There are 2,027 bridges in New York City. Over the past two years, I’ve walked across 19, ridden across maybe 10 more, and been intrigued by countless others from afar. Altogether, that leaves about 1,978 bridges that were totally off of my radar. Though the city teems with bridges of all sorts and sizes, only the Brooklyn Bridge has attained a status worthy of tourist pilgrimage. Others, less trafficked and lesser known, often restrict pedestrians or discourage walkers with convoluted and uninviting entrance ramps. But for bold and curious travelers, these seldom traversed pathways across New York offer enticing prospects for inspiration.
I present a list of the top-five best bridges to walk across that are not the Brooklyn Bridge:
1. The Triborough Bridge (1936)
Opened under the controversial visionary Robert Moses, the Triborough (which is actually comprised of three crossings) links Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx via a complex network of roads and pathways that converge on Randall’s and Ward’s Islands.
A small pedestrian walk leads across the first leg of the bridge at 125th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan. This stretch, a repository for drug addicts and the homeless, and too often littered with trash, can be the most harrowing part of the journey. At Randall’s Island, the ramp lets off into a surprising oasis of green space in the middle of the East River. Baseball fields, walk and bike paths (many newly redone or under construction), and green lawns dot the landscape—or I should say, they will. With endless construction, the island has, at least of late, seen more neon orange than green. Warning: One wrong turn can lead into a drug rehabilitation center or firefighter training complex, so try to avoid getting lost. If you can find your way onto the pedestrian ramp to Queens, though, this is one crossing that will never fade from your memory. At points, the bridge narrows and the railings appear conspicuously low. Thoughts of ominous morning newspaper clippings may cross your mind, but the sensation of watching the East River stretch into the Midtown skyline as the bridge meets the sky in a moment of true elegance can transform the greatest cynic into a true romantic. As a bonus, the walkway leads right onto Astoria Boulevard, just steps from countless restaurants, plus the Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden, if the fear of imminent death has driven you to drink—and it ought to.
2. The George Washington Bridge (1931)
Enter along a ramp just off 178th Street and Pinehurst Avenue and follow the thin walkway to the middle of the span. Suspended between the rocky Palisades of New Jersey and the jumble of tenements around Washington Heights, the GW was once the longest bridge in the world. Original designs called for the bridge’s landmark steel skeleton to be sheathed in a stone exterior designed by Cass Gilbert (of Woolworth Building fame), but these plans were later scrapped. Suspended high above the glittering Hudson, the span frames Manhattan like nothing else. The silhouette of the skyscrapers rising majestically from the sea never fails to embrace the city in an aura of wonder, as if you had traveled across the country and were reaching your final destination—the metropolis at the end of the world. Don’t leave New York without walking it. Also check out the Little Red Lighthouse at the foot of the bridge if you have time.
3. The Williamsburg Bridge (1903)
The second oldest East River crossing, the Williamsburg Bridge always seems to come third in my mind. The bridge’s wide central walkways definitely offer the best option for recreation, especially biking. Bikers (and by bikers I mean hipsters, with skinny jeans and skinny bikes) can be territorial and overambitious despite the pathway’s width. Personally, I’d say it would make the best sledding hill in the city after a good snowfall, but that’s up for debate. The view is wonderful, although the metal framework can feel a bit like a cage. Straddling two nightlife destinations, the Williamsburg Bridge is perfect for late-night crossings.
4. Macomb’s Dam Bridge (1895)
Leading off 155th Street into the Bronx, the Macomb’s Dam Bridge once straddled the grounds of two New York baseball franchises: the Giants and the Yankees. The bridge’s distinctive name comes from the early 19th century miller Robert Macomb, who built a dam here across the Harlem River in 1813. The project allowed only small vessels to pass through its locks, and was eventually deemed a “public nuisance” and removed. As probably the best-named bridge in New York, Macomb’s nuisance lives on in memory. The bridge itself is small and ornate, with Victorian architectural details. Altogether it’s not so different from the University Heights Bridge farther north on the Harlem River, but it has a far more interesting setting.
5. The Queensboro Bridge (1909)
A distinctive and underrated bridge crossing into Queens from 59th Street, the Queensboro Bridge path can feel cramped and cellar-like. Considering that the aerial tramway to Roosevelt Island passes just beside it, this may not be your best bet if you want a beautiful view. Nevertheless, the Queensboro Bridge makes my top five for two reasons: First of all, despite its cramped quarters, the bridge, the most heavily trafficked in the city, has a certain New York bustle and grit to it that the others all lack—for better or worse. Second, under the bridge at First Avenue, a Food Emporium was built in 1999 into a tile-vaulted space. This is by far the coolest, and most unexpected, place for a supermarket in the entire city. The bridge leads to a dingy, though developing, section of Long Island City. Eat at the 5 Star Punjabi Diner, if you can find it.
Honorable Mentions:
Manhattan Bridge
Broadway Bridge
Ward’s Island Bridge
University Heights Bridge
Henry Hudson Bridge