Bridge X Proposal
Reimagining Brooklyn BridgeBridge X
Bridge X is a proposal developed by ScenesLab for the Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge design competition sponsored by the New York City Council and the Van Alen Institute. The competition sought “visionary ideas that would improve every aspect of the Brooklyn Bridge experience: access, the journey across, understanding of its history, landmark status and extraordinary engineering, and the meaning and pleasure that visiting one of the globe’s most iconic public spaces should deliver.”
The first phase of the Bridge X plan would provide a comfortable and enjoyable setting for social distancing and a cycle path – and could be implemented immediately to help New York recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. It would convert the bridge’s existing Brooklyn bound lanes into space for people, walkers, cyclists and vendors, including a separated cycle expressway, providing space for everyone to cross the bridge at their own pace. All vehicle traffic would be rerouted to the existing Manhattan bound lanes which would be converted to one lane in each direction with a central break-down lane.
On the bridge, Bridge X will create a series of zones each offering different opportunities for engaging with the bridge’s historic design, enjoying views of the East River and harbor, and making memories. These zones will be created using a kit of design interventions including digital art, interactive platforms, playscapes, seating and tables.
The Bridge X proposal also improves access to the bridge by creating highly visible and welcoming connections to redesigned anchorage plazas in Brooklyn and Manhattan. New access routes will connect these plazas with open space and transport networks in nearby neighborhoods.
References
Drawings from Scenes Lab. Great East River Bridge figure from Currier and Ives, US Library of Congress.
Bridge X Transport Plan by Andrew Nash
