New York City Tax Dollars At Work

(10 am. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

Cross-posted at DailyKos and Firefly-Dreaming.

Today as Mayor Michael Bloomberg was crowing about the fourth-graders reading scores New York City had an historic event. Obviously there are few things as important as the education of our young but the completion of The Manhattan Waterfront Greenway is a well deserved feather in Bloomberg’s cap.

There was a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the fact that a stroll along the Hudson River will now take you from one tip of Manhattan to the other. I needed to be one of the first to enjoy the new Riverside Park walkway and went down to take some pictures. No wonder people want to live in New York, it has beautiful scenery for all to enjoy, there are 15 CPW for Sale apartments available for people who want to wake up and walk here every day for their commute.

The path that has been promised for decades is the final link of the Waterfront Greenway that stretches from Battery Park to Dyckman Street. Capital funds allocated by Mayor Michael Bloomberg paid for most of this nearly $16 million project that not only benefits New Yorkers at leisure. Now bicycle commuters can ride almost the entire length of the island without ever encountering an automobile.      

This is far more that just a $16 million project. Today’s ribbon cutting marked the final step in giving the waterfront back to the people. The Hudson River was once inaccessible and this final stage is the effort of many public servants over a few decades.  

The reason it was saved for last was probably because yesterday you could have still made the ride with a detour uphill to the Riverside Park Promenade. The park always had a riverfront walk but back when Robert Moses built the park this half mile section was too narrow for both a walkway and a highway beside the railroad tracks that is now hidden under the promenade.

Now it is just more convenient and another incentive for Morningside Height, Inwood and even western Bronx residents to go to work by bicycle.

In the center section the path is more like a bridge and you can see the original riverbank.

At the today’s celebration complete with brass band Manhattan Councilwoman Gale Brewer said “For New Yorkers and visitors, everyone who bicycles, jogs, walks, looks at the Hudson, this is incredibly exciting and it has been done beautifully.”  

This new path is a really beautiful addition to the city. Looking north all the way up to the George Washington Bridge;

And south you can see down to the boat basin;

The best view will be at night where the lighted uprights stand out beside the highway allowing both north and southbound motorist to enjoy the new addition. Like bikers, joggers, walkers and roller skaters, drivers will see their tax dollars at work.

Not that everything is wine and roses here. Riverfront State Park just to the north had the pool season canceled because of state budget cuts but this is good stuff for a struggling city and a symbol of good government.