Set To Open After 40 years:
Manhattan Bridge Path Grand Opening with Department of Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall
Wed. May 16, @ 1 pm
Where: Gather at the South East corner of Bowery and Canal
on the rebuilt Manhattan Bridge Path.

Excited cyclists will gather today to witness DOT Commissioner Weinshall cut the ribbon for the re-built Manhattan Bridge path. The Commissioner will lead the cyclists on a ceremonial ride over part of the bridge path to celebrate the re-opening. It is has been at least 40 years since the path has been open to the public. The group will be part of a historic moment as the first to ride on the newly re-furbished path.

Access to the path for cyclists and pedestrians has been long awaited. The path opening will mean that all four of the East River bridges connecting to Manhattan will be accessible on foot and bike. This will shorten the commute for many cyclists traveling between Brooklyn and Manhattan and dramatically decrease the congestion on the Brooklyn Bridge promenade. The path is set to open officially on Monday June 25, 2001.

This event is part of the 10th annual NYC Bike Week organized by Transportation Alternatives. Bike Week is New York's annual opportunity to celebrate the bicycle and acknowledge it as a quiet, non-polluting, flexible and neighborhood-friendly form of transportation. As part of National Bike Month, the week is designed to salute all 100,000 cyclists who ride in the city every day and encourage the others who wan to to try it.