Architect Wants To Create Floating Wooden Bridge Connecting Greenpoint To Long Island City
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Brooklyn's northern-most neighborhood, Greenpoint, ends at the water's edge. But just across the Newtown Creek is Long Island City, Queens.
Connecting them in a more pedestrian-friendly way is just what architect Jun Aizaki envisions.
"It just was a big question for me: Why isn't there a bridge there?" he told CBS2's Valerie Castro.
His CREME agency designed the Timber Bridge at Long Island Point Corridor to connect the boroughs with a floating wooden bridge and eventually include parks on either side.
It would also be an alternative to the G train, which will be one of the few transportation options in the area when the L train shuts down next year.
"It creates inter-borough traveling options," said Aizaki.
The nearby Pulaski Bridge does have pedestrian and bike lanes, alongside noisy cars, trucks and pollution.
The walk from the water's edge in Brooklyn, up and over the Pulaski to Queens takes about 12 minutes. Creators of the new project say once it's complete, that travel time would be just two minutes.
Right now, the idea is a Kickstarter campaign, with a deadline of June 16. The goal is to raise $50,000 to move forward with a feasibility study.
Aizaki said there have been concerns about water traffic, like barges, getting through. He said the problem is solved by the design of the bridge, which splits in half.
The project seems to have vocal support.
"Yeah, it'd be a great idea. So I could just bike here and then just continue over there, up onto 59th and just go back into the city," said cyclist George Le.
"Great. The less cars we use, the more bikes or walking, it's better," Greenpoint resident Sholeh Dalai said.
Aizaki hopes the bridge could be in place sometime next year. But the reality is that it needs public financial support and eventual city approval.
