Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway

Terri Carta

The Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway is a multi-use trail for people walking, running and biking along the waterfront — connecting with parks and open space, and providing access to the waterfront. The Greenway connects people and places, and provides vital social, health, environmental and economic benefits. The Greenway matters all the time, but especially during the Coronavirus crisis the Greenway is providing safe passage for essential workers commuting to work by bicycle and a place for healthful exercise and fresh air while maintaining safe physical distancing. The Greenway has remained open during the last few months and has proved to be critical public infrastructure for essential workers and New Yorkers needing fresh air and exercise.

The physical details of the Greenway matter — specifically that it’s separated from traffic, landscaped, and traverses parks and neighborhood corridors. The Greenway isn’t yet totally connected, meaning that it’s the current gaps in the Greenway that I’d like to see change by the gaps being connected: through Vinegar Hill, through Red Hook and Sunset Park, and through South Brooklyn. Like any network, the Greenway is only as “good” as its connections. Until gaps in the Greenway are closed, it can’t realize its full potential to serving Brooklyn’s residents, workers and visitors.

(added April 2020)

#essentialplace