More tourists are discovering the Manhattan Bridge.
It doesn't have the rooftop feel of the Brooklyn Bridge walkway, but that one's become almost gridlocked except in the early hours or bad weather. The vendors used to congregate at the ends, but they've started moving onto the boardwalk. Bikers yelling at tourists, near misses all the time.
By contrast, the Manhattan Bridge is serene; but there's enough traffic so it doesn't feel desolate and dangerous. Runners and commuters outnumber sightseers.
And the view is pretty good.
The plaza is nice enough, but usually empty.
The problem is that the south end is blocked by the Manhattan Bridge off-ramp, a route to the BQE. You have to go over a fence, get around Jersey barriers, cross an uncontrolled curved road, and reach an island with another fence. Inexplicably, Nassau St has a painted crosswalk leading to this dead end. It's one of the dumbest intersections in the city.
It's not easy to fix. A traffic light here would be dangerous.
The only safe way to cross is go back along Jay St to Sands St.
A makeshift crosswalk, but this is also a dangerous spot.
I can attest to the fact that the Brooklyn Bridge is dangerous to bike and borderline impassable. Best cycling bridge is the Williamsburg Bridge, and the worst is the Manhattan span of the Triboro Bridge. Desolate with lots of vagrants and shady characters along the way
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