It’s a bridge not too far at all.
On Monday, a new pathway for cyclists and pedestrians on the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge was officially unveiled, offering New Yorkers the opportunity to travel between Manhattan, the Bronx, and Randall’s Island by foot or bike.
Leaders from the MTA hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a symbolic bike ride to mark the opening of the new route, which comes after the establishment of similar paths on the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge and the Henry Hudson Bridge.
The path replaces pedestrian-only paths on the bridge’s Manhattan and Bronx spans that both connect to Randall’s Island.
“There is now an uninterrupted, vehicle-free path for walkers and bikers connecting Manhattan, the Bronx, and Randall’s Island, with a link to Queens coming soon,” stated Jamie Torres-Springer, the MTA’s president of construction and development.
The car-free path into Queens is expected to be complete in 2027, officials said.
When done, there’ll be an uninterrupted, Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant bike-pedestrian path from Astoria to Randall’s Island, the officials said.
The bridge connections are part of a $128 million investment in bicycle, pedestrian and micromobility infrastructure made by the MTA.
“Broadly speaking, we recognize that when transit remains the go-to travel option for the overwhelming majority of New Yorkers, there’s been tremendous growth in alternative micromobility options like bikes and scooters, both shared and personal,” said MTA boss Janno Lieber.
“Far from being a threat to mass transit, the trend gives the MTA an opportunity to extend the transit system’s reach deeper into communities that have less fixed rail service, or is little further away from a train station.”
