Bridges, October 14, 2003

• Re-Mark Safety Symbols on the Brooklyn Bridge, Spring 2003

• Bridge Access Safety Crisis Continues as the DOT Fails to Fix 6 of 8 Entrances, Summer 2002

• Bridge Paths Caged, Spring 2002

• DOT Rejects T.A. Request to Remove Degrading Chain Link Fencing from Bridge Paths, April 22, 2002

• T.A. Gives "A" Grade to 2001 Cycling Improvements, January 28, 2002

• Making the Grade 2000, T.A.'s Fourth Annual Report On Bicycling in NYC: Bridges, Winter 2001

• Confusion on Brooklyn Bridge Mars Improvements, Fall 2000

• Brooklyn Bridge Bike Lanes, Summer 2000

• Heads Up On the Brooklyn Bridge, May/June 2000

• Flawed B-Bridge Entrance Needs Finish, March/April 2000

• Making the Grade 1999, T.A.'s Third Annual Report On Bicycling in NYC: Bridges, March/April 2000

• 11th Hour Improvements for the Brooklyn Bridge Entrance, October/November 1999

• Brooklyn Bridge Plan Faces Critical Problems, Summer 1999

• Brooklyn Bridge Changes, May/June 1999

• The East River Bridges: 17 Years of Reconstruction and Counting, November/December 1998

• Making the Grade 1998, T.A.'s Second Annual Report On Bicycling in NYC: Bridges, November/December 1998

• Disappointing DOT Decision on Brooklyn Bridge, September/October 1998

• Harassment at QBB and Brooklyn Bridge, September/October 1997

• Which Way to the Brooklyn Bridge?, May/June 1996

• Bicycling Basics: Five Fundamental Steps Toward Better Bicycling in NYC: Bridges, May/June 1996

• Can-Do Spirit, March/April 1996

• T.A. Speaks Out On Brooklyn Bridge Entrance Plan, March/April 1996

• Friendlier Entrance to Brooklyn Bridge?: Alternative #6, January/February 1996

• A Better Bridge Now!, July/August 1995

• Where's the Brooklyn Bridge?, July/August 1995

• Brooklyn Bridge, July/August 1995

T.A. Press Releases on the Brooklyn Bridge:

• Commuter Convoy by Bicycle to the Brooklyn Bridge, May 11, 2001

• Bike and Pedestrian Advocates Applaud City's Effective and Safe Signs on Brooklyn Bridge (finally), October 23, 2000

• Bike and Pedestrian Advocates Do City's Job: Post Signs To Relieve Dangerous Chaos on Brooklyn Bridge Promenade, October 10, 2000

T.A. Quotes in the Media on the Brooklyn Bridge:

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• Bikers, walkers battle on bridge, Daily News, November 5, 2004

• City To Study Building a Brooklyn Bridge-Cadman Plaza Ramp, The New York Sun, July 22, 2004

• 'Fly-Over' Bike Ramp Studied For Brooklyn Bridge Access,
  Brooklyn Heights Press & Cobble Hill News, July 15, 2004

• Cycling surges in NYC, am New York, July 12, 2004

• Need a Ride? Bike Commuting in NYC Hits High Point, MetroSports New York, May 2004

• Urban Cycling: A Tale of Two Cities, Metropolis, December 2003

• City Cyclists Put Pedal to Mettle: Bike traffic over bridges hits 23-year high, Newsday, October 2, 2003

• The Sum of the Parts, The Ride, October 1, 2002

• Cyclists Beware: Bumpy Road Ahead, Park Slope Courier, July 22, 2002

• Mettle to the Pedal, New York Post, May 4, 2002

• On Bridges, the View Includes Chain Links, New York Times, June 22, 2002

• Re "Visionaries Dare to Take the Catwalk", New York Times, May 16, 2002

• A Day for Sunday Drivers on Two Wheels, New York Times, May 3, 2002

• Cyclists Plead For More Bridge Security, Daily News, August 9, 2001

• Bridging the gap, Time Out New York, November 2-9, 2000

• Lanes Erased, Turf War Erupts on Brooklyn Bridge, New York Times Metro Section, October 12, 2000

• Walkers and Cyclists Collide Over Subway Entrance Plan, New York Times City Section, June 25, 2000

• Bridge lane switch may squeeze B'kln bikers, The Downtown News, May 22, 2000

• Brake! Cycling Advocates, Carroll Gardens / Cobble Hill Courier, August 2, 1999

• Letters, Time Out New York, December 17-31, 1998

• What's the big idea?, Time Out New York, November 26-December 3, 1998

• Brooklyn Bridge Rerouting Due, Daily News, August 24, 1998

Also see the 1999 plan for a new approach to the Brooklyn side of the bridge.

For further info: visit NYC Department of Transportation, or call 212-442-7033